Education

• ABA Approved Paralegal Certificate, University of California, Irvine

• Ph.D. in Philology, Al. I. Cuza University of Iași, Romania, International Academic Panel

• M.A. in English, with a minor in Italian, Al. I. Cuza University of Iași, Romania

• B.A. in English, with a minor in French, University of Poitiers, France

• B.A. in English, with a minor in Italian, Al. I. Cuza University of Iași, Romania, Valedictorian

Her academic training also includes graduate research at the University of Bari, Italy, “Albert Ludwig University” of Freiburg, Germany, the “Federico II” University of Naples, Italy, the “Istituto Universitario Orientale”, Naples, Italy. She completed additional language and cultural studies at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, the University of Milan, and the “Università per gli stranieri” of Perugia, Italy.

Research

Her research interests include literary translation, comparative literature, Shakespeare studies, language pedagogy, and multilingual and bicultural education. Her doctoral research examined translations of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, with particular attention to wordplay, style, and the challenges of conveying meaning across languages and cultures.Her broader scholarly work has addressed Shakespearean drama, Dante’s Inferno, French and Romanian translation, literary symbolism, and the relationship between language, culture, and interpretation. She works professionally in Romanian, English, Italian, and French, and uses Spanish for scholarly purposes.

Publications

Selected publications include:

  • Shakespeare in the Mirror of Translation: The Case of Romeo and Juliet, Ph.D. dissertation, Al. I. Cuza University of Iași, 2002

  • Viața alături de stres, Romanian translation of B. Luban Plozza, U. Pozzi, and T. Carlevaro’s Convivere con lo stress, Contact International Press, 1997

  • “A Translational Challenge: Wordplay in the Sampson and Gregory Scene,” Acta Iassyensia Comparationis, 2004

  • “Personajul Simbol: Blanche Du Bois,” Analele Științifice ale Universității Al. I. Cuza din Iași, 1996

  • “Calamburul la William Shakespeare. Romeo și Julieta: Traduceri Franceze ale Prologului,” Comunicări de Limbă și Literatură, Al. I. Cuza University Publishing House, 1995

  • “Pathos as Human Passion and Suffering: Canto V from Dante’s Hell,” Analele Științifice ale Universității Al. I. Cuza din Iași, 1995

She has also presented research on Shakespeare, Dante, Romanian literature, translation, and Italian Romanian cultural relations at academic conferences in Romania and Italy.

Courses

Elementary Romanian 101A, 101B, and 101C

This three-quarter sequence introduces students to present-day Romanian language, culture, and civilization. Students develop vocabulary and grammar through dialogues, narratives, descriptions, adapted journalistic and literary texts, written exercises, and short essays.

By the end of the sequence, students are prepared to communicate about everyday topics with educated native speakers, read short newspaper articles and selected fiction and nonfiction texts, and write short essays in Romanian.

Her previous teaching experience includes courses in English language and literature, Italian, English language development, English as a second language, translation, and intercultural communication.

Biography

I am delighted to continue my academic work as a Romanian lecturer at UCLA. My professional background brings together university teaching, language and literary studies, translation and interpreting, journalism, public relations, and legal studies. Throughout my career, I have worked with students of many ages and backgrounds, from elementary school students to undergraduate, graduate, and international exchange students. At the center of my teaching is the liberal arts tradition and its ability to help students become thoughtful, confident communicators. My goal is to help students use Romanian and other languages accurately and fluently as they pursue their academic, intellectual, and professional interests. In my Romanian courses, students develop practical language skills while also discovering Romanian culture, literature, and everyday life.

Employment

• Romanian Lecturer, University of California, Los Angeles

  • Guest Lecturer in Romanian Studies, UCLA Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures

  • Assistant Professor, Department of Foreign Languages, Al. I. Cuza University of Iași, Romania

  • Teaching Assistant, Department of Foreign Languages, Al. I. Cuza University of Iași, Romania

  • Italian Teacher, Oxford Preparatory Academy, Chino, California

  • English Language Development and English as a Second Language Teacher, Kraemer Middle School, Placentia, California

In addition to her academic appointments, she has professional experience in journalism, translation and interpreting, cultural programming, public relations, human resources, immigration law, and civil litigation.