Member Profiles
U.S. Pizza Team Council

Dave Sommers – Mad Mushroom, West Lafayette, IN.
Athletics Director, Culinary, USPT Council
Dave Sommers is the owner of 2 Mad Mushrooms in Read More

Jamie Culliton – USPT Athletic Coach, The Nona Slice House, Safety Harbor, FL.
Acrobatics Coach, Culinary, USPT Council
Jamie competes in both Acrobatics and culinary and Read More

Gino Rago – Panino’s Pizza, Chicago, IL.
Culinary Coach, USPT Council
I have a passion for all styles of pizza. I Read More

Michael LaMarca – Master Pizza, Cleveland, OH.
Team Captian, Culinary, USPT Council
Michael P. LaMarca is the owner of the Master Pizza Read More

Jason Samosky – Samosky’s Homestyle Pizzeria, Valley City, OH.
Culinary, USPT Council
I am Jason Samosky, proud owner of Samosky’s Homestyle Pizzeria Read More

Bradley Corbin – Sloopy’s Sports Cafe, Lakeside, OH.
Culinary, USPT Council
Brad Corbin, Owner of Sloopy’s Sports Cafe, Lakeside, OH & Read More

Leonardo Rago – Panino’s Pizzeria, Evanston, IL.
Culinary, USPT Council
Started in the pizza business at age 14, Love Pizza, Read More

Brian Hernandez – U.S. Pizza Team Director, Batesville, MS.
USPT Director, Culinary, USPT Council
Brian came on board PMQ Pizza Magazine in October Read More
Premiere Members

Premiere Member, Culinary
Leonardo (Lenny) was born and raised in Castellamare Del Golfo, Sicily. Lenny left Sicily in 1991at age of 21 and few years later he decided ...Read More

Premiere Member, Culinary
Leah lives in San Francisco Ca. She has been working with Pizza My Heart in the Bay Area for 18 years. When she is not ...Read More

Premiere Member, Culinary, Gluten-Free
Heather is the owner of Sinfully Gluten Free in Dayton, Oh., a dedicated gluten free pizzeria and bakery.Heather joined the USPT in 2013 after winning ...Read More

Premiere Member, Culinary
Ali Haider & wife Sayyeda Ali, proud owners of 786 Degrees Wood Fired Pizza Co. Sun Valley CA began their dream journey back in 2013. Being a huge ...Read More

Premiere Member, Acrobatics, Culinary
My name is Rick Wheeler and I operate out of Mad Mushroom Pizza in Lafayette Indiana. Been doing pizza for 10 years now. I love ...Read More

Premiere Member, Acrobatics, Culinary
Owner/operator of Fiamme Pizza Napoletana in Tucson Arizona. Been in business for 1 year and a pizzaiolo or pizza maker for 4 years. Two strongest ...Read More


Premiere Member, Culinary
Owner of Palo Mesa Pizza in Arroyo Grande, CA., Michael joined the team in 2013 after winning 3rd place at the U.S. Pizza Team Culinary ...Read More

Premiere Member, Culinary
Born in Monroe, Michigan, Tore was lucky to be exposed to foods of the world at a very young age. Born to immigrant parents with ...Read More

Competing Member, Culinary
Info@tievolipizzabar.com


Premiere Member, Culinary
Dan Uccello has been a member of the USPT since 2017. Dan owns Flo’s Collection in grand rapids Michigan. Flo’s Collection is a restaurant group ...Read More


Premiere Member, Acrobatics, Culinary
My name is Michael Reyes-Casanova. I am the Executive Pizza Chef for Ynot Italian in Virginia Beach, Virginia. I enjoy long walks on the beach, ...Read More

Premiere Member, Culinary
David Conti, owner of Red Planet Pizza & BBQ. After 10 years of doing Kansas City Barbeque Society & New England Barbeque Society Grilling Competitions ...Read More

Competing Member, Culinary
Opened in 1999, Dempsey’s is the 2nd oldest brewery in the state,. Family run, and a fun atmosphere. From our 21+ Tap lines, house ...Read More

Premiere Member, Culinary
Gianni Gallucci, owner of Gallucci Pizzeria Napoletana in Chicago, Ill. seized a trip from the 2018 Midwest U.S. Pizza Cup and a spot on the ...Read More

Competing Member, Culinary
Derrick Tung, owner and operator of Paulie Gee’s Logan Square, started out by learning how to make pizza at home through YouTube tutorials and PizzaMakingForum.com ...Read More

Competing Member, Culinary
Lars Smith is the chef and co-owner of state of Mind Public House and Pizzeria in Los Altos, California. He has been in the industry ...Read More

Competing Member, Culinary
With numerous awards and years of competing under his belt, Daniel “The Big Cheese” has dedicated his time and expertise to representing the Lone Star ...Read More

https://www.stateofmindpublichouse.com/
Competing Members

Peter Anderson – Gelsosomo’s Pizza, Crown Point, IN.
Competing Member, Culinary

Salvatore Passalacqua – Marrabella Old World Pizza, Greenville, NC.
Competing Member, Culinary

Massimo Mannino – Nino’s Cucina Italiana, Greenville, NC.
Competing Member, Culinary

Craig Allenbough – Sauced Wood Fired Pizza, Fairview Park, OH.
Competing Member, Culinary
My pizza journey started out at 17 when I took my first job at Punxy Pizza under the ownership of Scott Anthony. In 2012, I opened a food truck in Read More

Daniel Lee Perea, U.S. Pizza Team
Competing Member, Culinary

Kyle Rosch, Brenz Pizza Co., Chapel Hill, NC.
Competing Member, Culinary

Brandon Davis – Novella’s Pizza, New Hudson, MI.
Competing Member, Culinary
Brandon Davis is the Owner/Operator of Novella’s Pizza in New Hudson, Michigan. He has been in the restaurant business for 15 years and opened Novella’s Pizza over a year ago. Read More

Gail Churinetz – Gail’s Pizza Parties, Germantown, TN.
Competing Member, Culinary
My cooking career began when my husband, Bob, transplanted our family from Connecticut to Germantown, Tennessee in the summer of 1994. When we moved here, one of the first things Read More

Deserai Satullo – Sauced Wood Fired Pizza, Fairview Park, OH.

George Taylor – Taylors’ Neighborhood pizza & Sandwich Shoppe, Endwell, NY.
Competing Member, Culinary
I have been in the pizza biz for about 25 years. My wife and I are owners of Taylors’ Neighborhood Pizza & Sandwich Shoppe in Endwell, NY. I first competed Read More

Joey Karvelas – Karvelas Pizza Co. , Hogansville, GA.
Competing Member, Culinary

Max Durocher – Tiki Sam’s Wood Fired Pizza, Hanover, MI.
Competing Member, Culinary, Acrobatics
Tiki Sam’s Pizza is bringing the best pizza to the streets of Jackson, MI, bar none. It’s a food truck, after all, and one that’s sticking to time tested pizza Read More

Alex Koons, Purgatory Pizza & Hot Tongue Pizza, L.A., CA.
Alex Koons is the owner of Purgatory Pizza and the new Hot Tongue Pizza opening in the summer of 2021 in the Los Angeles area. Purgatory Pizza offers an array Read More

Matt Montgomery, Hydraulic Hearth, Buffalo, NY.
A 10 year accomplished pizza artist with the ability to train and assist in opening new restaurants. Bringing the latest flair into open kitchens across the United States. Working out Read More

Gene McWilliams, Kitchens Unlimited, Effingham, IL.
Combining the deliciousness of Pizzas, Burgers and Cheese Steaks under one Roof, USPT member Gene McWilliams found out the best way to have all the best parts of dining out Read More

Athanasios Drivas – Nittany Pizza, York, PA.
Athanasios Drivas is a restaurant industry veteran with over 30 years of experience. Originally trained as an engineer, Athanasios couldn’t resist the pull of the family pizza business… and became Read More

Pasquale Di Maio – Vesuvio’s Italian Catering & Mobile Wood-Fired Pizza, Minneapolis, MN.
Pasquale Di Maio was classically trained in his family’s pizzeria in Napoli, aka Naples, Italy. SInce then, he has been honing his craft and bringing joy to the masses with Read More

Mario Vollera – Southend Pizza, Venice, CA.
Pizzaiolo Mario Vollera turn out rustic pies, crisp-tender sourdough-style pizzas with a lot of Italian cheeses, local ingredients and seasonal products. He works hard to source the ingredients in ways Read More

RC Gallegos – RC’s NYC Pizza & Pasta, Kingwood and The Woodlands, TX.

Rico Lunardi, Slice on Broadway – Beechview, Pittsburgh, PA.
Our job, as we see it, is to make the best darn pizza, sandwiches and salads money can buy. We make everything we possibly can from scratch, and we go Read More

Alberto Russo – Flour House, San Luis Obispo, CA.
A HUSBAND-AND-WIFE TEAM, ONE ITALIAN BY BIRTH AND THE OTHER BY BLOOD… Their shared love for Italian culture and cuisine compelled them to open Flour House, a modern eatery offering Read More

Audrey Jayne, Slingin’ Pizza, Laguna Park, TX.
I have worked in every type of shop, from mom and pops, to one of the worlds largest pizza companies. I knew my life goal very quickly was to open Read More

James Terwilliger, The Pizza Consultant, Buona Forchetta and Biga, San Diego, CA.
After making pizza for over 15 years and on both coasts of the US, I started my own Consulting firm focusing on pizzerias . I’ve made pizza for corporations and Read More

Vittoria Trupiano, Mangia E Bevi, Oceanside, CA.
Culinary
As one of the youngest members of the team, Vittoria has proven herself in competition at the 2022 Las Vegas Pizza Expo, taking top honors as a Galbani Pro Member.

Jimmy Gadd, Goodfellas Pizzeria, Cincinnati, OH.
Culinary & Acrobatics
Jimmy started spinning dough in 2015 as an entry level line worker with Goodfellas Pizzeria in Covington KY. Very quickly learned the ropes from a couple of MADE GUYS who Read More
Affiliate Members

Bradley Johnson – Pizzeria Cortile, Chattanooga, TN.
Premiere Member, Acrobatics, Culinary
Bradley has been on the team since 2009. He competes in Acrobatics and Culinary. He won a trip to Italy in 2013 at IBIE in Las Vegas. He placed 7th Read More

Rick & Jane Mines – Nima’s Pizza and More, Gassville, AR.
Culinary Member

Chris Mallon – Houdini Pie, Nashville, TN.
Culinary Member
Chris honed his skills in the extremely competitive restaurant scene of Nashville, TN. He received 3 consecutive Reader’s Choice Wards while serving as culinary director of Nashville’s premiere pizza destination. Read More

Greg Spaulding – Middle Fork Kitchen Bar, Lexington, KY
Culinary Member

Vic DiOrio -DiOrio’s Pizza and Pub, Louisville, KY.
Culinary Member

Shawn Dugan – Shorty’s Pizzeria, Parkersburg, WV.
Culinary Member

Michael Amheiser – Pizza Dock, Fredericktown, OH.
Culinary Member

Damien “Dutch” VanOostendorp – Tribecca Allie, Sardis, MS.
Culinary Member
Damian “Dutch” vanOostendorp Grew up in Orange County NY. Relocated to MS in 1997. Former PGA of America Member golf instructor. Currently co-owner/pizzaiolo/bread baker at TriBecca Allie Cafe in Sardis Read More

Adam Tucker – Mifflin Pizza, Mifflinville, PA.
Acrobatics Member
Purchased in 2011. Giuseppe’s was the previous name of our pizza shop. We changed our name to Mifflin Pizza in 2015. The owner of Mifflin Pizza,Adam Tucker has been making Read More

Karen Irby – Camp Lake Stephens, Oxford, MS.
Culinary Member
I am currently the head chef for Camp Lake Stephens and the Oxford School District. I have been in the pizza business for over 20 years. US pizza team member Read More

Stan Miller – PieZon’s Pizza, Fulton, MS.
Culinary/Acrobatics Member
My name is Stan Miller. I am the owner of WORLD FAMOUS PIEZONS PIZZA & PASTA in Fulton, Ms. and I have been in the pizza business since 1994. I Read More

Tim Silva – Pizza My Heart, Santa Cruz, CA.
Culinary Member
Tim lives in Santa Cruz Ca. He has been working with Pizza My Heart in the Bay Area for 26 years. When he is not working he enjoys surfing and Read More

Will Shaw
Competing Member, Culinary
Will Shaw has been in the pizza business for over 15 years and has competed in numerous competitions resulting in four first place, one second place and one fourth place Read More

Paola Laghetti – U.S. Pizza Team Translator, Verona, Italy
Paola has been the translator for the U.S. Pizza Team for over 7 years. Leading the team through the chaos that is the World Pizza Championships, she is one of the Read More

David Scooby Strecker – Downtown House of Pizza, Ft. Myers, FL.
Acrobatics Member

Drew French – Your Pie, Athens, GA.
Affiliate Member, Culinary
My name is Drew French and pizza became a passion of mine when I traveled through Italy with my Italian high school sweet heart while on our honeymoon in 2006. Read More

Anthony Scalia – Master Pizza, OH.
Competing Member, Culinary

Mike Russo – Cleveland, OH.
Competing Member, Culinary

Alex Garcia, Flo’s Pizzeria, Grand Rapids MI.
Competing Member, Culinary
Alex joined the USPT in 2017. Alex is the General Manager/Pizzaiolo of Flo’s Pizzeria In grand rapids Michigan. Alex has competed on behalf of Flo’s in Novi Michigan taking first Read More

Ryan LaRose, USPT Acrobatics, Columbus, OH.
Premiere Member, Acrobatics, Culinary