Ron Pilato, Psy.D.
Director

Ron Pilato is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in San Francisco. He earned his Bachelor's degree from Cornell University, a Master's degree in counseling psychology from CIIS and his doctorate in clinical psychology from the Wright Institute.

Since 1998 Ron has been spending time in Italy connecting with family, language and culture.  The actually story started in 1906 when Ron's grandfather left Italy in search of a new life in America. 82 years later in 1988, after about 20 years of searching, his uncle from Italy located a first cousin, Ron's father in New York. This reuniting of family and cultures across the Atlantic has elivened the entire extended family. In 2001 Ron obtained his Italian citizenship and passport, formally reclaiming his lineage, language and culture of origin.

Ron honors this re-connection of family, culture and language in his work with clients of bi or multi-cultural backgrounds. He finds great pleasure speaking and reading Italian in ongoing classes and during regular visits with his family and friends in Italy.

Ron Fouts, M.A.
Director of Development

Ron Fouts is an Executive Entrepreneur with over 30 years experience designing and building profitable organizations in the finance, tourism, publishing and education industries, with demonstrated abilities to foster positive relationships with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds.

After receiving his Master's in International Business from The School for International Training/Hong Kong, Mr. Fouts established the management development program for Oberoi Hotels in India. This program remains the model for management training throughout developing economies. From India, he went on to become the owner and Managing Director for Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics International, starting up and running programs in 14 countries. He later served as the Gheens Professor of Entrepreneurship at Berea College where he developed, designed and implemented this award-winning program.

Ron Fouts is a speaker at the Out and Equal, National Black Deaf Association, and various Real Estate Investment Conferences.

Roger Lake has been a licensed psychotherapist for 25 years. Following his service in the Navy, he spent several years as a community worker in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, mostly focusing on the emerging drug problems of the 1970's. As a consequence of that work (which paid poverty wages) he decided to train in psychotherapy, and in 1981, he received his MS in Clinical Psychology from the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology. He entered the field of psychotherapy and worked within the context of the HIV epidemic for many years. Currently his work with people encompasses a range of clinical issues, mostly focused on family therapy and substance abuse recovery. His clients have taught him much about the nature of resiliency.

Roger enjoys spending time with his family in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is most proud of his long-term marriage to the remarkable Susana Muñoz.

In addition to his 2007 trip to Sorrento, Roger's only significant Italian experience was a 1999 trip to Tuscany that convinced him that if you put too many people into a wonderfully quiet villa, it feels like you've never left home.

Alberto Malvestio, Eng.

Alberto Malvestio obtained his degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Padova in 1999. For 5 years following graduation, he worked as Product Manager for the Nike Sports Group in Montebelluna, Italy, overseeing production efficiencies and quality control of various Nike and Bauer products. During this time, he traveled frequently to Eastern Europe where he accumulated many contacts and skills in the manufacturing business.

A native of northern Italy, Alberto moved to California in October 2005 with his wife, Rebecca Soffer. Passion for his native culture and traditions has sparked him to start ALMARE Gelato Italiano, a shop that produces artisan gelato in downtown Berkeley. In this way he plans to bring some of the sweetness of Italy to the Bay Area. Alberto is also interested in the wine industry and is completing his Sommelier studies.

Melanie Mopsick, LCSW

Melanie Mopsick works at the Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program at Kaiser Permanente Sacramento , and in her private practice conducts long-term psychoanalyically informed psychotherapy. In addition, Melanie works as a Critical Incident Trauma Debriefer for private industry, hospitals and chaplain programs; conducts problem resolution meetings between physician and nursing staff at local hospitals and has taught Clinical Diagnosis and Assessment and Psychopharmacology at local university masters and doctoral programs. Melanie recently acted as the Facilitator Coordinator for the California Society of Clinical Social Work for three years where she reorganized their Continuing Educational Program.

Before moving to California, Melanie lived in Washington, D.C. where for 22 years she worked in the business sector as a coordinator of large conferences both in the private and public sectors including the National Training Laboratories for Applied Behavioral Sciences and the Consumer Electronics Association. The majority of her time in D.C. was spent working at Havard University's Dumbarton Oaks where she coordinated the International Fellowship Program, managed various aspects of the three museums and the public gardens in addition to symposia at the mansion in Washington's Georgetown area which dates back to 1702.

Melanie and her husband, Steve, decided shortly after their marriage, that they really wanted to see the world. Two years later they quit their jobs and were off on a year's journey where they visited 42 countries. Melanie says that she welcomes opportunities in which she can combine her two favorite things in life: travel and education.

Susana Muñoz

Susana Muñoz is an Event Planner working in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has over 30 years experience in the culinary and hospitality industries. Her Cuban roots make her a natural in the entertaining arts where she learned how to host friends and family through a combination of good music, good food and a celebratory spirit. She is currently the Marketing Director for Taste Catering & Event Planning in San Francisco, voted the "best caterer" in San Francisco for over 5 years. Susana also runs her own consulting company providing services in event planning with an emphasis on food & beverage services. Some of her clients include Toyota of Japan, Cessna Aircraft and Global Exchange. She is passionate about food & wine and delights in sharing that passion with others.

Rebecca Liora Soffer, Psy.D.

Rebecca Soffer is a clinical psychologist specialized in working with families and children ages 0-5. She currently works as an Early Childhood Specialist doing early intervention and consultation at preschools and infant toddler centers in San Francisco. Rebecca has a strong interest in human development. She also has a passion for all things Italian. She met her husband Alberto while living and studying in Treviso as a college student, and eventually wrote her doctoral dissertation on the implications of Treviso’s piazza, or main square, on psycho-social development. Rebecca is the cofounder of ALMARE Gelato Italiano. Over the weekends you will find her scooping gelato at her husband’s shop in downtown Berkeley.