Giorgio Forte

**Giorgio Forte** (born 25 September 1954) is the current First Gentleman of California as the husband of President Susanna Forte, serving since 2010. He is the first spouse of the President of California to not be born in California, and is also the only male to ever hold this title.

An Italian national, Forte was born and raised in Milan. He immigrated to California in 1973 to attend the University of San Diego, which he graduated from in 1978. Prior to becoming First Gentleman, Forte worked at a number of San Diego non-governmental organizations, and later founded *The Free Bird Organization*, a political lobbying firm dedicated to lobbying on behalf of non-violent prisoners seeking official pardons.

After his wife's election as president in 2010, Forte resigned from his position at *The Free Bird Organization* in order to prioritize his duties as First Gentleman and avoid a conflict of interest. As First Gentleman, he has supported a number of charitable causes such as prisoner's rights, rights of the elderly, and rights of immigrants. He has been a registered member of the Liberal Conservative Party since becoming a Californian citizen in 1981.

## Early life and family

Forte was born on 25 September 1954 in Milan to parents Giuseppe (1922–2007) and Giulia Forte (1924–2017; née *Cartolini*). Her father worked as a banker, while his mother was a housewife. He was raised in the Isola district, located in the ninth zone of Milan. Growing up, the family were upper-middle class Roman Catholics and supporters of the Christian Democracy political party. He is the second eldest of four children; his siblings include Giuseppe, born  (1952-08-01) 1 August 1952 (age 71), Anna Maria, born  (1956-03-17) 17 March 1956 (age 67), and Alice, born  (1965-11-22) 22 November 1965 (age 58).

## Education and early career

Forte began his education in 1960, attending public schooling in Milan. He demonstrated academic talents as a child, and particularly was fascinated with the English language, wishing to move to New York City when he got older. Forte began upper secondary education in 1968, attending a *liceo delle scienze umane*, where he studied the social sciences and humanities. Forte graduated in 1973, and while his family initially wanted him to enroll in the University of Milan, he ultimately decided to move to California and enrolled in the University of San Diego as a sociology major. While at the University of San Diego, Forte joined the Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ) fraternity and played for the school soccer team. He received his bachelor's degree in 1978.

After graduating from college, Forte found a job at a non-governmental organization in San Diego, and began working full-time in order to support his wife and newborn daughter. Despite originally planning to pursue a master's degree, he was unable to due to the heavy workload he had to take on. Forte worked at various non-governmental organizations in San Diego throughout the 1980s and 1990s, but after his wife was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 2000, he was forced to resign and move to Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, he founded the political lobbying firm *The Free Bird Organization*, dedicated to lobbying on behalf of non-violent prisoners seeking official pardons. He left his position as president of the organization following the 2010 presidential election where his wife was elected President of California in order to prioritize his new duties as First Gentleman of California and to avoid a conflict of interest.

## First Gentleman of California

After his wife's election as president in 2010, Forte became the First Gentleman of California. He is the first spouse of the President of California to not have been born in California, and also is the first to be a male. As First Gentleman, he has supported a number of charitable causes such as prisoner's rights, rights of the elderly, and rights of immigrants.

## Personal life

Forte began a relationship with Susanna Juárez in 1976, while she was a senior in high school and he was a sophomore at the University of San Diego, after meeting at an on-campus party. They became engaged in February 1977, after Juárez had become pregnant, and married that April. Through his marriage to Juárez, Forte received Californian citizenship in 1981. He is now a dual citizen of both Italy and California. He speaks fluent Spanish, English, and Portuguese, in addition to his native Italian.

Forte and Juárez have five children together: Claudia, born  (1977-09-13) 13 September 1977 (age 46), Daniella, born  (1978-10-30) 30 October 1978 (age 45), Robert, born  (1980-05-22) 22 May 1980 (age 43), Christina, born  (1981-12-17) 17 December 1981 (age 42), and Pietro, born  (1983-03-24) 24 March 1983 (age 40). Claudia has served in the Chamber of Deputies since 2012. The family is Roman Catholic. While Forte and Juárez have both resided in Los Angeles Plaza since Juárez's election as president, none of their children have ever permanently lived there with them. Before her election to the Chamber of Deputies, the family lived in the San Diego suburb of Carlsbad.