Our People
Our experienced team loves to share their passion for Italy. We not only expose our members to the Italian language, but we share an entire culture and community with all its nuances. We bring Italy to our members.
Staff Members
Maria Romano de León was raised in San Diego’s Italian-American community. She attended UCSD, earning a BA in Art History, and later earned an MA in Arts and Heritage Policy, Management, and Education from Maastricht University in the Netherlands.
Beatrice Basso was born and raised in Asolo, near Venice. She is a curator, event organizer, teacher, and theater artist. After her studies in classics and theater at the University of Padua in Italy and Royal Holloway University of London, she moved to the Bay Area and worked in editing and outreach at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura of San Francisco.
Instructors
Gabriella Pozzoli was born and grew up in Naples although her parents and all her family are from Milan. Gabriella graduated from the Università degli Studi Federico II in Naples, and she has a master’s degree in foreign Languages and Literature.
Patrizia Lissoni was born in a small town, Cassina de’ Pecchi, on the outskirt of Milan. In Italy, she studied at the Catholic University in Milan where she received her degree in Special Education. In the US, she studied at the University of California Los Angeles, where she received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Italian.
Lily Martone was born and raised in Napoli, the third largest Italian city and the birthplace of the original wood-fired Neapolitan pizza. After attending Liceo Classico, she earned her laurea in Lingue e Lettere Moderne at the Università L’Orientale in Naples.
Elisa Meazzini
from Trieste
Born and raised in Trieste, Elisa Meazzini has a Master of Arts degree in Communication Science and has been a member of the Italian Association of Journalists (list of Professionals) since 2004.
Antonia was born in the US but grew up and studied in Naples her entire life. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Communication and Mass Media from Federico II di Napoli.
Francesca Celestino was born in a small town, Rossano- Corigliano, in Calabria, the south of Italy where she attended Liceo Scientifico. She moved to Florence to start her studies in Art and Design and she earned a BA in Interior Design at the University of Architecture of Florence.
Born and raised in California, Lindsay’s Italian roots trace back to San Giorio di Susa (Piemonte). She began her own study of Italian in earnest at UCSD, then earned a BA in Italian from UC Berkeley and a Masters and PhD in Italian Studies from New York University.
Stefania Candeliere
from Matera
Stefania Candeliere, a native of Matera—one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the European Cultural Capital in 2019—has dedicated her academic career to ancient world history and earned her Master’s degree from the University of Rome La Sapienza.
Board Members
Paul Pitingaro
President
Robin Witkin
Vice President
Event Planning
Diane Napoliello-Kenney
Board Secretary
Education Programming
Donald Stadelli
Treasurer
Carol Gratzke-Patterson
Budget & Finance
Barbara Carra
Board Member
Robert Contin
Board Member
Angela Ruscigno
Board Member
Alessandra Sgubini
Board Member
Andrea Zarattini
Board Member
Anna Mosca
Board Member