Meet The Family
Our small but mighty team is united by our passion for Italy and for creating exceptional travel experiences. We are storytellers and dreamers, movers and shakers, excited to share our knowledge and insight with curious travelers. We are major food lovers, prone to obsessing over our preferred pasta shape, the best pizza dough recipe, or our favorite bottle of Lambrusco.
We love a lot of things about our job, but top of the list is the personal connections we develop with everyone we work with. From understanding what foods you love, to the types of views you've been dreaming about, we dig deep and get personal, going the extra mile to create your perfect trip.
Debra Levinson,
CEO & Founder
For over two decades, Debra has been a distinguished industry spokesperson. She has a deep knowledge of the most-known cities, and yet knows the wild beauty of places off the typical tourist path. Her network features the best-of-the-best in Italian hospitality, and she knows how to create unforgettable experiences from the Aosta valley to Salentine peninsula. Her excellent taste in food, wine and hotels, and her unrelenting search for great quality means she shows travelers the best places to eat, sleep and drink throughout Italy.
➢ Leaves room in suitcase for: Anything truffle
➢ Email: Info@mrsandmrsitaly.com
Claudia Camerino,
Logistics Director
Claudia has been enchanted by Italy’s beauty from a young age. At first, trips were about family time; visiting her Venetian nonni at their home on the Lido, swimming in the Adriatic, and exploring the mountains with her family. At the age of six, she declared her favorite foods to be artichokes and spaghetti alle vongole. A lover of mountains, local cuisine, and great company, Claudia is a skier, biker, hiker, and never points travelers to the some of Italy’s most irresistible areas.
➢ Leaves room in suitcase for: Kilos of parmiggiano
➢ Email: claudia@mrsandmrsitaly.com
Silvia Orione
Italy Ground Manager
I am Silvia and I am a Piedmont Travel guide for the area around Asti and Cuneo (Alba and Langhe) for English, German and French. I studied foreign languages and lived in Germany to deepen my knowledge of the language. The last years I dedicated my time to organize Barolo and Barbaresco Wine Tour and Truffle Tour in our beautiful area and I have worked for a Winery located in Barolo in charge of reception
I live in Alba, a unique territory and the city of the wine and the truffle , married with two beautiful boys, two cats and one dog!
➢ Leaves room in the suitcase for: Occhiali scuri, un libro e tanto cioccolato! (Sunglasses, a book and lots of chocolate!)
➢ Email: silvia@mrandmrsitaly.com
Emily DeMarco
Reservations Coordinator
Emily fell in love with Italy during her college semester abroad in Rome. As a history buff and a foodie, Italy was the perfect place for her! It was during her semester in Italy that she met her husband, making the beautiful country an extra special place for the two of them. They have been lucky enough to return together multiple times since.
Every time Emily travels, she loves to learn about the history and culture of the region. She finds that the best way to do this is to live as the locals do... finding the hidden gem restaurants and strolling through the off-the-beaten-path neighborhoods.
Emily is a strong believer that travel is good for the soul. Experiencing new places and cultures is what makes her happiest. While she began her career as a teacher, she chose to pursue her passion by transitioning to the travel industry. When she is not traveling, Emily lives in NYC with her husband and the two of them love spending their free time exploring new neighborhoods and trying new restaurants with family and friends.
➢ Leaves room in the suitcase for: Ceramics, wine, and cannoli
➢ Email: emily@mrandmrsitaly.com
Valerie Mendelsohn
Communications Coordinator
Growing up, Valerie's Calabrian roots have always been close to her heart. Since exploring the country and savouring all its beautiful flavors, Valerie has merged her love for the culture with her passion for travel and tourism. With a background in Hospitality Management, Valerie is excited to be your direct point of contact in preparation for your amazing journey through Italy.
➢ Leaves room in the suitcase for: Bread
➢ Email: valerie@mrandmrsitaly.com
Tamela Cocke,
Itinerary Development
Tamela developed a love for travel as a college student when a 3 month internship to Sydney turned into a 4 year Australian adventure. Not long after arriving in Sydney, the opportunity to stay on to work in a more permanent position became available and she jumped at the chance. This small town girl spread her wings as she explored Australia while working abroad. Tamela knows first hand how impactful travel is and loves to help others experience the world and make lifelong memories. Tamela enjoys traveling with her husband and twin boys as often as possible.
➢ Leaves room in the suitcase for: Chocolate, always chocolate.
➢ Email: tamela@mrandmrsitaly.com
Liz Schmitz
Itinerary Presentation Associate
Travel has always been a large part of Liz’s life. Growing up hiking in national parks across the US with her family grew into a love of discovering new places and their cultures. After her first trips abroad in high school around Central America she was officially bitten by the travel bug. During Liz’s time studying in London in college, she was able to see more of Europe and her love of Italy began in Sicily. From there she’s returned, visiting various cities from Milan down to Naples.
Liz came to join the Mr. & Mrs. Italy team serendipitously, after returning from a trip they had curated for her and her family. Being abroad again re-ignited her passion for travel, particularly watching her family who hadn't been abroad before light up when seeing certain sites or taking part in experiences. After such a positive experience
she was eager to begin working in the travel industry as she had prior to the pandemic.
You can usually find Liz plotting out her next adventure while at home in Buffalo, NY where she lives with her fiance. In her free time she enjoys rock climbing, hiking and watching hockey.
Leaves room in suitcase for: Balsamic vinegar & Paprika Pringles
Email: Liz@mrandmrsitaly.com