- FALL CLASSES 2026
Each of our certified and qualified instructors is a native Italian speaker able to draw from a genuine background to create a learning environment that is authentic and wholesome.
Our students are guided through an immersive experience that includes language, traditions, food, arts, politics, literature, and every aspect of Italy. Learning at Collina Italiana goes far and beyond just mastering grammar or syntax. It is about feeling connected to the Italian heartbeat.
Entrepreneur, philanthropist, art collector, and founder of Collina Italiana, Patrizia, was born in Lugano, Switzerland and grew up speaking Italian, French, and German. She graduated in political science from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, where she worked for several years as an assistant professor and private teacher of Italian and French to college students and at international corporations.
Patrizia moved to New York in 1998 and after a stint as co-owner and manager of an international trade company she decided to open an Italian language and cultural center on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in 2007.
In founding Collina Italiana, Patrizia’s mission is to offer Italian language classes in an authentic cultural setting and context: all Italian language classes include an introduction to Italian culinary arts, wine, and film.
Born in Pescara, Italy, Cristina moved to Forli at the age of 19 to study International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs at the University of Bologna. Widely traveled, Cristina attended language courses in England, France, and Russia. Having lived in Estonia for a year, she’s also competent in the Estonian language. During her years at the university, Cristina volunteered as a teacher and translator for both children and adults.
Cristina is an examiner for the CELI exam – Italian Official Language Exam, which is a certification given by the Università per Stranieri di Perugia to assess competence in Italian language usage.
Talented in Public Relations and Social Media, Cristina approaches all that she does with energy and enthusiasm, at work and in life.
She enjoys living in New York City, with her husband and young daugther, where her interests in singing, theater, and all fun activities are easily satisfied.
A New York native, Luna is a recent graduate of The University of Chicago (magna cum laude) where she studied linguistics and Italian literature. A daughter of Italian and Argentine immigrants, her first languages were Italian and Spanish, but has also studied French, German, and Mandarin.
At school, Luna shared her passion for the Italian language, culture, and cuisine with fellow students at the University of Chicago through her student organization, CIAO, and now, Luna leads our online series, Cosa Dici?!… check it out here!
In her free time, she loves to cook, bake, and try new foods. She is also a coffee fanatic who will never say no to a nice espresso!
In her teaching, Luna uses her knowledge of English and Spanish to her advantage, providing students with unique perspectives and approaches to learning Italian!
Graduated in Theater Studies, she has taught acting to children and teenagers during their developmental years, even founding a school in collaboration with leading agencies and casting directors between Rome and Milan.
She is also an acting coach to some of the most promising young talents in the Italian film industry.
After personally experiencing the profound benefits of yoga, she became a certified Hatha Yoga and Kids Yoga teacher.
She now lives in New York City, where she helps students of all ages reconnect with themselves—and the universe—in the heart of the world’s most fast-paced metropolis.
Born in the Bronx, NY Michela is a clinical psychology student at Hunter College with a minor in Italian. She is the daughter of two immigrants from the Philippines and Italy, specifically Abruzzo.
In addition to studying and spreading her love for Italian culture, Michela grew up studying tap and jazz dance and continues to dance now in college.
Michela is passionate about exploring Italy through visiting her family’s home town Celano and traveling alongside them through the other regions of Italy.
She loves to try new food, visit museums, and hike through the many mountains in Italy.
Eveline is an art historian in Italian Renaissance and Baroque art.
Born and raised in Treviso, Italy, she completed her Laurea Triennale and Specialistica in Conservazione dei Beni Culturali at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, where her passion for Venetian art originated. In 2017 she completed her Ph.D. in Renaissance and Baroque Art at Rutgers University in New Brunswick (N.J.) with a dissertation on Venetian Renaissance sculpture, which she is now turning into a book.
Eveline has worked in a number of art museums in New York and New Jersey (The Frick Collection, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Zimmerli Art Museum) in different departments with a variety of roles, such as fellow, docent, and lecturer. She has also taught in various contexts, first at Rutgers University as a teaching assistant, a member of the Rutgers Early College Humanities program, and as an adjunct Professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology. During the pandemic, Eveline has begun offering online webinars sponsored by Friends of FAI, The National Arts Club, and Collina Italiana.
Eveline moved back to Italy in 2025, and is now teaching specialty classes online. In her classrooms, lectures, and her Podcast, she aims to making art history accessible, useful, and engaging by using masterpieces from the past as a way to raise awareness about today’s critical issues.
Born and raised in Napoli, Italia Manuela moved to Milano and graduated from Politecnico di Milano with a Master’s Degree in Architecture, specializing in interior and industrial design. While still in school she attended the Escola Tecnica Superior De Arquitectura de Barcelona, and the Facultat de Belles Artes St. Jordi both in Barcelona, Spain for two semesters.
Manuela moved to New York in 2006 and continued to pursue her passion for interior design and architecture founding Designable Interiors and Décor, promoting Italian design and decor.
Passionate about Italian language, culture, art and design, she started teaching Italian to adults and children in person and online as a freelance instructor. She has also recently received her ACTFL Language Proficiency Certificate for her knowledge of the Italian language.
As an entrepreneur passionate about art, architecture and design, Manuela’s method of learning is highly engaging and her goal is to help her students develop a true love for Italian language and culture.
Manuela adores Manhattan, its museums, art galleries, and amazing energy, and has been a certified tour guide for many years!
Michela was born and raised in Italy, in a town near Venice. She later moved to Padua, where she pursued her academic path and earned a degree in Law. Through her studies, she developed a strong sense of discipline, method, and persistence.
Before beginning her legal career, Michela worked for several years as a private tutor, teaching children, adults, and children with mental disabilities. After relocating to New York, she continued tutoring, further broadening her experience in education.
In New York, Michela also had the opportunity to deepen her passion for cooking, with a particular focus on baking. She honed her skills and specialized in healthy bakery products, creating simple yet delicious recipes using high-quality ingredients.
Passionate, dedicated, and highly professional, Michela has come to love New York and its people, while remaining deeply connected to her Italian roots. Over the years, she has enjoyed sharing Italian culture with those interested, contributing to the rich cultural dialogue that has long been a hallmark of New York’s identity.
Born and raised in Milan, Eleonora has expanded her horizons, having studied and worked in Milan, London, Paris, Bern, Grenoble, and New York. She is fluent in Italian, English, and French, and has also studied Spanish. She has a PhD from “Politecnico di Milano”, where she taught for 5 years as an assistant teacher.
She has been a technical translator since 1995 and worked for many international companies such as Microsoft, Ernst & Young, and Zanichelli Editor to translate scientific books and articles, technical procedures, and reports.
Eleonora moved to Paris in 2000 and there she started her own translation company and also began working as an Italian teacher for Interface Business Languages. She moved for the second time to New York in September 2015 and now teaches adult classes at Collina Italiana.
In her free time, she loves to solve crossword puzzles, read mystery books, and watch movies.
Beatrice is a native of Treviso a city located in Veneto region – Northeast of Italy.
She graduate in Political Sciences at Padova University, with an advanced degree in International Law. Beatrice always had a special interest and passion for languages. She studied and deepened her knowledge of Italian during High School alongside the Latin and Greek classics.
Her passion for travelling, experiencing other culture and learning new languages has always intrigued her and pushed her to share her own culture and linguistic knowledge with foreign friends. After a working experience between Brussels and Venice assisting Venetian companies to go international and specifically to operate in the American market, in 2008 she moved to New York where she lives with her husband and daughter.
Her attitude and passion challenged her to be connected in different cultural environment in the US. Beatrice is skilled, organised and motivated with experience in private tutoring for children and adult both elementary and advanced level. She continues to be well connected with her University in Padova as she is leading and managing the Alumni Chapter in NYC.
Lucia is a passionate teacher with a solid background in linguistics, literature, history, and philosophy.
As a Venetian, she is always ready to sail to different shores—she has lived in eight different countries and learned the languages, so you can trust her to know what it feels like!
She holds a PhD in the Italian Renaissance and has researched ancient techniques for focus and learning.
In her teaching, she combines her outgoing nature and academic passions with practical methods—both old and new—for boosting memory and attention.
The result? Classes that are not only informative but also lively and fun.
Born in Milan, Linda moved to Varese at the age of 11. She earned a Master Degree in Literal & Scientific translation in both English and French after graduating in Translation and Interpretation at ILSIT – Varese. She has attended language courses in Ireland, Belgium, England, France, USA and has accomplished fluency in English, Spanish and French.
Linda has worked as a simultaneous/consecutive interpreter for American and Italian writers, TV networks, radio stations, and universities. In 2013, she moved to the US where she specialized in medical and court interpretation and proofreading.
Linda has gained experience as a personal tutor/teacher of Italian and English for over 10 years in several schools and companies. She enjoys teaching languages through music as an effective learning platform. In her free time, she loves singing, dancing, practicing yoga, and traveling.
Linda published her amaziong first book “Avrai sempre la mia voce” in 2024. It was a great success, received many positive reviews, and was appreciated by students as well.
Born in Prato, Sara studied speech therapy in Florence. After a few years working as a speech therapist in Italy, she moved first to Germany and then to Spain for work and to continue her studies.
After obtaining her Cedils certificate, she taught Italian to adults and children in both countries. In Spain she earned two master’s degrees in education and is currently pursuing a PhD in Education.
She enjoys creating special classes and workshops focused on individual components of the Italian language and pathways of natural language development. She loves teaching classes to kids as well as adults in Nyc.
Her specialty classes help students with phonetics and teach them how to speak, read and pronounce words as a proper Italian!
Outside of work she loves traveling, spending time with her family, cooking and good food. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and young son.
A native Italian speaker and professor, Maira Finley grew up near Venice, in Castelfranco Veneto, Italy. After serving as a Foreign Language Instructor and vice president of a school district in her city, she moved to the United States in 2010 to explore the opportunity of tutoring international students from all over the world.
Maira’s achievements include receiving an ALIAS Certificate from the University of Venice, a master’s in online tutoring from FI.CI.AP in Vicenza, as well as a philosophy and literature degree in Padua.
Maira remains dedicated to her love for teaching and helping her students improve their overall understanding of the Italian language and culture by developing and implementing creative strategies for her lessons to promote participation and hands-on learning. When she’s not teaching, Maira also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking, biking, reading, and practicing yoga.
Born and raised in Bergamo, Federica attended the University of Verona where she graduated with a degree in Educational Sciences.
Federica is a certified pre-primary and primary school teacher, with a concentration on special needs education. In fact, prior to her move to New York in 2018, she was an elementary school teacher for twenty years.
She moved to the States in 2018, Federica dedicated much of her time to teaching children and adults the beautiful Italian language and likes to structure her lessons around students’ interests, goals, and passions: “teaching is never a one-way street, but instead a moment of mutual enrichment”. A passionate educator, she is always inventing new strategies and activities to motivate her students and give them new reasons to love learning.
Besides her love of teaching, Federica loves to cook and bake, especially cakes, which she can never say no to! Federica moved back to Italy in 2024, and is now teaching online classes.
Born and raised in Milan, Francesca‘s passion for learning foreign languages began at an early age as she began studying German and English. Upon graduating from the University of Vienna and the University of Turin with a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, she held the position of Business Consultant, specializing in Training and Development for several companies.
Francesca has lived in the United States for over 15 years. In 2010 she earned a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management from Cornell University. In 2019 she earned a Certification in Coaching from Columbia University.
Since her college days, Francesca has taught Italian to foreign language students. She has also gained experience as a conference interpreter and medical interpreter. Francesca currently teaches Italian language classes to children and adults. She tailors her lessons to students’ needs, proficiency levels, and interests.
A native of Torino, Elisabetta studied International Law at the University of Turin. From dealing with the EU communications strategy in Trieste, to being a freelance legal translator in Maryland, over the years, Elisabetta has worn many hats. Over the past decade, she has found her passion in Italian language instruction and has taught at several American universities. In fact, she is currently an adjunct instructor of Italian at Fordham University.
Elisabetta’s current and past work experience has given her unique insight into the world of cross-cultural exchange and second language instruction/acquisition. She hopes that this newfound perspective, coupled with her love for sociolinguistics and foreign languages, can foster education on contemporary Italian culture in the United States.
Stemming from her never-ending curiosity for the world around her, in her free time, Elisabetta loves to travel and share her experiences through photography.
Greta recently earned her Ph.D. in Classics at New York University, where she also taught for many years. A native of northern Italy, she moved to New York in 2018 after spending time in the UK and NL and fell in love with the city’s energy and diversity. She now teaches Latin and Greek at Columbia University.
Her teaching has always been guided by a deep interest in second language acquisition. Greta believes language learning should be interactive, cultural, and fun for learners of all ages. She often draws on pop culture to make lessons engaging and relevant, showing how language and culture are always alive and evolving. Most recently, she has also been exploring the use of AI as a tool to enhance language learning.
Outside the classroom, you’ll likely find Greta with a drip coffee in hand, strolling through Brooklyn smiling at puppies and toddlers, exploring museums, or planning her next yoga retreat.
Born and raised in Milan, Barbara graduated in Public Relations and Business Communication from IULM University, a private university in Milan.
Barbara, a tutor of Italian language and history, designs and implements lesson plans using various resources, films, and music.
Passionate about Italian language and culture, she promotes learning through fun, engaging, and educational experiences, and uses Italian dialects to support linguistic acquisition and cultural competence.
Barbara is a certified Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) instructor, combining Italian language learning with other general education topics.
A passionate self-starter, cross-cultural specialist, writer, and experienced blogger, she creates fresh, original content about lifestyles and cultures.
She presently resides in Manhattan with her husband and their four children.
Giovanna Moretti was born and raised in Bergamo. An explorer of music and sounds, Moretti studied classical oboe and music theory at the Conservatory of Music in Bergamo. After receiving her Diploma from the Institute Magistrale, she specialized in Early Childhood Education and started working with kids with disabilities.
In 1998, her adventurous spirit brought her to Boston to continue her studies at Berklee School of Music. Moretti currently resides in NYC, where her popularity continues to grow with audiences and musicians alike! Here in NYC is where Giovanna found her newfound love for teaching Italian, getting her start with Italian private lessons and courses at different centers in the city.
She also has designed a music program with multiple lessons for schools that encourage creativity, collaboration and blend many disciplines, such as learning Italian through music.
Federica was born and raised in Milan, Italy. She holds a degree in Education Sciences, driven by her deep interest in the psychology of human learning and her passion for helping others grow.
For over 10 years, she has taught in Italian schools, working with both children and adults. These experiences have shaped her teaching approach, allowing her to adapt to different learning styles and create engaging, supportive environments for her students.
In September 2025, she moved to New York to begin an exciting new chapter in her life. Since then, she has continued teaching both children and adults, bringing with her not only her professional experience but also her love for the Italian language and culture.
She teaches Italian with enthusiasm and dedication and also enjoys sharing another of her passions: Italian cuisine. She loves introducing students to traditional recipes and culinary traditions, making learning a truly immersive cultural experience.
Outside of teaching, she is passionate about sports and enjoys creating meaningful connections, sharing smiles, and spreading positivity with the people around her.
Born in Turin, Maria was raised in Fano, a beautiful town in the Marche region on the Adriatic coast. She’s both a teacher and teacher-artist, and an actor, writer, and filmmaker. Maria has a Master’s in Philosophy from the University of Bologna, and a Master’s in Educational Theatre from New York University. She began her professional career in education at Parliamo Italiano Language School, where she taught all levels of proficiency for 17 years, with passion and fun.
Subsequently, Maria taught Italian language and cinema at Hunter College’s Continuing Education Department and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). Maria has tutored extensively around New York City, both at major companies like Calvin Klein and Cleary Gottlieb, and individually with scores of long-standing, loyal private students. She’s written about Italian cinema for America Oggi, worked for N.I.C.E. (New Italian Cinema Event), and curated an exhibition for the 50th anniversary of Luchino Visconti’s “The Leopard,” at Casa Italiana NYU.
Currently, Maria keeps busy tutoring many students while working on her films and theatre projects. Maria speaks fluent Italian, English, and French. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Although born in Veneto, at the age of 10, Stefania moved to Ravenna, the city in Emilia-Romagna, known for its well-preserved late Roman and Byzantine architecture and mosaics.
After attending law school, she decided to change her career completely.
She has lived between Italy and NY, and she has been successfully teaching Italian to children of all ages and adults for 15 years.
Her students love learning from her and enjoy her sunny disposition and inquisitive mind.
She now calls NYC her permanent home, after residing here for more than six years.
She loves to tell her students: “Non siate analfabeti di emozioni,” which translates to, “Don’t be emotionally illiterate.”
Stefania’s passions include fashion, art, music, and books.
Born and raised in Rome, Danilo is a trained and certified ISL teacher by the University of Siena and the Dilit International House of Rome.
He taught Italian at the National University and the Music and Arts Academy of Ulaanbaatar, in Mongolia.
Afterwards, he returned to Rome and worked there with undergraduates studying abroad at Loyola University, Prolingua International School, Upter University, and Dilit Language School.
In 2014, he moved to Philadelphia, where he taught at the Berlitz School and Holy Family University. Danilo tailors his lessons to the needs and levels of his students through a guided discovering learning approach. His interactive methodology guarantees an effective and entertaining learning experience.
In his free time, he loves playing soccer. He enjoys photography and playing the drums. He loves spending time with his son and sharing the beautiful Italian language and culture to him too!
Born and raised in Milano, Diletta graduated with a degree in Political Science from the University of Pavia. She always nurtured a deep interest in languages and when she moved to San Francisco in the early 2000s, she turned this love into a career.
Diletta became a full time instructor of Italian language and literature, successfully teaching students of different levels and backgrounds. She then served as Executive Director of the Istituto Italiano Scuola, which during her nine-year tenure achieved the status of leading Italian language school in the Bay Area.
Diletta co-developed and edited ‘Grammar Notes,’ a compendium of Italian grammar as a guide to her students. Her approach to teaching is both rigorous and highly communicative, and incorporates her passion for history, current events, and cinema.
Now based between Italy and New York City, Diletta continues to share her enthusiasm and experience with an all new group of students.
In her free time she likes reading, baking, going to the theater, and running throughout the city to get to know New York better.
She speaks Italian, English, and French.
