Donnamarie Kelly Pignone’s interest in international studies was ignited when she spent a summer studying in France when she was 16. Since that time many years ago, she has been involved in the field of international education working both with international students studying in the U.S. as well as U.S. students studying abroad. From 2000 to 2003 she served as the NAFSA: Association of International Educators Chair of Region XI (New England) collaborating with professionals from Kindergarten to university level who work in the fields of ESL, immigration, international students and study abroad.

Donnamarie first became enchanted with Sicily when vacationing with friends at their seaside Marina di Ragusa home, but it was Taormina that captured her heart. Currently Donnamarie teaches in the Humanities Department at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston during the Fall and Spring semesters and the remaining 3 to 4 months of the year she escapes to her home in the aptly named condominium complex “Residence Paradise” on Via Leonardo da Vinci, in Taormina. For the past 10 years she has worked as the Academic Advisor and Coordinator of U.S. University Programs for Babilonia – Center for Italian Language and Culture in Taormina.