Through the invitation of Dr. Aileen Riotto Sirey and the encouragement  of Geraldine A Ferraro a small group of Italian American women met at Dr. Sirey's home on July 14, 1980 to start the group. The founding members included Aileen Riotto Sirey, then-U.S. Representative from New York Geraldine Ferraro, Matilda Cuomo (wife of Mario Cuomo, then Lieutenant Governor of New York), Donna deMatteo, Bonnie Mandina and Roseanne Colletti.
On July 14, 1980, a small group of Italian American women met at Dr. Aileen Riotto Sirey's home with the encouragement of Geraldine Ferraro to establish the group. The founding members were Aileen Riotto Sirey, then-U.S. Representative from New York Geraldine Ferraro, Matilda Cuomo (wife of Mario Cuomo, who was then Lieutenant Governor of New York), Donna deMatteo, Bonnie Mandina, and Roseanne Colletti.