Committee

Prof. Marinella Marmo, current President of Com.It.Es SA, is a Professor of Criminology and Law at Flinders University.

A leading expert on human rights, modern slavery and migration, her work is widely cited by academics and policymakers, featured in global media, and used in documentaries.

She is dedicated to equitable access to justice for all.

Mark is an Australian born co-opted member of ComItEs SA. His family migrated to Adelaide from Benevento, Campania, and have been proud members of the Adelaide Italian community over many decades.

His grandfather was one of the founding members of the Campania Club, his wife Jessica’s grandfather was the founder of the San Giorgio Club and his grandparents were also involved in the Italian Lion’s Club.

After completing a double degree in commerce and law at the University of Adelaide, Mark has been an advisor to multinational corporate entities, and not-for-profit entities, assisting them to navigate their way through the complex tax system in Australia and in foreign jurisdictions.

This has included a stint of eight years as the Tax Manager of Beach Energy, one of Adelaide's largest companies, and global accounting firms EY and BDO.

Mark also completed a Master of Taxation degree from the University of NSW in 2014, and also completed an Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Adelaide in 2023.

Mark has been the treasurer of ComItEs since 2024, and his wife Jessica also proudly assists with ComItEs initiatives throughout the year.

Lara Damiani is a documentary filmmaker and producer known for her socially conscious storytelling.

As the founder of Think Films, she has dedicated her career to creating impactful documentaries that explore themes of resilience, identity, and social justice.

With no formal training, Lara independently forged her path in filmmaking, securing an exclusive interview with the Dalai Lama for her first feature on Tibet.

Her recent projects include Ultra, a feature documentary following Australian-Palestinian ultra-endurance cyclist Abdullah Zeinab.

Lara’s work has received backing from Screen Australia, the South Australian Film Corporation and has featured on ABC and SBS.

Passionate about authentic storytelling and character-led stories, Lara collaborates closely with diverse voices to bring important stories to the screen.

Tiziana Torresi is Senior Lecturer in Political Theory at the University of Adelaide and Deputy Director of the Fay Gale Centre for Research on Gender. She holds a DPhil in Politics and International Relations, from the University of Oxford. 

Her research has been cited worldwide, mentioned by prominent media internationally and used by policy-makers. She has published widely on migration and temporary labour migration, migrants’ voting rights, the role of cities in migration, citizenship, and populism. 

She writes on state policies about women’s bodies, especially in relation to health.

She collaborates with an interdisciplinary team of scientists working on human flourishing and theories of well-being, and she is co-chair of the Wellbeing Portfolio in the Adelaide School of Social Sciences. 

She has an interest in the philosophy of love, both in interpersonal relations and as a public and political value as well as in Buddhist studies.

She is a founding member of the Global Justice Network and was the Vice-president of ARIA- Associazione Ricercatori Italiani in Australasia.

Teresa LaRocca is an elected member of Com.It.Es SA and has served as their Event Manager and Secretary.

Teresa has been a principal soprano with Opera Australia and the State Opera of South Australia and sung with every major Symphony Orchestra in Australia.

Her achievements include Musical Direction of many choirs and last year she made her debut as a Director for the musical Legally Blonde for Seymour College.

She is the current Artistic Director of St Clair Community Events and the popular community event, St Clair Carols by Candlelight.

As well as Teresa’s singing commitments around Australia, she produces events for her local community and musical opportunities championing South Australian artists.