Graziana Lazzarino, a native of Genoa, received her Laurea cum laude from the University of Genoa and is currently Professor of Italian at the University of Colorado in Boulder. She has taught at numerous European schools and American colleges and universities, including Wellesley College, Middlebury College, Central Connecticut State College, and the University of Nebraska. She is also the lead author of In giro per lItalia: A Brief Introduction to Italian, Da Capo, and Per tutti i gusti. She was knighted in June 2004 by the Italian government for her contribution to the teaching of Italian language and culture.