We’re small, but powerful.
Meet your Instructors
Valentina Medda
Maestrale Founder, Director and Instructor
Valentina was born and raised on the beautiful island of Sardinia. She holds an honors degree in Japanese language and cultural studies from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. She earned an honors master’s degree in Italian Language and Literature Teaching Methodology from the International University of Siena. She’s been teaching Italian classes at all levels since 2006 and absolutely loves her job! She is a certified CELI examiner and teaches preparation courses for Italian citizenship applicants preparing for Italian language certification exams.
She lives in Marin County, California, with her husband, son, and their beloved senior rescue dog, Roscoe, who insists on attending all of her Zoom classes, quietly listening and assessing her students’ progress. Roscoe is definitely at a C1 level by now.
In her spare time, she enjoys both Italian and international literature, long walks and jogs, great food, and a spritz or two with close friends, whenever possible.
Francesca Lorenzon
Maestrale Co-Director and Instructor
Francesca was born and raised in Friuli Venezia Giulia, the most North Eastern region of Italy where she received an honors Master’s Degree in Modern Languages and Literature from the University of Trieste. Since 2014, Francesca has been teaching Italian both to children and adults in many Bay Area schools and institutions. Teaching her native language became her passion. Francesca believes that there is no learning without engagement and involvement and she does everything she can to keep her students motivated while facilitating their learning process.
Francesca has attended many professional development courses in Italian Language Teaching from various institutions. Among those, Ca Foscari University in Venice, Scuola Dante Alighieri in Recanati and Icon. She is also a certified CELI examiner.
Francesca lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their two sibling dogs, Thelma and Louise. She loves hiking in the beautiful California hills near her home, cooking (and eating!) Italian food and reading novels. Whenever possible, she enjoys spending time with her two children who left the nest to attend university and follow their dreams.