A Legacy Grounded in Place, Guided by Purpose: Catherine Bertini

Pictured above: Catherine (left) sits with Kelly Tobin, executive director of the YWCA — an organization in Cortland County that she supports in honor of her parents’ legacy. | Photo by: Ben Cleeton

The Bertini family name has been prominent in Cortland County since members of the family first arrived in the United States as Italian immigrants in 1903. The area that soon became their new home is where they found work, ran businesses and established their lives.

Generations later, Catherine Bertini is one of three family members that remain in the local area. Although she has traveled extensively for work, lived abroad for a period of time, and maintains a Chicago residence, Cortland County is still the place she calls home and holds dearest in her heart.

Her grandfather, Ambrosio Pacifico, was born in Sgurgola in the province of Lazio, Italy. He was 17 when he arrived in the United States, where he was eventually joined by his mother, two brothers and two sisters. It is this, the deep-rooted history of her family, that prompted Bertini to establish a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation as a way to memorialize her family and its connection to Central New York.

“I envision my fund, the Bertini Family Foundation, making a positive local impact both during my lifetime and after I’m gone,” she said. “It serves as a vehicle for preserving my family’s legacy in the region that generations of Bertinis have called home for over a century.”

Growing up, Bertini’s father was a draftsman and engineer, but he was also an artist. She recalled, “He had beautiful handwriting, and liked to draw. He even created a comic/cartoon character called “Willy Nilly” that he used to promote his various projects. To me, he was a ‘Renaissance man.’”

Bertini explained that while her father was bedridden in the hospital with tuberculosis, he developed a love for the classics – books and music – which he eventually passed on to his children. It was at this same hospital that her father met her mother, who was working as a nurse after previously serving as both a nurse and first lieutenant in the Army.

“My father knew a lot about music,” said Bertini. “He didn’t play anything himself but he used to have my brother and I sit next to the record player and listen to music by Mozart, Tchaichosvky, Beethoven or other great composers. That love of the classics stuck with me.”

When Bertini was in fourth grade, she learned to play the clarinet, an instrument that has remained a significant part of her life. She enjoyed playing in the Cortland Old Timers Band for many years alongside her brother, who worked as a professional jazz musician. In fact, Bertini and her three siblings each pursued careers that aligned with one of their father’s many interests.

After earning a degree from the University of Albany, Bertini worked in multiple political and public service roles, all of which helped her develop unique skills that motivated her to support the causes she is most passionate about — including girls’ education and global food security.

Her interest in public policy continued to expand and prioritizing strategic policy development became essential for achieving her goals. Bertini dedicated her career to shaping and influencing domestic and international public policy, driving organizational change and building impactful leadership experience across both the private and public sectors.

Over the course of many years, Bertini led multiple efforts to combat hunger around the world, ultimately serving as the head of the United Nations World Food Program for 10 years. In 2003, she was named the World Food Prize Laureate for her influential work in the field and was recognized for her impact on the lives of countless women around the world.

Bertini also taught a number of courses on girls’ education, food security, post conflict reconstruction and leadership at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. As her role as a leader progressed, so did her commitment to service – both at the international and local levels. Bertini is a Distinguished Fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, she advises the Rockefeller Foundation on global food security issues and serves as a board chair for the Global Crop Diversity Trust. She is also a board member for theScowcroft Institute of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University and the Central New York Community Foundation, among others.

Building on her deep family ties to Cortland County, Bertini serves on the selection committee for the Cortland Bright Ideas program. Administered by the Community Foundation and supported by the Fenstermacher Fund, the Bertini Family Foundation and contributions from other Cortland County residents, the program offers nonprofits serving Cortland County the opportunity to apply for a $5,000 grant to support their ‘bright idea’. 

With many aspirations and ideas for future giving opportunities, Bertini holds interest in supporting music and arts in Cortland County. She also hopes to highlight Italian immigrant accomplishments as a way to stay connected to her roots and leave her family legacy to support future generations of hard workers.

“I am pleased to be able to make this gift in my family’s name, and I am proud to know that these funds will be a vehicle for having a local legacy in the Cortland community,” she reflects.

Ultimately, Bertini’s highest hopes are to honor her family’s collective history and connections to Central New York by fostering strong support for the arts, music and education, as well as hard work, loyalty and commitment for all.

In addition to the Bertini Family Foundation, Bertini also plans to leave a separate legacy gift to establish the Catherine Bertini Fund, which will ensure ongoing impact in the areas that defined her distinguished public service career and personal philanthropic passions, including tolerance, human welfare, food security, and improving the lives of women and girls the world over.

Her current giving and the establishment of her legacy fund upon her passing will ensure her impact will continue for future generations.