Our Team

Giovanni Minicucci

Founder & Director

Ph.D. Student in Romance Languages and Literatures

The University of Chicago (USA)

director@italengusa.com 

George Matthew Gabriel

Vice-Director, Secretary

GACC Official Sales Representative for Deutsche Messe AG

New York University (USA)

ggabriel@italengusa.com 

Laura Innocenti

Director of the Education Office

General Consulate of Italy in New York (USA)

laura.innocenti@esteri.it

Natalia Guerrero

Social Media Manager

UC-Riverside (USA)

marketing@italengusa.com

Martina Firoozian

Social Media Manager

ITC Acerbo, Pescara (ITALY)

marketing@italengusa.com

Marina Melita

Senior Lecturer of Italian / A.A.T.I. President

Marist College (USA)

marina.melita@marist.edu 

Elisabetta Sanino D'Amanda

Coordinatrice del programma di studi italiani 

Modern Languages and Cultures 
Rochester Institute of Technology (USA)

exdgla@rit.edu  

Annavaleria Guazzieri

School Principal/Ex Director of Education Office NY

Liceo Guggenheim, Venice (ITALY)

guazzieri.annavaleria@liceoguggenheim.edu.it

Jackie Sorci

Part-Time Instructor of Italian

Syracuse University (USA)

jtsorci@syr.edu

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Davide Menga

Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture

Istituto “G. Mazzotti” of Treviso (ITALY)

docentedavide.menga@ittmazzotti.it

Angela Di Staso

Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture 

Liceo A.Banfi, Vimercate (MB)  

angela.distaso@liceobanfi.eu

Alessandra Franzoi

Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture

Liceo Guggenheim, Venice (ITALY)

franzoi.alessandra@liceoguggenheim.edu.it

Francesca Di Pietro

Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture

Istituto Tecnico "Tito Acerbo"Pescara (ITALY)

f.dipietro@istitutoacerbo.edu

Joëlle Carota

Visiting Assistant Professor of Italian/ Director of Casa Italiana

Nazareth University (USA)

jcarota3@naz.edu

Steven La Peruta

Professor of Italian

Nutley High School, New Jersey (USA)

slaperuta@nutleyschools.org 

Rosy Maria Pitruzzello

Italian Teacher: 1, 2, 3, 4 e ECE UConn (Early College Experience)

Plainville High School, Connecticut (USA)

pitruzzellor@plainvilleschools.org

Rickey Nicholas-Hahn

World Languages Department Chair and Dual-Credit Italian Teacher

Thomas R. Proctor High School (USA)

rnicholas-hahn@uticaschools.org

Walter Giorgis-Blessent (no participant for SP 2024)

Professor of Italian

Bronx Science High School (USA)

giorgisclessent@bxscience.edu

Julia Tonelli (no participant for SP 2024)

Professor of Italian

Pearl River High School (USA)

tonellij@pearlriver.org

Emanuela Ettorre

Associate Professor of Translation and Language - English

University of Chieti-Pescara (ITALY)

emanuela.ettorre@unich.it

Irene Hatzopoulos

Faculty, Italian

University of California, Riverside (USA)

irene.hatzopoulos@ucr.edu

Lucia Sardi

Italian & Spanish Instructor

Brunswick School, Connecticut (USA)

lsardi@brunswickschool.org

Kathleen LaPenta

Senior Lecturer of Italian

Fordham University (USA)

klapentalong@fordham.edu

Nicoletta Da Ros

Faculty, Italian Studies Coordinator

University of California, Riverside (USA)

nicoletta.daros@ucr.edu

Alessandra Abbattista

Professor of English Language & Literature

Liceo Statale "Rinaldo Corso" di Correggio

aabbattista@liceocorso.edu.it

Lidia Mazza

Professor of English Language & Literature

ITT Marco Polo di Firenze (ITALY)

mazzal@ittmarcopolo.edu.it 

Michele Russo

Assistant Professor of English Language and Translation

University of Foggia (ITALY)

michele.russo@unifg.it