Umbra Faculty
2024-25 Academic Year
Alessandra Asteriti, PhD
University of Glasgow
University of Essex
Università di Roma
Courses taught at Umbra:
Food & Environmental Policy in Italy & Europe
Alessandra Asteriti has a Laurea in Ancient History of the Near East from the University of Rome, an MA in Human Rights from the University of Essex and an LLM and PhD in international law from the University of Glasgow. She has taught law in Scotland and Germany and Italian language in Minnesota, USA.
Beatrice Barlozzari, ABD
University of Perugia
Courses taught at Umbra:
The History and Culture of Food in Italy
Beatrice Barlozzari is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Perugia. Her research focuses on the interplay between fishing, landscape, and environmental relations in Lake Trasimeno (Umbria). She is investigating, through ethnographic methods, how people make sense of a changing environment in an endangered ecosystem like Lake Trasimeno and how different narratives and power dynamics intersect and create situated knowledge and horizons in view of the uncertainties brought by climate change. Her topics of interest are political ecology, food, more-than-human ethnography, and processes of heritage-making. She also obtained a BA in Human Sciences (with honors) from Università di Siena and an MA in socio-anthropological sciences (with honors) from Università degli Studi di Perugia.
Giampiero Bevagna, Laurea
Università degli Studi di Perugia
Specialization in Archaeological Research, University of Rome III
Specialization in General and Museum Pedagogy and Didactics, University of Rome III
Visiting lecturer for Classics and Italian, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Haven
Archaeological Work Experience since 1989
Courses taught at Umbra:
The Italian Renaissance – Art, Invention, and Culture
Archaeology in Central Italy: The Etruscan and Roman Heritage
Archaeological Field Workshop
Roman Civilization and Daily Life
The Roman Empire – Baths, Wine & Sex
Giampiero says that he loves teaching, simply being in class and having discussions with the students. It’s exciting when one can have a challenging exchange of opinions with other people, especially when this happens with people from different countries. For Giampiero, learning is not just a matter of memorizing pieces of information, but it’s making the information part of you, which is what he tries to instill in his students. Learning and teaching subjects like Latin and classical studies makes people and the world more pleasant.
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Jacopo Cossater, Laurea
Università degli Studi di Perugia
Courses taught at Umbra:
Digital Marketing: Wine and Wineries of Central Italy
Communicating Taste – Social Media and Journalism of Food & Wine
Jacopo Cossater began to take an interest in the world of wine at the turn of the millennium. After his studies in Marketing & Communication, he completed a training course at the Italian Sommelier Association and in 2007 he opened his first blog which for many years has been one of the most popular in Italy. Over time he has collaborated with Dissapore, the Australian Alquimie, Enogea, Slow Food Editore, Cook_Inc., Grande Cucina and Giunti Editore’s Piattoforte, as well as with the wine guide “I Vini d’Italia” published by l’Espresso. Since 2009 he has written for Intravino, the most important Italian online wine magazine, of which he is now Senior Editor. In 2016, he was co-author of Vino Sommelier, a volume exploring various approaches to wine published by White Star/De Agostini and translated into English, French, German and Chinese. After navigating the world of communication for 10 years, a journey which led him to collaborate with countless companies operating in the world of tourism and food and wine, in 2017 he received an IED master’s degree in International Wine Marketing in Florence. Also in 2017, he became a jury member for the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, in Beijing. His podcast, Vino sul Divano, has been one of the most popular podcasts on Italian wine since 2018. In 2021, he produced La Retroetichetta, the first Italian podcast about wine marketing.
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Teresa Cutler-Broyles, MA
University of New Mexico
Courses taught at Umbra:
Writing Italian Food
Teresa Cutler-Broyles has an MA in Cultural Theory and an MA certification in Architectural Historical Preservation. She teaches film analysis and cultural theory at the University of New Mexico, Architecture in Film and Introduction to Film Studies. She spends her summers teaching at the Umbra Institute in Perugia, Italy focusing on the interplay of Italian history, identity, culture and food, with an occasional foray into the history of Italian gardens.
John Dennis, PhD
Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, University of Texas
M.A. in Developmental and Communication Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
B.A. in Economics, University of Colorado
B.A. in Psychology, minor in Philosophy, University of Colorado
Courses taught at Umbra:
Experiencing Multicultural Psychology
Organizational Behavior: An Evidence-Based Approach
Psychology Research: From Idea to Discovery
Positive Psychology: The Science of Behavioral Change
Strong background in art, evolution, cognitive science, language and culture, culture and cognition, research methods in psychology, general psychology, cognitive psychology, and scientific communication in psychology. Within the study abroad environment, John Dennis’ desire is to give students an understanding of how theories, models, and research can relate to their study abroad experience by demonstrating that the human motivation system is informed and transformed by one’s culture.
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Annagrazia Faraca, PhD
Università per Stranieri di Perugia
Courses taught at Umbra:
Gender and Public Health
Annagrazia Faraca earned a Ph.D. in Cooperation for Peace and Development at the University for Foreigners of Perugia (Italy) and is specialized in FGM studies in the context of migration. She completed a period of research in Finland at the University of Helsinki and at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in the UK. Her main research fields include gender studies, with particular reference to FGM, human rights, and transnational migration, with a focus on asylum seekers. She has worked on development cooperation projects in Italy and abroad.
Christopher Fink, PhD
Beloit College
Courses taught at Umbra:
Food, Community, and The Mediterranean Diet in Italy
Professor Fink teaches courses in creative writing, literature, environmental journalism and nature writing at Beloit College. He is also editor of the Beloit Fiction Journal. He spends her summers teaching at the Umbra Institute in Perugia
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Luca Gatti, PhD
University of Barcelona
Courses taught at Umbra:
Living Perugia – Elementary Language, Culture, and Reflection
Attualità e Cultura Italiana
Francesca Hansstein , PhD
Shanghai University of Finance and Economics
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Università di Bologna
Courses taught at Umbra:
Global Sustainable Business
Francesca Hansstein is an academic lecturer and market research consultant with a Ph.D. in Agrifood Economics and Statistics from the University of Bologna. Her research focus is on consumer behavior, particularly the motivations behind food choices. She has extensive international experience, having spent several years in the United States and China. During her time there, she taught business-related courses at institutions like the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics and the Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, while also providing insights to companies aiming to understand the Chinese market.
Gabriella Klein, PhD
Università degli Studi di Perugia
Courses taught at Umbra:
Intercultural Communication
Currently teaching Intercultural Communication at the Umbra Institute, Perugia/Italy. Former Associate Professor in Linguistics (L-LIN/01) teaching Sociolinguistics; Dynamics in Social Communication; General Linguistics, Pragmalinguistics – University of Perugia.
Active participation in Conferences, Seminars, Training Courses and as Visiting Professor in: Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Togo, Turkey, United Kingdom.
Longstanding experience as adult education trainer in the field of interpersonal and intercultural communication within work settings of private and public companies.
Was departmental coordinator of Erasmus exchanges for students and staff. Longstanding experience in collaborating and coordinating EU co-funded projects
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Neto Leão, PhD
Penn State University
Courses taught at Umbra:
Green Cities: A Sustainable FutureGreen Cities: A Sustainable Future
Sustainable Food Production in Italy: Local Traditions and Global Transformations
Water Resources: Environment, Society, and Power
Spiritual Ecologies
Neto Leao pursued his doctorate in Environment and Society at the State University of Campinas. He has been conducting research at Penn State University since 2019. His areas of interest include political ecology, environmental sociology and the radical critique of industrialization. He worked with the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean in the Division of Social Development. He is co-founder of the Thinking After Ivan Illich project.
Juan Maillo, MA, MFT
Universidad de Granada (Spain)
Courses taught at Umbra:
Pathways to Wellness (Psychopathology)
Juan is an expat from Spain and the United States who recently relocated to Italy. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education Sciences from the Universidad de Granada (Spain) and a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) with a focus on humanistic, transpersonal psychology, and diversity.
Currently, he serves as a bilingual licensed psychotherapist and psychology professor, displaying a keen interest in food, culture, and languages. He fondly reminisces about his motorcycle and the dark chocolate peanut butter cups from Trader Joe’s.
Livia Matarazzo, MA
Università per Stranieri di Perugia
Courses taught at Umbra:
Living Perugia – Elementary Language, Culture, and Reflection
Perugia and Beyond – Advanced Grammar, Conversation and Cultural Reflection
Livia holds a degree in Italian Studies from the University of Perugia and specialized in the Didactics of Teaching Italian to foreign students at the University for Foreigners of Perugia. She has been an Italian language teacher in various contexts and joined The Umbra Institute in October 2021. Her passion lie in literature, poetry, and education.
Zachary Nowak, PhD
Harvard University
Courses taught at Umbra:
The Politics of Urban Agriculture – From Victory Gardens to Neoliberalism
Dr. Zachary Nowak is the director of The Umbra Institute and a lecturer for the Harvard University Extension School. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2018 and is a historian and historical geographer with an interest in how place and taste go together (or don’t). He has written about the history of pizzerias in Naples, Chianti in California, unsalted bread in Perugia, polenta in Italy, terroir nowhere, and truffles all over the world.
Natascia Petringa , PhD
University of Ottawa (Canada)
Courses taught at Umbra:
Education in Italy
Human Development
Critical Disabilities Studies: Seminar and Practicum
Multicultural & Intercultural Education: The Psychology of Cross-Cultural Development
Natascia Petringa has been a Middle and High School Science teacher for over 25 years. She has a PhD in Education from the University of Ottawa (Canada) and a M. Ed from Harvard University (USA). Originally from Rome, Natascia has lived in many countries and speaks several languages. With over two decades of teaching experience in international schools, Natascia is especially interested in multicultural and intercultural education. More specifically, her research interests are on “best teaching practices” to scaffold for non-native English speakers. Natascia loves dogs, hiking, volunteering, and eating good food.
Chelsey Pienaar, MBusSc
University of Cape Town (UCT)
Courses taught at Umbra:
Social Psychology
Chelsey is an educator and consultant with extensive experience at the intersection of business, psychology, and education. With a strong background in strategic leadership, Chelsey has worked across industries, driving organizational growth and team development. Her teaching philosophy integrates psychological insights with practical business strategies, empowering students to engage critically and creatively with complex challenges.
Julia Rogers, JD
Boston University
New York University School of Law
Courses taught at Umbra:
Criminal Behavior
Julia Rogers is an international development lawyer specializing in legislative reform who works as a legal consultant for the United Nations and other international organizations. She has fielded nearly two dozen missions in Africa and Asia on development projects promoting rural development, poverty alleviation, food security, and natural resource conservation and use. Her technical support includes training government lawyers in planning, structuring, and drafting legislation.
As a law student, Ms. Rogers participated in international development clinics, contributing to Eritrea’s official brief for an international arbitration with Yemen on territorial rights in the Red Sea and to a Human Rights Watch report for the Rome Conference establishing the International Criminal Court.
Ms. Rogers earned a BA in Interdisciplinary Italian Studies from Boston University and a JD from New York University School of Law and is a member of the New York State Bar.
Rosa Sansone, PhD
University of Manchester
Courses taught at Umbra:
The History and Culture of Food in Italy
Rosa Sansone is an anthropologist interested in politics, the materiality of cities and affect. She has a Degree in Social Anthropology from Goldsmiths College, an MA in Anthropological Research Methods from SOAS and a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Manchester. She has taught anthropology and sociology at the University of Essex, UK, and Boğaziçi University in Istanbul.
Filippo M. Sposini, PhD
University of Toronto
Courses taught at Umbra:
Social Psychology
Publishing professional with a background in research, health policy, higher education, and strategic development. Track record of effective collaboration with high-profile stakeholders, including scholars, medical professionals, funding agencies, libraries, public, and private organizations. Experience in analyzing and interpreting quantitative and qualitative data as well as in identifying opportunities for growth. Collaborations with institutional and corporate environments based in Europe and North America. Expertise in public outreach and communication initiatives.
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Philippa Stannard, MFA, ATR
Florida State University
Stetson University
Courses taught at Umbra:
Art Therapy
Ceramics: Traditions in Umbria and Central Italy
Photography: Portfolio of Perugia
The photographs of Philippa Stannard have been published and exhibited in Europe, the United States, and China. Recent awards include First Place in the Street Photography and Cityscapes category in the 7th Edition of the Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers, the Jurors Choice Award at the PH21 Gallery in Budapest, Hungary, and the Photobook Award at the Davis Orton Gallery in Hudson, New York. Publications include f-stop magazine and Feature Shoot, as well as a self-published book La Dolce Vista, in collaboration with her friend and former photography professor, Betty Press.
Philippa loves experiencing new cultures and traveling off the beaten path. Her journeys include traveling solo in China where she lived with nomads and experienced the open-hearted hospitality of complete strangers. Philippa is also an accomplished cook and certified sommelier. She completed her studies at the Pro-Civitate Christiana in art therapy and is a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) in Italy.
Teaching Philosophy: Philippa believes that teaching is a two-way street: her goal is to encourage a hands-on, open learning environment, with dialogue and discussion. She always tells her students, “It’s my job to teach you to the best of my ability; it’s your job to tell me if there is something you don’t understand.”
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Clelia Viecelli, PhD
University of Southampton
Courses taught at Umbra:
Anthropology of Food and Eating: Understanding Self and Others
Environmental Anthropology
Clelia Viecelli has obtained her PhD at the University of Southampton (UK). Her PhD thesis is an anthropological account of female winegrowers producing natural wines in Italy. She also holds a BA (Hons) in Ethno-Anthropological Disciplines from the Università degli Studi di Siena (Italy) and a MSc in Social Anthropology from the London School of Economics (LSE). Her research interests cover food and wine culture with a focus on gender and terroir, alternative food networks and food activism, emerging alternative aesthetics of taste and sensory ethnography. She also served as co-coordinator and moderator of the research group Debating Ethnography based at the University of Southampton (UK), which fosters academic initiatives and debates around the multidisciplinary application of ethnographic methods to academic research. She is a member of the EASA Anthropology of Food Network and the Wine Studies Research Network. She is also an accredited wine taster and organizes public lectures and guided wine-tastings on Italian natural wines.
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Maddalena Vantaggi, MA, PMC
Accademia di Belle Arti di Perugia
Courses taught at Umbra:
Green Art: The Aesthetics, Ethics, and Politics of Creativity in Today’s World
Maddalena Vantaggi (1981) is an ecodesigner, a design professor at the Pietro Vannucci Academy of Fine Arts in Perugia, and the coordinator of the first Biennial Specialist Course in Sustainable Design offered by an academy in Italy. She has developed her own personal method that places imagination at the center of the creative process, using it as a tool for critical, ecological, and inclusive thinking. This method is detailed in her latest book Manual of Fantasiology: A Creative Education for Sustainability (2022).
Alessandro Zaccaro, PP
Professional Photographer & Food Blogger
Courses taught at Umbra:
Social Media, Social Food
Alessandro Zaccaro is a highly-respected and in-demand food photography and content creator based in Foligno (Umbria – IT) with his luggage always ready to travel everywhere. On his trips and during his shootings, he is constantly looking for new inspirations to transform into emotions with photos, videos and creative content.
He works with media agencies, luxury hotels, top Italian food companies and tourism boards for social-media marketing campaigns, creating projects and media contents. He has taught courses on photography and social media in several Italian schools. Visit his Instagram page to see a sample of his amazing photographic art.
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