Our Leadership
Douglas W. Charnas, Esq.
Board Member
Douglas W. Charnas is a Washington, D.C. lawyer who has represented non-profit organizations since 1984, when he left the Office of Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service to enter private practice. He worked closely with the Delegation of the European Union to the United States in the conception and formation of the European-American Cultural Foundation, and is currently a member of its Board of Directors and is its Secretary/Treasurer.
Mr. Charnas serves as a director and officer of other non-profit organizations, include S&R Foundation (director and secretary/treasurer) and the J. Edgar Murdock Inn of Court (secretary/treasurer). He is a former member of the Board of Visitors of the Ohio University Honors Tutorial College and a former regional vice president of alumni affairs of Case Western Reserve Law School. He teaches at Georgetown Law Center where he has been an adjunct professor for more than 20 years.
The Hon. Bart Gordon
Board Member
The Hon. Bart Gordon joined the law firm of K&L Gates, as partner in the Washington, D.C. office, after 26 years representing the state of Tennessee in the United States House of Representatives. During his Congressional tenure, Mr. Gordon served from 2007-2010 as Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology, and was also a senior member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Additionally, Mr. Gordon served on the House Committee on Financial Services and the House Committee on Rules, Transatlantic Parliamentary Dialogue, and NATO Parliamentary Assembly. During his distinguished congressional career, Mr. Gordon developed a reputation as an undisputed bipartisan leader in innovation policy in the U.S. Congress, championing such influential legislative initiatives as the America COMPETES Act; the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act; and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
Mr. Gordon is a Distinguished Fellow on the Council on Competence and was appointed by President Obama to the Blue Ribbon Panel of the Antarctica and Southern Oceans. He is a member of the Brookings Leadership Advisory Board; a project member for the American Academy of Art and Science’s New Models for U.S. Science and Technology Policy; and a Board Member of the U.S Association of Former Members of Congress.
Michael Giacalone
Executive Director
Michael Giacalone is a dynamic and strategic leader in the arts and cultural sector, bringing over 20 years of experience in the design, production, and management of transformative public programs, exhibitions, and events. Currently serving as the Deputy Director at the Italian Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C., Michael has been instrumental in shaping the Institute’s growth and impact over the past several years. Under his leadership, the Institute expanded its programming, reaching broader, more diverse audiences and forging stronger connections with local and international communities. His vision has strengthened the Institute’s role as a key cultural hub and catalyzed new collaborations and strategic partnerships, driving institutional growth and increasing its visibility on the global stage.
Before his tenure in Washington, Michael served in various high-profile roles in New York City, contributing to major cultural initiatives and working closely with leading artists and institutions.