Italian Tours by Diana - Our Staff - italian tours and travel by diana

OUR STAFF

Piacere! Pleased to meet you!

Fluent in English, Italian, and French, Diana understands the needs of the International traveler. Creative, enthusiastic and always having one foot on each side of the Atlantic, Diana divides her time between private residences in both the U.S. and Italy. As a child, Diana was captivated by the wonders of Italy. Returning frequently to visit family and friends, her love for this country compounded with each and every visit. Eager to share this joy with others, personal and family trips often included friends from the states. Each journey built upon her knowledge of the art, the history, the culture, and the simple day to day life characteristic of La Bella Italia. With 43 years of experience, Diana is truly an expert on the wonders of this magnificent country.

Diana Maiola-Cirino

FOUNDER & PRESIDENT

As a first generation Italian American, Angelica is passionate about everything Italian, particularly its exquisite food, rich history and vibrant culture. With a fifteen year retail buying and marketing background, she has always aspired to work with Italy in some way and is thrilled to now be able to assist others in experiencing all of the wonderful things that Italy has to offer. She studied abroad in Rome for a semester in college and has been fortunate enough to have traveled to Italy multiple times throughout her life to visit family. She is extremely grateful for the countless warm memories of being in Italy and for the many opportunities she has had to fully experience the Italian culture.

Angelica Di Lalla Gauntner

SENIOR TRAVEL PLANNER

Carla was born and raised outside of Cleveland, Ohio, with family roots in Sicily. As a 2015 graduate from The Ohio State University, Carla double majored in Communications, in hopes of pursuing public relations, and Italian, in order to reconnect with her heritage and family in Italy. After studying abroad for five months in Rome, she ignited her passion for all things Italian and enjoyed time spent visiting relatives (and many many helpings of gelato!). She is excited to be in a career that combines her two fields of expertise and to give others the opportunity to experience the “la vita bella” she so adores. In her free time, Carla loves watching the Buckeyes and the Indians, staying active, trying new Italian recipes and, most importantly, traveling.

Carla Mazzone

SENIOR TRAVEL PLANNER

Antonio was born and raised in Napoli, Italy. His background in General Linguistics influences his creativity and dynamic thinking. In the past, he has applied his skills to digital contents and web advertising as a copywriter and art director. Very passionate about traveling and discovering what’s new around the world, he has lived in Spain, England and France studying Literature, History and Linguistics.He has also visited the most of Europe and South Africa and, of course, each single region of Italy. He frequently returns to Italy to discover what this unique country can offer to its guests, and - of course – to visit his family and friends.
His favorite motto is “If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life”: so, what could be better than a career about Italy?

Terri has always had a strong passion for her Italian heritage- the culture, the people, the food. She is a passionate cook and credits that to her 2nd generation Italian parents who loved to cook all things Italian. Her 30+ years in Nursing and Healthcare Business in sales, marketing and as a Clinical Expert took her many places globally, making her an experienced and enthusiastic traveler. In addition she has served on several non-profit boards that were both National and International. Terri will focus her efforts on exploring new business ventures. In her spare time she loves movies, cooking, entertaining and of course amici e famiglia!

Carol (Carolina) is a first generation Italian/American. She was 3 ½ years old when she took her first transatlantic voyage to Italy with her mother, father and brother. Her younger sister, Diana (yes, THE Diana) was not born yet. Carol has traveled back to Italy many times since then, visiting family and friends abroad. She brings years of experience from her positions with large corporations in their business and finance departments. She joined Italian Tours and Travel by Diana in January of 2016 as the Manager of Finance & Accounting. Carol’s passion for Italy is expressed in her stellar cooking and baking with authentic recipes. She enjoys spending time with her family and her granddaughter, Ella.

Nancy DeSantis is a marketing and development professional with over 20 years of experience in both the profit and not-for-profit industries. She has been part of the Anna Mia Jewelry/Goldmax sales team for the past ten years and most recently as marketing consultant with Italian Tours and Travel by Diana. In addition, she serves on various charitable and faith-based boards and committees. In her spare time, she loves to travel, read and cook Italian cuisine.

Antonio De Palma

NEW CLIENT LIAISON/ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT

"RESIDENT BARISTA"

Terri Antonucci

NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Carol Pulito

MANAGER OF FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING

Nancy DeSantis

MARKETING/STRATEGIC PLANNING

Shirley was born and raised in Wheeling, West Virgina. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from WVU. Upon graduation from WVU, Shirley moved to Cleveland with her husband to work for East Ohio Gas Co. as a customer service representative. After taking time off to raise their two daughters, she resumed working for the Illuminating Co. and then Key Bank. She enjoys spending time with her grandson and indulging in many wonderful culinary delights (like the giant Ferrero Rocher pictured here!)

Shirley Pascuzzi

BOOKKEEPER

Simona has always lived in Italy, she was born and raised in Florence where she lives with her husband and son, close to her family of origin. She has been working for seventeen years as a tour guide in Florence thus fulfilling her wish to share the city she loves deeply with others. She collaborates with Italian Tours and Travel by Diana as a Reservation Specialist for Italy. She loves to deepen every aspect of Italian culture, especially food, and she cooks often for her family and friends. She also loves travelling, reading and writing fiction.