Claire Lavagnino joined the staff in 2023 and she is lead instructor for beginner’s Italian, helping new students make the transition from thinking in English to experiencing life as a native Italian might. She brings to the team a passion for Italian language and culture and a wealth of language teaching experience.
Claire’s passion for all things Italian began while living with her paternal grandfather in California. His generosity, commitment to family, use of Italian dialect words, and connection to nature sparked her curiosity and led her on a journey to explore the roots of his values and family genealogy.
After having completed a BA in Italian Studies at UC Santa Cruz, including a year abroad at the University of Bologna, an MA and a PhD in Italian at UCLA, her journey to investigate the depths and complexities of Italian identities still continues. Claire has taught Italian language and cultural studies classes since 2006 at several public and private colleges and universities throughout the southern California area.