La scuola faculty
The Heart of a School
At La Scuola, we believe that faculty is the heart of a school. Our teachers and administrators bring not only technical expertise and impressive credentials, but a demonstrated caring and compassion for our students. In addition to helping the students discover knowledge, our faculty instills a love of learning that inspires them daily and stays with them well after graduation.
Our Teachers
Like our student body, our faculty includes American and international members. They are native speakers of the main language in which they teach and they are skilled in guiding students to learn in two languages. Those who received their educational training in Italy must also hold the appropriate credentials required by the Ministero dell’Istruzione, Universita’ e Ricerca (MIUR), and are required to have verbal and written fluency in the English language. Teachers who received their educational training in the United States are required to have at least a Bachelor’s degree in the subject area, as well as pedagogical training. Several members of the faculty hold terminal degrees from both European and American universities.
Preschool & Elementary Teachers
Riccardo Catalano
Elementary and Middle School: Technology
MA Università di Genova Savona
José Rubiera
Elementary, Middle and High School: Physical Education
BA. Long Island University
Alyssa King
Elementary School: English, Science, and Social Studies
MA Hunter College, NY
Emanuela Costa
Elementary School: Italian, History, and Geography
BS (Hon) The Open University (UK)
Francesca Lanza
Preschool and Elementary: English and Italian
BA CUNY Hunter College
Elena Sartor
Elementary School: Movement and Physical Education
MA Teachers College, Columbia University
Antonia Di Maggio
Elementary: Italian
Diploma Istituto Magistrale
Laura Rottino
Preschool: English
MA Hunter College
Maria Alaimo Cinquemani
Preschool and Kindergarten Coordinator | Italian Teacher
BA Favara, Agrigento
Daniel Bellissimo
Elementary, Middle and High School: Italian as a New Language
MA Università per stranieri Perugia
Francesca Vicchio
Elementary School Coordinator Italian, History and Geography Teacher
MA Universita’ degli Studi di Messina
Chelsea Warlick
Elementary School: Art
MA School of Visual Arts
Chiara Senatore
Elementary School: French
BA Università Cattolica, Milano
Emanuela Costa
Elementary School: Italian, History, and Geography
BS (Hon) The Open University (UK)
Giovanna Gambino
PreSchool: Italian
Diploma Scuola dell’Infanzia
Graziella Troia
Preschool and Elementary: Italian as a New Language
MA Università degli Studi di Palermo
Jun Gao
Preschool, Middle and High School: Art History and Design
Ed.D, MFA, MA, BFA Teachers College at Columbia University
Giovanna Gambino
PreSchool: Italian
Diploma Scuola dell’Infanzia
Ryan Cleary
Elementary School: English
MA Hunter College
Middle & High School Teachers
Anthony Martire, PhD
Middle and High School Coordinator, English teacher
PhD University of California Berkeley
Beatrice Paladini, PhD
High School: Math and Physics, IBDP Coordinator
Ph.D Trinity College Dublin
Daniel Bellissimo
Elementary, Middle and High School: Italian as a New Language
MA Università per stranieri Perugia
Andrea Minardi, PhD
High School: Biology, Chemistry, and Earth Science
PhD – Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Alba Lombardini
Middle School: History and Geography teacher
BA Universitá degli Studi di Milano
Jose M. Pietri-Coimbre
Middle School: Music
MA Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College, CUNY
Chiara Berra
High School: Latin
BA San Raffaele
José Rubiera
Elementary, Middle and High School: Physical Education
BA. Long Island University
Flora Ghezzo, PhD
High School: Italian language and literature
PhD Rutgers University
Vanessa Williams, PhD
Middle and High School: English and Civics
PhD, Fordham University, JD, University of St. Thomas, Master of Divinity, Bethel University
Cristiana Grassi
Middle and High School: Italian language and literature
MA University of Trento
Emanuele Pezzani
High School: Latin
BA Università di Pisa
Francesco D’Anna, PhD
High School: Math and Physics
MA Università degli Studi di Palermo
John Powers
Middle School: Math
BA New York University
Jun Gao, PhD
Preschool, Middle and High School: Art History and Design
Ed.D, MFA, MA, BFA Teachers College at Columbia University
Massimo Zordan
All divisions: Theater
“Accademia d’arte drammatica ” di Palmi Calabro
Yann Gaboriau
Upper School French Teacher
Richard Walsh
Middle and High School: Social Studies
MA Adelphi University
Victor Santos, PhD
Middle School: Science
PhD, St. John’s University
Beatrice Innocenti
High school History and Philosophy
MA University of Bologna
A Word
From Our Head of School
As the only preK-12 Italian/English school in North America, La Scuola is unique in what it offers to families wishing to cultivate life-long learners in an atmosphere of friendship and inclusion. More than an Italian school, La Scuola prides itself on being an international community that is accessible to all, endowed with an abiding respect for the great principles of Renaissance genius. Students will continually benefit from the vastness of ideas, imagination, and innovation that Italy has exchanged with the world; and they first encountered it here, in New York City.
– Michael Prater
Head of School Ad Interim
La Scuola d’Italia significa scoprire ogni giorno la bellezza di due culture che si incontrano e si uniscono. Grazie ai nostri insegnanti che la rendono unica e speciale ogni giorno, ai ragazzi che ne sono l’anima e che crescono in un ambiente sicuro e confortevole dove i loro bisogni sono al primo posto. Attraversare la nostra porta rossa mi riempie di orgoglio e gioia ogni giorno come genitore e dirigente. Venite a trovarci, vi aspettiamo!
– Stefania Stipo
Chief Operating Officer, Deputy Head ad Interim, Genitore
Administration
Head of School, ad interim
Michael Haley Prater
MA Teachers College at Columbia University
Chief Operating Officer Deputy Head, ad interim
Stefania Stipo
MA in Foreign Languages and Literatures, La Sapienza, Roma
Director of Business and Operations
Paola Serrone
Bachelor Business Administration, Baruch College
Director of Admissions
Nilda Inghirami
Marymount Manhattan College
School Counselor
Federica Gagliano
MA Universita degli studi di Firenze
Facility Services
Ismael Ruiz
Facility Services
Nikimo Belfon
Trustees
La Scuola is governed by an independent Board of Trustees comprised of educators, parents, alumni, and leaders representing a variety of industries.
Executive Committee
Chairman
Massimo F. D’Angelo, Esq.
Partner, Akerman, LLP
Vice Chair
Diego Rodino di Miglione
Executive Director, Cushman & Wakefield
Treasurer
Joe Morandi
Corporate Retirement Director Vice President, Morgan Stanley
Secretary
Carmen Stefano MBA
Head, Payor Access
Pharmacosmos Therapeutics, Inc
Director of Academic Development
Lucia Carbone
Curator of Roman Coins, American Numismatic Society Head of Academic Development
Members
Marco Bianchi
Executive Director, CME Group
Alfredo Maria De Falco
Head of Corporate and Individual Solutions, Unicredit SpA
Matteo Dolci
Chief Operating Officer WP USA
Maria Raminez Fiorini
President and CEO,
Maria Fiorini Ramirez, Inc
Valentino Gallo
Partner, Javalyn Partners LLC
Alesssandro Zamperdri
Real Estate Developer
Gian Maria Magrini
Portfolio Manager, Bardin Hill Investment Partners
Joe Morandi
Morgan Stanley
Francesca Verga, MD
Surgery Center Michele Verga, MD, PC
Alfonso Cerullo
President of LensCrafters and For Eyes at EssilorLuxottica Group
Levato Pasquale
Executive Vice President of Human Resources EssilorLuxottica North America
Alfonso Cerullo
President of LensCrafters and For Eyes at EssilorLuxottica Group
Silvia Poggi
Strategy Consultant, The Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals
Angelo Macri
Chief Operating Officer at Kiton
Levato Pasquale
Executive Vice President of Human Resources EssilorLuxottica North America
Nationalities Represented
year Established
Student-to- Faculty Ratio
after-school programs
Connect With Us
Location: 12 E 96th St, New York, NY 10128
Telephone: (212) 369-3290
