The Instructors of ItaLingua

Diana Alberghini - grew up on Lake Garda, near Verona. Her strong passion for languages led her to obtain a PhD in German literature from the University of Bath (UK), and travel extensively throughout Europe. She lived in the UK and in Germany. Since 2005 she has moved permanently to the Bay Area. She has been working as a translator and language instructor for several years both in Europe and in the States. Her main interest is to read and study the works of Italian American fiction writers

Anna Baldi - obtained her Laurea in Modern Foreign Languages and Literature from the University of Rome. She has been working as a teacher of the Italian language, in Europe and in the United States for more than 20 years.

Gianluca Corinaldesi - born in Ancona (Marche), Gianluca lived in Rome from 2000 and moved to San Francisco in late 2008. After graduating in Economics, at the University of Ancona, he earned a second degree in Cinema and Theater at the University of Bologna. He has worked in mainstream theater, film and television, as an assistant director. He has also directed several theater productions, shorts, videos and documentaries, and taught direction and screenwriting in theater and film workshops. Currently he collaborates with the Center for Digital Storytelling of Berkeley.

Luca Facchin - is from Bolzano, Italy. In 2002 he moved to San Francisco to attend San Francisco State University, from where he earned a BA in International Relations and where he tutored students of the Italian department. For eight years he has been working at the Frank V. de Bellis Collection of the California State University, a special research collection of materials which relate to the culture and civilization of Italy from classical antiquity to the present. Before moving to San Francisco, Luca has taught Italian classes at different levels in Nottingham, UK. Currently, Luca is working towards a master degree in Public Administration at San Francisco State University.

Luisa Ferralis - born and raised in Padova, Italy. Lived also in Munich, Germany and in Paris, France. Earned her Laurea in Economics and Tourism from the University of Venice. She then obtained an MA in Italian from Middlebury College in Vermont and taught for several years Italian at the Pennsylvania State University. She recently moved to the Bay Area and immediately continued teaching Italian. She loves teaching, traveling and meeting people from all over the world.

Francesca Gaspari - the Executive Director of ItaLingua. She graduated from the Conservatory of Music in Bergamo. Francesca obtained her Associate degree in Business Administration, and pursued legal studies. She has been teaching Italian and organizing cultural events at ItaLingua since 1995.

Nicoletta Gherardi - born and raised in Rome, she graduated with certification in the German and English languages. She worked for nearly 15 years in the Public Relations division of an American company in Rome, while tutoring High School students in both German and English languages and literature. In 2001, she moved to San Francisco and has been teaching Italian language and culture since then.

Valentine Medda - is from Sardinia, Italy. She graduated from Ca’ Foscari University, in Venice, after obtaining the equivalent of a Master’s degree in Japanese studies. She has lived in Tokyo and London, traveled extensively before meeting her husband in Italy and eventually relocating to California in 2006. She has taught Italian in Tokyo and San Francisco, both to adults and young children. She loves animals and volunteers at the Animal Care & Control Center in San Francisco. In her free time, she loves exercising, writing short stories and reading, her most treasured pastime.

Lucrezia Peyre - is from Milano, Italy. Earned her Laurea in both Italian and French literature. After working in Milano at the Eureka Coop, as a Italian teacher for children and adults, she moved to SF in 95'. She became a yoga teacher and taught or few years, before going back to her first love "Italian language". She enjoys reading a lot, yoga, pilate, and cooking for friends and family.

Stefania Scotti - obtained her Laurea in History of the Italian Language from the Facoltà di Lettere at the Università La Sapienza di Roma. She is a certified interpreter and has taught the Italian language and Italian literature in middle schools and has worked as a foreign exchange trader for Italian banks in Paris.

Emanuela Tallo - born and raised in Rome, Italy. Earned her laurea in Political Science from Università "La Sapienza" in Rome. She worked for a private cultural Institute in Rome and tutored until she met her husband and followed him first to the US, then to Budapest, Hungary and back to California. When she is not teaching, she likes to knit, crochet, play Legos and run after her handsome almost 5 years old child.