Lou Turchetta
Lou Turchetta is the founder and co-director of Passport to Languages. Although Lou works as a psychologist, his passion for Italy and its culture, and a desire to reconnect with his roots inspired him to begin the study of Italian. Lou initially began his language learning by taking courses at local colleges. He soon began to organize Italian classes with the intent of providing an opportunity for busy adults like him to engage in the study of a language in a relaxed, enjoyable environment. Passport to Languages has allowed Lou to provide this opportunity to people who share a similar interest and passion for language learning. Lou not only organizes the classes but is also a student in many of the classes as language learning has become his lifelong hobby.
Daniela Ciccone
Daniela Ciccone is the co-director of Passport to Languages. She is a certified Italian and Spanish teacher, holding a B.A. in Italian with a minor in Spanish, a B.S. in Education and M.Ed. in counseling. Raised in an Italian speaking household and spending many of her childhood summers in Italy, she brings and authenticity to her Italian language instruction. Daniela also spent an academic year studying in Florence, Italy and a semester in Granada, Spain. With several years of experience teaching high school language classes as well as adult classes, Daniela brings a wealth of experience to the Passport to Languages classroom. Her enthusiasm for the language and fun loving personality make her classes interesting and enjoyable.
Matt Papino
Matt is a certified Italian and Spanish teacher. He holds a B.A. in Italian, Spanish, and secondary education and a minor in international development. He also earned an M.A. in Italian from Middlebury College. Matt has lived and studied abroad in Spain, Costa Rica, and Italy, and has done extensive travel throughout Europe. Aside from working at Passport to Languages, Matt also teaches Italian and Spanish in the Warwick Public School system. He serves on the executive board of the Rhode Island Teachers of Italian and is a member of the Rhode Island Foreign Language Association, American Association of Teachers of Italian, and American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. Matt is a fervent promoter of foreign language at all levels and was named the 2011 Rhode Island Foreign Language Teacher of the Year. Matt makes his classes entertaining and engaging, and his exuberant approach keeps students coming back for more. Matt is also proud to share his family's Italian heritage with his students. His favorite hobby is genealogy, and any of his trips to Italy have included doing research in several of his family's ancestral towns.
Emilia Ruggiero
Emilia is a certified Italian and Spanish teacher. She holds a B.A. In Italian, Spanish, and secondary education and a M.A. in Spanish. She is the World Languages Department Chair at Johnston Senior High School and a member of RIFLA, RITI and the AATSP. Emilia has lived and studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain and Florence, Italy and has traveled extensively throughout Italy, Spain and Europe. Emilia’s love of the Italian and Spanish languages and cultures is apparent in her classes. Through conversational, group and independent activities, her students’ language and conversational skills improve considerably throughout each session.