To contact any of the teachers send an email to info@sfmuseo.org or call the Museo at (415) 673.2200.
Museo Staff
Sandra Bagnatori – Managing Director
Susan Filippo – Assistant Managing Director
Bianca Friundi – Curator and Communications Director
Alice Amigassi – Designer & Digital Media Manager
Teaching Staff
Karen D. Antonelli, Ph.D. (Italian Literature, UCLA) – Karen teaches Intermediate and Advanced Italian, Advanced Conversation, Literature and Cinema.
Karen was born in Trieste and raised in a bilingual home in Rome. She spent the first twenty years of her life in Italy. She attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, receiving both her BA and MA degrees in Italian Literature. She then continued her graduate studies in Italian at UCLA where she earned her Ph.D. Italian. Karen has always been passionate about all things Italian and about teaching the language that she loves. During her extensive career, Karen has taught at Vassar, UCLA, USC, Occidental College and Pasadena City College. She also taught accredited Italian grammar, literature and film classes at UCLA Extension for twenty years.
Bianca Friundi (Foreign Languages and Translation, Istituto Universitario Lingue Moderne, Milano) – Bianca teaches Beginning and Advanced Italian, Advanced Conversation, and Reading.
Bianca was born in Milan, where she graduated in Foreign Literature and Languages, and Translation. She is the current Curator and Communications Director of the Museo Italo Americano, where she has been working since 2013. She started as a volunteer and Italian class substitute, and soon after, she joined the Museo team as Assistant Curator. Bianca enjoys teaching her language, being involved in the local Italian and Italian American community, and leading the Museo Italian Conversation Group. She has a penchant for traveling and making new friends from different countries. She also loves swimming, hiking, and exploring urban parks and public art.
Francesca Lane Kautz, M.A. (Italian Language and Literature, San Francisco State University) – Francesca teaches Intermediate and Advanced Italian
Francesca was born in Milan. She graduated from the Liceo Classico E.S. Piccolomini in Siena and then returned to Palo Alto. Francesca got her Bachelor’s in Classical Studies and Master’s in Italian Language and Literature both at San Francisco State University. She has done a lot of Italian translating and tutoring over many decades and started teaching for the Museo Italo Americano in January of 2005. She loves to spend time with her granddaughter and loves to travel to Italy and around the world. Francesca’s other hobbies include sailing with her husband, biking and hiking.
Carlo Padula, (M.A. Italian Language and Literature, San Francisco State University)
Carlo was born and raised in Genova, Italy. He moved to the Bay Area in 2009. Following his passion for teaching, he returned to school and obtained a BA degree in Italian and Spanish (summa cum laude) and a MA degree in Italian language and Literature from San Francisco State University. He is currently teaching Italian at SF State and College of Marin. When Carlo is not teaching his beautiful language to others, he rides his motorcycle, cooks incredible food for his friends and family, and passionately cheers for the Warriors and the 49ers!
Roberta Lamanda, (B.S. in Political Science, La Sapienza, Roma)
Roberta was born and raised in Rome and obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science at La Sapienza University in Rome. When she moved to California with her family, she discovered a passion for teaching the Italian language and culture to students at various levels in the Bay Area. When not teaching Italian, Roberta loves to spend time with her family and friends, write her blog in Italian, and cook traditional Italian recipes.
Michael Wong, (Teacher of the C.I.A.O. program)
Michael Wong received a BS in Computer Science and Math from the University of California at Davis and worked writing software as an IT professional, later returning to his study at the San Francisco Art Institute to earn his BFA and MFA in Painting/Drawing. He has exhibited across the United States, most recently at the UK Fine Art Museum in Lexington, and maintains a studio at the Hunters Point Shipyard. His work is held in private and public collections. Through the C.I.A.O. program of the Museo Italo Americano at Fort Mason, he teaches art and art history in Bay Area classrooms. Michael is an avid cyclist and ardent environmentalist, and enjoys reading poetry, fiddling with his electric car, stargazing, birdwatching and watching basketball.
