R. M. Rizzo ~Author
About the Author
Raffaela Marie Rizzo's passions are faith, family, and friends. She devotes her energy to capturing family stories, reading books, tracing genealogy, history, world travel, and community volunteering. Her service-oriented leadership, coupled with her creativity and resourcefulness, has led to a proven record of accomplishment in integrated marketing, promotions, and communications programs in the business world.
She earned an MBA degree from Jacksonville (FL) University and a BA degree in media studies from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT, where she graduated magna cum laude. She has received dozens of professional and community awards, including the prestigious Harold Geneen Award and the coveted Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America.
Along with her husband, Mark Fenn, Raffaela Marie co-founded Giro di Mondo, a small hybrid publishing firm, showcasing her entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to supporting authors in achieving their dreams.
Most recently, she serves as the founder and president of the Ritzzo Family Education Foundation, a non-profit formed in honor of her parents. The Foundation's purpose is to offer college or trade school scholarships to Italian American children, especially those with Calabrian heritage.
To donate to the Ritzzo Family Education Foundation, go to
https://www.ritzzofoundation.org/
Mother of two adult children and grandmother to two grandchildren, Raffaela Marie's lifelong volunteer work in community and faith-based organizations reflects her deep commitment to making a difference, inspiring others to engage and contribute. She was named Woman of the Year in 2021 by the Nassau County Chapter of American Business Women.
Raffaela Marie is a past president of the nationally renowned Amelia Island Book Festival.
Born in Calabria, Italy, and raised in Connecticut, she and her husband, Mark, now make Amelia Island, Florida, home.
