Background

Suzanne Branciforte was born on January 22, 1961, Long Island, New York. She was raised in a family of teachers John and Theresa (Orlacchio) Branciforte.

Education

Suzanne Branciforte completed her Bachelor of Arts cum laude in History and Literature at Harvard University, in 1982.

She also received a Rotary Foundation Scholarship and attended the University of Genoa, Italy. She was a Fullbright Scholar from 1987-1988 in Florence, Italy.

Branciforte graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a Master of Arts in 1986, and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1990 in Italian Literature.

Career

Suzanne Branciforte's teaching experience includes positions as a teacher at the University of California, Los Angeles (1984-1987), Miami Dade Community College (1989), University of Michigan (1989-1990), Florida State University and Stanford University (1990) including their programs in Florence, Italy.

Branciforte worked at the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts as an assistant professor of modern languages and literature and coordinator of the Italian section (1990-1997). With around 20 years’ experience teaching Italian to foreigners, Suzanne has taught Methods of Teaching Italian as a Foreign/Second Language in a Masters program at the University of Genoa as a professor from 1998.

In 2000 she founded Consortium Educational Consulting, a boutique language school in Genoa which became Study in Italy in 2009. Branciforte taught at Milan’s Università Cattolica, Study in Italy, and at the University of Foreigners (Università per Stranieri) in Siena as a professor of English translation and cultural mediation (2000).

Branciforte was the interpreter for the President of the Bundesbank as well as in 2001 she was the interpreter for the Mayor of Genoa at the G8 Meeting in Genoa.

Suzanne Branciforte collaborated with the Italian Section of the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) for innovation in pedagogy and was a lecturer at other institutions, including the University of Naples, Smith College, Wheaton College, Harvard University, and Johns Hopkins University.

As an experienced translator of prose and poetry, Branciforte has translated and interpreted for Noble Prize winners Wole Soyinka, Amartya Sen, Joseph Stieglitz. She also translated Renata Vigano's collection of short stories, Partisan Wedding (1999), Zoetrope: All-Story (Mondadori, 2001). Branciforte has also published numerous books including a textbook for learning Italian in Italy for middle school students Si, lo so! (2004) and Parliamo Italiano! (five editions from 1998-2015). She is a contributor to books, including John Davis' Italy and America, 1943-1944, Città del Sole (Naples, Italy, 1997), a contributor to videotapes, including Memoria Della Liberazione, Liberazione Della Memoria (1995), and Speaking History: Americans in Italy, 1943-1945 (1995), a contributor to articles and reviews to periodicals, including Comitatus: Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Italian Studies, and Italianist.

Professor Branciforte is also a Certified Sommelier, Food&Wine, and Italian Grapevine blogger. She has opened and manages a wine-making company Grapevine Experience.

Achievements

• A cultural and linguistic mediator, Suzanne Branciforte was the interpreter for the President of the Bundesbank as well as in 2001 she was the interpreter for the Mayor of Genoa at the G8 Meeting in Genoa.
  
  As an experienced translator of prose and poetry, Branciforte has translated and interpreted for Noble Prize winners Wole Soyinka, Amartya Sen, Joseph Stieglitz.
  
  In 2000 Suzanne founded the Consortium Educational Consulting program in Genoa, now "Study in Italy," which offers a full range of language and culture courses and study abroad experiences around Italy.
  
  Suzanne Branciforte is a Certified Sommelier and a founder of the wine-making company.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Partisan Wedding: Stories

    (Partisan Wedding is an invaluable contribution to the lit...)

    1999
  • Parliamo Italiano! 2nd Edition

    (The Second Edition of Parliamo Italiano! instills five co...)

    2002
  • Parliamo italiano! 4th Edition

    (The text follows a more visual approach by integrating ma...)

    2010
  • Parliamo italiano! 5th Edition

    (Parliamo italiano! Edition 5 continues to offer a communi...)

    2015
  • Parliamo Italiano! 1st Edition 1998
  • Parliamo Italiano! 3rd Edition 2006
  • Sì, lo so! 2004

Views

Suzanne Branciforte's research and writings focus on Italian American cultural identity, the experience of Italian emigration, the Italian Renaissance, the narrative of World War II, and the women's literature. She's published numerous articles on these subjects.

Quotations: "Good wine doesn’t grow in ugly places."

Membership

• 

  Italian Association of Sommeliers , Italy

• 

  National Association Le Donne del Vino , Italy

• 

  Modern Language Association of America , United States

• American Italian Historical Association , United States

• 

  American Association for Italian Studies , United States

Interests

• Classical music, jazz, piano, wine

Connections

Suzanne Branciforte was married to Adrian Hernandez on August 30, 1987, but divorced in October 1995. She has a son Maximillian Branciforte.

Father:

John Branciforte

Mother:

Theresa (Orlacchio) Branciforte

Ex-husband:

Adrian Hernandez

Son:

Maximillian Branciforte

Friend:

Roberto Caporuscio

References

• Suzanne Branciforte (@brancifortesuzanne) • Instagram
• Suzanne Branciforte on Facebook
• Suzanne Branciforte's wine company
• Suzanne Branciforte's "Study in Italy" school