A native of Reggio Emilia, Simonetta has spent her youth in Milan. For most of her life, she has lived in different countries of the world, where she has continued to teach Italian and work as a freelance writer for newspapers and magazines. She has now settled in San Diego, where she works as a full time mom (of eight!), and part-time teacher and translator.
Born and raised in Trieste, in the far north-east of Italy, Elisa Meazzini received her Master of Arts degree in Communication Science. She has been a member of the Italian Association of Journalists (list of Professionals) since 2004 and worked for 14 years as a journalist and host at the editorial office of the Friuli Venezia Giulia television station Telequattro. Occasionally, she also covered news for the national television station La7. In 2012 she left Trieste for Ulm, Germany, where she embraced her new passion: teaching Italian as foreign language. She worked as an Italian teacher for adults. In 2013, Elisa moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where she taught Italian to adults at the Dante Alighieri Society of Cambridge. Elisa was actively involved in the radio-tv show for Italian expats L’Italia Chiamò, broadcast on several Italian television stations and on the Internet between 2013 and 2015. In 2016 she moved to San Diego, where she has continued teaching Italian and taken on a new job: being a mom!
Michela was born and raised in a small town in the beautiful Madonie’s park, Alimena, located in Palermo province. She studied at the University of Palermo. After she got married, she left the beloved Sicily and moved North, to Magenta. She worked in Milano for many years writing software programs. She came to San Diego for a family vacation, fell in love with the place and has now been living here with her family since 1999. She started teaching Italian for Poway Adult Education in 2000 and for the ICC in 2005 and she LOVES it! She shares with her students all the passion and love she has for Italy and for Italian Culture and Art.
Lily was born and raised in Napoli, the 3rd largest Italian city and birthplace of the original wood-fired Neapolitan pizza. She earned her Laurea in Lingue e Letterature Moderne at University of Naples “L’Orientale”. She moved to USA with her husband in 1999 after falling in love with San Diego during their honeymoon. She also lived in Cary, North Carolina and Houston, Texas before returning permanently to San Diego area where she and her husband are raising 2 sons. In Cary and Houston she taught Italian to students eager to learn her native language and Italian culture. As a “vera Napoletana” she is truly passionate about family, traditions, history, cooking and “calcio”. Among other interests, she loves running, reading, watching sports events and spending quality time while entertaining family and friends with a glass of wine, espresso coffee, delicious pastries and her husband’s famous and authentic pizza and homemade bread. Lily has a true passion for her “amata Italia” and she is very excited to continue to teach and help people who are interested and love the Italian language and its culture.
Born and raised in Italy, she obtained her Laurea degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures. In Napoli she was teaching English in High School and Elementary school.
After moving to Maryland, she started teaching Italian Language in Washington D.C.for adults and US diplomatic and Military Personnel, and she also taught Italian in adults classes in Maryland. After her daughter was born she moved with the family to San Diego. Since then she has dedicated herself to raise her daughter, but not for a second she forgot about her passion, teaching. She is currently teaching Italian to children and adults at the ICC. Her passions are reading and cooking. “I consider myself lucky to work in the friendly atmosphere of the ICC. Everytime I have classes my spirit gets happy, I meet new and interesting people who enrich my life and at the same time I help promoting my Country.”