Meet our Mentors
Masters of Craft, Keepers of Innovation
Our and Your mentors are experienced artisans, fashion and product designers, chefs from Michelin-starred backgrounds, brand founders, and professional consultants. Through hands-on lessons and lectures, they will encourage you to constantly express and refine your creativity, whether it’s mastering the Culinary Arts, perfecting a paper pattern in fashion, shaping a piece of clay into art or finishing a carefully designed pair of shoes. You can have the chance to know even further about their paths during our online Open Days or in dedicated personal meetings at one of our courses’ venues.
Gianluca Giannini
Born in Florence and raised in the Tuscan countryside. With a degree from Bocconi, he founded a 500-hectare organic farm, Fattoria Barbialla Nuova, and later created Ocarina Player. Now, he’s leading Schola’s (Green) Alchemy project, blending eco-friendly education with entrepreneurship.
Fabrizio Gentile
Born in 1991, raised in Pistoia. He studied Medicine in Florence, then discovered a passion for wine. He became a professional sommelier in 2019, completed a Master in Wine Communication, and now manages Cibrèo Ristorante & Cocktail Bar at Hotel Helvetia & Bristol.
Cinzia Spatafora
Hospitality manager born in Tuscany. Graduated in Tourism Economics from the University of Florence, she worked in tourism before starting her consulting business. For 10 years, she has freelanced in hospitality management, driven by values of hospitality, quality, and ethics.
Caterina Monasta
Ceramic artist and professor, she specializes in stoneware pottery and high-temperature glazes. With 15+ years of experience, she blends etching and decoration in her ceramics. She teaches at Schola and Florentine universities, driven by a passion for artistic transformation.
Valeria Lasalvia
Fashion Culture and Styling graduate, specialized in Pattern Making and CAD. She developed I Was A Sari in Mumbai, worked for Flo, Arti 21, Loretta Caponi, and teaches fashion courses at renowned Institutions, including SCHOLA.
Stefania Borgioli
Born in Tuscany and always passionate about gastronomy, she worked as a pastry chef and later as a chef in restaurants in the Chianti area. For years, she has been dedicated to teaching cooking as well as the history and culture of Italian food and wine. Since 2017, she has been a sommelier.
Saito Shigeru
Born in Hiroshima, he lived in Spain and China before arriving in Florence at the Scuola del Cuoio in 2003. Since 2008, he has been the Head Master at Scuola del Cuoio, overseeing the production of unique pieces and coordinating the department of fine and exotic leathers.
Marina Gunn
Business development consultant with more than seven years of experience across New York, Tennessee, and Italy. With a NYC creative agency background, she’s skilled in strategy, digital and event marketing, and analytics for beauty, D2C, food, tech, and non-profits, driving data-led growth for cross-functional teams.
Lorenzo Pofferi
Born in Florence in 1987, he graduated in Industrial Design and completed his studies at Delft Polytechnic in 2014. He coordinates Design at Accademia Italiana, lectures at Schola and Istituto Marangoni, and freelances in Interior and Product Design.
Lapo Giusti
Born in 1997 in the province of Florence, he was raised in a family of artisans with a 45-year-old ceramic workshop. After earning a degree in chemistry, he joined the family business, specializing in advanced glazes and crystalline finishes, while passionately teaching the craft.
Kumiko Imata
Born and raised in Japan, with a passion for creating things. In 2002, while studying product design, she discovered a shoe making course and fell in love with leather. In 2003, she met her mentor, Stefano Bemer. Now, after 20 years, she still works as a bespoke shoemaker at Stefano Bemer.
Karin Pantzer
Florence-born, with degrees in Sociology, Public Health, and Medical Anthropology. Specialized in History and Culture of Food. He has extensive teaching experience at American universities in Florence and designs customized food and wine programs focusing on sustainability.
Flavia Notargiacomo
Born in Rome and a Law graduate, she decided to follow her passion and enrolled in the SCHOLA course in 2021. Since 2022, she has been an artisan at Scuola del Cuoio, where she teaches the Bag Making course, guiding hands toward the creation of timeless pieces.
Cecilia Rinaldi
Fashion designer, pattern-maker, and accessory sampler. A graduate of Accademia Italiana, she values continual learning, teaching, and sustainable fashion. Her global experiences inspire her research and design, rooted in artisanal and ethical practices.
Caterina Bacci
Sculptor and ceramicist, she excels in portraiture and organic forms. She graduated from the Academy of Florence, completed studies in Paris, and collaborated on the Cathedral of Prato doors project. Since 2022, she teaches at Schola.
Anita Ficini
Born in 2000 in Prato, she studied Textile and Fashion at I.T.I.S. Tullio Buzzi and honed her skills in sewing, pattern making, and design at Accademia Italiana, Florence. Passionate about sustainable fashion, she sees creativity as art, balance, and identity, working within Prato’s textile district.
Alessio Invidiato
Born in Maratea on October 15, 1999. Studied fashion and leather goods in Rome. Worked at Salvatore Ferragamo, now a designer at Stuart Weitzman, and teaches footwear and leather design at Schola. Collaborated with BCBGMAXAZRIA and Amedeo Testoni.