Raeleen Mautner

Raeleen Mautner, Ph.D. a dual citizen (US-Italy), holds a doctorate in educational/cognitive psychology and worked for many years as a university psychology instructor.   Her doctoral research was a cross-cultural comparison of body image and other lifestyle factors between the US AND ITALY.  She has written several self-help books based on the life-affirming Italian traditions she learned through both her research and from her Italian immigrant grandparents, with whom she grew up. Dr. Mautner did coursework in Perugia and traveled many times to Italy; both together with her grandfather, then, later on, to conduct research or give presentations and book signings; as well as continue to visit family. One of her books, Living la Dolce Vita: Bring the Passion, Laughter, and Serenity of Italy into Your Daily Life (Sourcebooks) has sold over 22,000 copies and been translated into several languages.

Dr. Mautner has received several awards for the work she has done for the Italian community. She was instrumental in creating an Italian educational resource center for teachers of the Italian language in Connecticut, as part of an MOU with the Connecticut Department of Education, The Italian Consulate of NYC, and lo IACE. She also served as the Research Director for AIDA, the American Italian Defense Association, where she developed a nationwide survey to uncover the origins of negative Italian and Italian-American stereotyping. Raeleen has given numerous presentations, and written for publications such as The Italian Tribune, America Oggi, Italian America, Psychology Today; and has been interviewed on local and national TV (including A&E) as well as numerous print media. For several years Dr. Mautner produced and hosted her own radio show called The Italian Art of Living Well, where she interviewed well-known and accomplished guests from the Italian American community. Today in her free time, she sings professionally with an Italian band.

Passionate about keeping her Italian cultural roots alive, she is pleased and honored to be invited to write a “Dolce Vita Lifestyle” column for L’Idea Magazine. Forthcoming articles will cover a wide variety of topics, which will hopefully inspire, inform, and entertain all those who share a deep love of the bel paese and its people.

Contact: www.RaeleenMautner.com or Raeleen.mautner@gmail.com