Our Why

We started Creating Connections because we saw a gap between what research tells us works and what most schooling offers. The evidence is clear: children thrive when their emotional, social, cognitive, and creative capacities are developed together.

We believe learning should develop three key abilities: 

  • Competence — the ability to use language effectively

  • Relatedness — the willingness to connect and participate with others

  • Agency — the capacity to express ideas and take initiative

Language learning was our entry point, but the whole child was always our focus. Every interaction is an opportunity to build the resources a child needs to navigate the world with confidence, empathy, and purpose.

Who we are

Creating Connections is an education centre and school dedicated to developing communication, thinking and intercultural understanding through language learning.

Founded in 1990, Creating Connections brings together more than 35 years of experience in education. Over time, it has grown into an educational ecosystem that combines language programmes, teacher training, educational partnerships and research-informed pedagogy.

At its heart is a simple idea: language learning should not only teach grammar and vocabulary, it should help people think, communicate and participate in the world.

Today, Creating Connections operates from its language school in Montalcino, Italy, where new pedagogical approaches are developed in a real learning environment. From this base, the organisation offers programmes for children, teenagers, adults and professionals, as well as teacher training, consultancy and educational partnerships with schools and institutions locally and abroad.

Our Team

Creating Connections was founded by experienced language educators and teacher trainers with more than two decades of international work across Argentina, Italy, the UK, and Norway. 

Many learners stay with us for years — sometimes from early childhood through university. Because we do not offer isolated courses. We offer a learning path.

Patricia

Patricia has been an educator since 1991 and is the founder of Canterbury School of English in Buenos Aires and Creating Connections in Montalcino. She holds a degree in Education Studies and Teaching of English from the JVG Institute in Buenos Aires.

Over more than three decades, Patsy has dedicated her work to designing innovative learning environments for children. She developed the Bilingualism Project, an educational approach that combines bilingual learning with socio-emotional development and strong oracy skills.

Her interest in the relationship between schools and families led her to specialise in family engagement in education through a professional development course with Harvard University, which inspired the creation of the School for Parents, a space for dialogue, workshops and conferences for families and educators across Italy.

Matias

Matías works at the intersection of education, languages and international development. He holds a degree in Education Studies and an MPhil in International Development from the University of Cambridge, where he specialised in education policy and the sociology of education.

At Creating Connections, he oversees the organisation of courses, curricula and online learning programmes. Together with Patricia Natalicchio and Melina Nestore, he contributed to the development of the Bilingualism Project and its pedagogical framework.

Matías is also in charge of the Agora programme, encouraging teenagers and adults to explore global perspectives and develop critical thinking. His academic interests include sociology, politics and social innovation, particularly in rural communities.

Melina

Melina works as a language educator, translator and conference interpreter in Italian, English and Spanish. She studied Language and Communication at the University of Trieste and later completed the European Master’s in Conference Interpreting organised by the European institutions.

Alongside her work as a professional interpreter, she is also a certified language teacher and holds the CELTA and DELTA teaching qualifications.

At Creating Connections, she contributes to the development of learning programmes, creative workshops and international projects, combining language education with intercultural communication and creative approaches to learning.

Melina also collaborates with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she provides specialised language teaching and communication coaching for diplomatic professionals.

Angelo

Angelo is the Administrative Manager of Creating Connections. Italian-Argentinian by background, he grew up working in the family business in Argentina, where he developed strong skills in customer relations and business administration from an early age.

After moving to Italy, he dedicated himself to one of his greatest passions: creating welcoming spaces for people. He transformed his home in the Val d’Orcia into a small B&B, hosting travellers from around the world who come to experience the beauty of the region.

At Creating Connections, Angelo oversees the school’s administration and facilities, ensuring that the environment is safe, organised and welcoming so that students and teachers can focus fully on learning.