Meet the team: Phil Potestio

It’s hard to imagine Portland Bologna Sister City Association without board president Phil Potestio. He’s been part of the board since 2008, and became its president in 2011. Over the past 12 years, he’s seen the organization through great times and tough years, all with a smile on his face and that irresistible Phil laugh.

Phil’s relationship to the city of Bologna, however, goes back even further. He and his wife, Sally Hudson (former PBSCA executive director) first visited in 1980, just a couple of days after the horrific train station bombing. Despite the difficult circumstances, they found the city full of life — including an unforgettable pop-up nightclub called “No Ice,” complete with costumes and bumping dance tunes spilling out onto the streets. The two returned in 1998 with their two small children, staying for six years while Phil taught English and Sally administered exchange programs for universities like Johns Hopkins and the University of California. They were even present at the signing ceremony in Bologna that established the Portland-Bologna sister city relationship in 2004.

Even after coming back to the United States and resuming his teaching career, Phil kept returning to Bologna during the summers to teach English. After officially retiring in 2019, he and Sally now split their time between Portland and Bologna by trading houses with a University of Bologna professor who also conducts research at OHSU. They’re headed back this month, and they’ll be there until August. Buon viaggio, Phil & Sally!