I was born and reared in Rome, where I attended l' Universita degli Studi di Roma (The University of Rome). After I moved to the United States, I attended the Catholic University of America in Washington DC, where I obtained a PhD in modern languages and literature, with an emphasis in Italian and French.

I have taught at JMU since the fall of 1991 and I love it. I have contibuted to the Italian curriculum, which now includes courses that give students the opportunity to concentrate in Italian.