DIRECTOR

Miriam Grottanelli de Santi, half british half italian, grew up in Siena, studied in Cambridge UK, lived and worked in Paris, Prague, Florence and Rome before deciding that Siena is by far the best place where to live and came back to set up a school that would give the ‘right’ social and academic experience to American undergrads.

FULL-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS

Filippo Secchi, young, dynamic and meticulous, born and bred in Sardinia, has lived in Siena since 1999, is completing his studies in Science of Communication, loves basketball, cooking and socializing.

Lucia C. Arigliano, born in Puglia, left her home-town Brindisi at the age of 18, has an MA in Economics and a passion for efficiency, motorbikes and people.

PART-TIME

Scottie Allen, MA in Deaf Studies, fluent in ASL and learning Italian, came to study at the Siena School in 2007, came back to work with us in 2008 and now represents the Siena School Sign Language programs in the US. Is capable of spending the whole night chatting about existential matters and be up at 7 am to go running!

Joseph Hill, PhD candidate in Linguistics at Gallaudet University, came to us as a Fulbright researcher on bilingualism, then stayed on to work in 2008 and represents the Siena School Sign Language programs in the US. He is by far the tallest member of our staff, has a huge heart of gold and makes amazing peanut butter cookies!

CURRENT INTERNS

Elizabeth Schwartz studied at the Siena School in 2007, graduated in May 2008 in English from Bryn Mawr College but loved her Italian experience so much, she is now back with us working on marketing and fund-raising. So sociable she has more friends in Siena than all the rest of us!

Tate De Caro, Bard graduate, loves art, writing and photography. Happened on us by chance through friends of friends, and is helping us in fund-raising work for our sign language programs.