Chantal Fidanza is celebrating her 11th year as Italian instructor at the Alta House in Cleveland's Little Italy.

A Cleveland-area native with a life-long love affair with the Italian language and with sharing it with others, she first began speaking Italian as a young child with her father, Lou Fidanza as well as with her grandmother, Anne Bardi, and her great-grandmother, Esmeralda, natives of the Tuscan port town, Livorno. She went on to study Italian formally majoring in the Italian language in college.

For several years she put her Italian skills to use in her export company, traveling extensively in Italy for business, and has taught Italian at businesses such as Sherwin Williams. Lately Chantal has begun some new Italian business and creative ventures, including a line of Let's Learn Italian! Easy Italian Audio Courses, and continues in her passion of helping others learn Italian easily and while having as much fun as can be had (often accompanied by Italian food and wine!) in class settings as well.

Some of her favorite time spent, however, is with her family, primarily: husband, Mark; their son, Mauricio; and up until very recently, with her "nonna," who in October 2009 left this life for new adventures, is featured on Volume 2 of  Let's Learn Italian! Easy Audio Course for Beginners, and who will be remembered by many for her generous spirit and passion for life.