Ciao, mi chiamo Maria.
I’ve helped hundreds of people of Italian heritage become conversational in Italian so they can build deeper connections with family and friends, easily integrate into Italian society, and reconnect with their roots.
After over 10 years of academic study in Italian, embracing my father’s Calabrese heritage, earning awards, and teaching Italian for over 6 years in top school districts nationwide,
I’ve discovered the most effective and efficient strategies to get YOU confidently interacting in Italian so you can build stronger relationships with family, make new friends, and carry-on your Italian heritage.
In 2006, I traveled to Italy to meet my Italian family, unable to speak a word of Italian — and it was incredibly awkward. I felt so afraid to open my mouth or utter a single word, fearing they would surely laugh at me.
The embarrassment I felt during that trip motivated me to dedicate my life to learning Italian.
Embracing the challenge, I navigated through trial and error, discovering the best ways to explain complex linguistic concepts in a fun, simple, and easy-to-understand manner—perfect for beginners aspiring to be conversational.
When I returned to Italy in 2013, I finally had the chance to truly connect with my family, making connections I never imagined. I learned about who I was, who my family was, and feel at home in Italian society.
The opportunities were endless, and I made lifelong friends all over Italy. Take it from me, becoming conversational in Italian made me love who I am even more, and now I’ll always appreciate and truly embrace my heritage.
Still, I found that so many people learning Italian who have that same passion for their heritage resort to feeling embarrassed, burnt-out, and lack the resources necessary to make progress.
It’s time to make things fun while learning- and never feel embarrassed again.
So I created a premier online program and an amazing community, called the Italian Toolkit. I personally help those with Italian heritage learn conversational Italian so they can interact daily in Italian life with confidence and make real connections.
The free pronunciation and phrases guide I created is the FIRST STEP to becoming conversational. Fill out the form below and I’ll send it over to your email!