CHARITY BOARD AND TRUSTEES

Chair of trustees

Emanuela Casale is an architect specialising in architectural design and interdisciplinary coordination with consultants and collaborators. She manages the full development of projects, from conceptual stages to preliminary, executive, and final phases, always seeking a harmonious balance between functionality and aesthetics. Her approach aims to integrate innovative and sustainable solutions, contributing to the creation of quality urban and architectural environments. After earning her degree from La Sapienza University in Rome, Emanuela collaborated with the art gallery Galleria 291 Est and, since 1996, has been actively involved in organising cultural events in the municipality of Castelnuovo Parano, founding the association “La Fabbrica delle Parole” (The Word Factory). Since 2018, she has lived in England with her husband and their 12-year-old daughter. Emanuela joined the MammaMia charity board in 2023, where she is a highly active and committed trustee. She is passionate about art, history, and loves cooking.

Charity Secretary

Marta Grazia Da Bellonio has supported MammaMia Liverpool since its foundation. Originally from Turin, she lives in Colchester with her family, their four children, and their dog. Marta holds an MBA, LLM, and MS CLP and currently works as Student Accommodation Residence Manager at the University of the Arts London. She has extensive experience in higher education, student accommodation management, legal compliance, contracts, policy development, and student welfare in both international and UK contexts. Passionate about wellbeing and community support, Marta enjoys swimming and running and has completed several marathons in support of MammaMia and its charitable activities.

Charity Treasurer

Tiffany Lew is a founding trustee of MammaMia Liverpool. She has two children, born in Milan, who are growing up in England. Passionate about all things fundraising and charitable governance, she brings with her a wealth of knowledge from years of working in the third sector. She holds degrees from Wesleyan University in the United States and S.d.A Bocconi in Italy. As well as her work for MammaMia Liverpool, she is a trustee of Multicultural Cumbria, as well as Chair of Governors of a Cumbrian primary school. Tiffany works for the British Red Cross in Regional Fundraising.

Trustee

Pasqualina Romano is a trustee of MammaMia Liverpool and has supported the organisation since its foundation. Originally from the Campania region of Italy, she is a lawyer and currently works as Head of Legal and Compliance Europe at Princes Limited. Based in Liverpool, Pasqualina is also a member of the Società Dante Alighieri and is deeply passionate about promoting Italian language and culture within the local community. She has a particular interest in theatre, drama, and reading aloud to children, supporting activities that encourage creativity, language development, and cultural engagement among young learners.

Trustee

Antonella Mancuso is one of the trustees of MammaMia Liverpool. Originally from Sicily, she has lived in Liverpool since her youth and is deeply connected to both the local Italian and wider community. She is the Commercial Director at Stella Ice Cream and is a mother of three children. Antonella supports MammaMia through fundraising initiatives, community events, and local activities that promote Italian language, culture, and community engagement in Liverpool and beyond.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND TEACHERS

Director of Education

Stefania Pisano is one of the co-founders and Educational Administrator of MammaMia. In this role, she ensures high-quality teaching, student well-being, and a robust school curriculum, supporting students’ holistic development and fostering a passion for language and culture. She is also a teacher of Italian and French and a mother of two children. After obtaining a degree in Classical Literature and a diploma in French Language and Culture, Stefania specialised in teaching Italian as a Foreign Language at the University for Foreigners of Siena. With 15 years of experience, she has taught Italian and French in diverse countries—including Italy, North America, South America, France, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom—working with children, young people, and adults of varying nationalities and language proficiency levels. She currently teaches Italian to adults and secondary school students, Italian for A-levels and GCSEs, and French language and culture in Liverpool, UK.

Administrative Director

Gioia Palmieri is one of the co-founders and administrative director of MammaMia. She oversees budgeting, communication, resource management, and operations to ensure smooth functioning and sustainable growth. She is an Italian and Swiss citizen, journalist, and mother of four children. She graduated in philosophy in Lugano (TI-CH) and worked for 10 years at a Swiss daily newspaper. In 2016, she took on the role of editor for the UK-Ireland regional pages of the Swiss Review—the magazine for Swiss expatriates—published by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA). She teaches Italian to children from nursery to Year 6 and manages communications and events for MammaMia.

MammaMia co-founder

Francesca Zippilli is one of the co-founders of MammaMia Liverpool. A teacher of Italian language and Classical Literature, she is married to a Liverpool citizen and is the mother of two children. After obtaining her S.S.I.S teaching qualification, she worked for several years in secondary schools in the province of Teramo before moving to Liverpool in 2012. During her years in the UK, Francesca taught Latin and Classical Civilisation in secondary schools and delivered Italian language and culture courses for both adults and children in primary and secondary schools. She has now returned to Italy, where she teaches Italian language and Latin at a Liceo in Teramo. Although no longer based in Liverpool, Francesca continues to actively support MammaMia and its educational and cultural projects.

Programme Coordinator

Anna Cardelli Lynch is the Early Years and Primary Programme Coordinator at MammaMia Liverpool and leads the training and development of our teaching staff. She is a primary school teacher specialised in English language teaching, as well as a teacher trainer and author of educational textbooks for primary education. Today, she focuses on training teachers and parents in multilingual education and language teaching methodologies for bilingual children.

In 2021, Anna founded Luca’s Library, a platform offering resources, educational materials, and practical guidance for parents and teachers raising bilingual children. Through her work, she develops learning resources, delivers online and in-person courses, and supports families and educators in creating positive multilingual learning environments. Anna strongly believes that creating a calm, playful, and engaging learning atmosphere that encourages communication between adults and children is the foundation of successful language learning. Reading and play are at the heart of her educational approach.

Lead Teacher – Manchester Classes

Serena Tramonti is the coordinator and lead teacher for MammaMia’s Manchester classes. She graduated in Modern Languages from the University of Pisa in Italy and is a qualified secondary school teacher of Italian and Spanish. After several years working in campaigns, communications, and public relations for UK-based charities and international organisations, Serena returned to her passion for teaching and obtained Qualified Teacher Status in the UK. She has experience teaching Italian and Spanish language and literature in UK secondary schools and is also a qualified secondary school English teacher in Italy. Serena lives in Manchester with her young daughter and is also a volunteer for Italian Kids, a Manchester-based association that organises Italian language and cultural activities for children.

Lead Teacher – Chester Classes

Elisa Ippolito moved to England 11 years ago and has lived in Chester ever since. She holds a Master’s degree in DAMS (Disciplines of Arts, Music and Entertainment) from the Università degli Studi di Palermo, where she developed a strong interest in arts, culture, and storytelling in all its forms.

Her professional career spans the cultural, hospitality, and creative sectors, with extensive experience working with people and cultural organisations. She currently works as Cinema Manager at Storyhouse Chester, where she is responsible for the daily running of the cinema, with a strong focus on organisation, teamwork, accessibility, and audience experience. Alongside her work in the cultural sector, Elisa has been an Italian tutor since 2017, teaching both group classes and one-to-one lessons. She is passionate about sharing the Italian language in a practical and culturally engaging way, helping learners build confidence and enjoyment as they progress.

Assistant Teacher – Chester

Laura Jack is an Assistant Teacher at MammaMia Liverpool, with extensive experience working with learners of all ages in both educational and community settings.

She has many years of experience delivering physical activity sessions in gyms, schools, and with older adults, developing strong communication skills and the ability to engage confidently with people of all ages. She also holds a Level 2 Diploma in Mental Health, with a focus on children and young people’s wellbeing, which has helped her develop a deeper understanding of how children learn, grow, and express themselves. Alongside this, Laura taught Italian to adult learners for four years, from beginner to advanced level, and co-founded the volunteer project “Italian ABC” at Storyhouse. In her role at MammaMia, she supports children’s Italian learning through creative and engaging activities such as songs, storytelling, arts and crafts, and games, helping them discover the language naturally and enjoyably.

Secondary School Italian Teacher

Giulia Pedrazzi is the Secondary School Programme Teacher at MammaMia Liverpool, where she is dedicated to preparing students for the Italian GCSE exam.

She graduated in Sports and Exercise Science in Italy and is currently in her second year of a degree in Italian Language and Culture, with a specialisation in teaching. She holds the CEDILS certification for teaching Italian as a foreign language and has several years of experience teaching Italian to learners of different ages and levels. Giulia is also a qualified Early Years Practitioner (L2) and has worked as an EAL and SEND Teaching Assistant in secondary education, as well as an Associate Tutor at Edge Hill University. Through her work with MammaMia, she combines her academic training and practical classroom experience to support students in building confidence and achieving success in their Italian GCSE studies.

Nursery & Primary Italian Teacher

Elena Colangelo is an experienced science and maths tutor and a qualified secondary science teacher. She tutored small groups of students throughout her university years and after the submission of her PhD thesis in Biological Sciences.

She is fluent in English, Italian and French, and lived in Italy, France, England, and Singapore; she has experience teaching students from different cultural backgrounds and with English as a second language. She loves supporting students and tailoring the teaching approach to suit the learner’s needs; she is passionate about science communication and making science accessible and interesting to broaden one’s understanding of the world. Since 2024, she has worked as Designated Safeguarding Lead and Compliance Officer.

Nursery & Primary Italian Teacher

Valentina Panozzo is a language and art enthusiast. After graduating in Cultural Heritage Studies in Milan and achieving fluency in English and Spanish, she qualified as a tour guide and worked throughout Lombardy, particularly in Milan and around Lake Garda.

After becoming a mother in 2019, she developed a strong interest in child development and went on to complete a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at Hope University in Liverpool. She subsequently worked as a Spanish teacher at a primary school and collaborated with NELI (Nuestra Escuela Liverpool), a Spanish school for bilingual children. Valentina is currently employed as a Learning Support Assistant in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) department of a secondary school in Liverpool. She is also one of the readers for the Italian Library Project on Bold Street, an initiative established by the Dante Alighieri Society.