EDUCATION

Hello!  I have been teaching since 2007 and joined the Leyden family as an Italian Teacher in 2021.  I have taught levels 1-4 of La Bella Lingua.  I attended the Universtiy of Illinois for my undergrad and I spent my Junior year living and studying in Bologna, Italy.  Traveling throughout Italy and Europe was the best experience!  When I returned home I earned a Masters in Teaching from Dominican University and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Concordia University.  I love being a student just as much as I love teaching!

BACKGROUND

I am a first generation Italian-American from Chicago's Edison Park neighborhood.  I began traveling at a young age and always enjoyed seeing the world!  I had the opportunity to participate in various international conferences sponsored by the Italian government and I later moved to Italy and worked there for a couple of years. The Italian culture, language and food has always been an integral part of my life and I love sharing that with my students.

PERSONAL

I live in Park Ridge with my husband, two children and our fur baby.  As a family, if we aren't at a sporting event for the kids, we are hanging out at home, making homemade pasta or having friends and family over.  I love to entertain, garden, cook, and explore new shops and restaurants.  We love to travel with our kids and I firmly believe in the motto that "travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer" so we are always looking for opportunities to get out and see the world!