Deanna Paoli Gumina

Deanna Paoli Gumina is the author of The Italians of San Francisco 1850-1930, which was the first bilingual history of an ethic group purposely designed to tell them their story in their native language of Italian, at the same time narrating their history to English readers. It was well received followed by four printings and is still sought by readers today. For this work, and other works about the Italian American experience, she received the “Medaglia d’Ore” by the Lucchesi del Mondo in Lucca, Italy. In addition to these articles, she has written the biography of famed author, Kathleen Norris, entitled A Woman of Certain Importance, as well as in-depth article on the illustrator, Ernest Peixotto, annotated the diaries of Lillie Hitchcock Coit, and her family’s restaurant in “A Toast To Paoli’s Restaurant.” Currently, she has written about the “enemy aliens” in San Francisco during World War II, who were interned. Her latest research topic is home economics in San Francisco public and private schools (see Works in Progress). Deanna has retired from a 30-year practice as a learning specialist who has been privileged to work with individual with specific learning disabilities.