Chi siamo?

Director and a Teacher at the Comitato Promotore della Lingua Italiana (CPLI) – Italian Language School, Ms. Cortese holds a Doctorate of Education and Policy Studies and a Master Degree in Bilingual/Bicultural Education. Ms. Cortese has taught Italian and ESL, K to University level for over 20 years. Her work in research includes English/Heritage language (HL) acquisition and teaching methodologies. She proudly shares the work and teaching done at the CPLI at various conferences and with international colleagues. She has been the Director and a Teacher at the CPLI since its inception in 2008.

Ms. Arianna Piccinin returns to CPLI after having started with us in 2015!  Born in San Vito al Tagliamonte in the region of Veneto, we are happy  to welcome her back! Having taken various courses in Art she is  excited to create opportunities and take part in children's Italian language learning skills having had her 4 children in the CPLI program when it first started in 2008. Her goal is to shine a light on her belief that "Our children are our greatest teachers and that we need to appreciate their ability to have no limitations on their creatvitiy and enthusiasm in demonstrating it."

Mrs. Enza Talarico is a Teacher and has been with the  CPLI since 2012. Mrs. Talarico has participated and continues her coursework undertaking Professional Development courses in the area of Heritage Language Teaching and is also an Assistant Administrator at the CPLI. Mrs. Talarico moved to Canada from Italy at age 9 with her family in 1975. She has been an active member within the Italian community for over 20 years, most notably as a Board Member with the Italian Appennini Dancers.  

 Ms. Bruni Bossio is a graduate of the Early Learning and Childcare program at Grant MacEwan University. Born in Edmonton, she has strong ties to the local Italian community, including spending over ten years as an Italian Appennini dancer. She brings both educational expertise and a deep appreciation for Italian heritage to her work. She finds great joy in working with children and supporting them as they explore their creativity, imagination, and sense of identity. Being a part of an Italian-focused environment allows her to blend her passion for culture with her commitment to early childhood development, creating meaningful learning experiences that celebrate both language and tradition.

Originally from Padova, Italy, Ms. Dell'Aversana is educated in the Arts with a background specifically in Cultural Heritage. She has worked extensively in several art galleries and conducted Art Education programming. She moved to Canada in 2021. As she expresses, "I am fascinated by the multiculturalism that exists in this country" and looks forward to continuing her journey in Edmonton, Alberta.  Her goals as a teaching team member of the CPLI, "to bring her knowledge (and love) of the Italian language and affection for working with children."