PEOPLE

Nataša Vučković

Nataša Vučković is currently the President of ALDA, elected during the ALDA Festival and General Assembly 2024 that took place in Barcelona, Spain. Nataša joined the Governing Board of ALDA in 2020 and became Vice President of the Association in 2023. She represents the Center for Democracy Foundation (CDF), Serbia.
Since 1994 she works on head position at the CDF – Founder, Secretary General and Executive Director. She has a great experience in overall management in non-profit organizations. She has great experience in financial planning, fundraising and cooperation with key donators for the organization, but also for design/implementation and evaluation of projects.
Topics that interest her the most are democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights, European integration and European values, human rights and socio-economic rights. Ms Vučković represents CDF in the National Convention of the EU (NCEU) as a coordinator of the Working group for Chapters 2 and 19 (migration of workers and employment and social policy).
She got a long experience in governmental and regulatory branch, since being a member of National Parliament, Republic of Serbia, as well as, member of Committee on European Integration, Committee on Judiciary, Foreign Affairs Committee. Moreover, she was a president of the Committee on European Integration.
Nataša Vučković also was a member of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg, France for Turkey. She has published articles and analysis and has lectured and hold trainings at various institutions and organizations, including Regional School for Public Administration (ReSPA), particularly in the field of EU integration of the Western Balkans, rule of law, human rights, parliamentary procedures, as well as in the non-profit management.

Maurizio Camin

Maurizio Camin is at his third mandate in ALDA’s Governing Board representing Associazione Trentino per i Balcani, Italy. He has been elected ALDA Vice President in 2024.
He has more than 10 years of experience in dealing with International Cooperation as coordinator of the Association “Trentino con i Balcani”, that works mainly in Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia and Albania on mandate of Trento Autonomous Province.
In the last period Maurizio Camin has been a member of the ALDA’s Board where he has tried to represent the issues of the Balkan Region, but also taking care of the needs of other territories. Thanks to this experience he could see how much ALDA and the Agencies for Local Democracy effectively have done and are still doing on the field in order to promote participation at the local level.
He believes that this issue is really important in a time so difficult and plenty of sorrow as the present is and he deeply convinced of the need to keep working to break fences and barriers, self-referential attitudes engaging to build spaces of dialogue and participation among territories, people, institutions and communities creating network of knowledges and development through concrete and shared actions.
He also believes in the importance of creating relations able to involve communities and citizens, what is the essence of International Cooperation.

Roger Lawrence

Roger Lawrence is the Vice President of ALDA and a member of the Governing Board as individual member from the United Kingdom, representing Wolverhampton City Council. Until 2024 he was the Treasurer of the Association.
Indeed, Roger Lawrence led Wolverhampton City Council from 2002-2019, Council of the year 2017 (MJ), Council Leader of year 2018 (LGIU). Mr Lawrence remains an elected councillor with regional roles for transport and asylum/ migration issues. He is also a non-exec Director of Birmingham Airport Holdings. Roger holds a doctorate from the University of Bristol in European Regional Policy (cross border relations in Central and Eastern Europe).
Mr Lawrence is supporting ALDA and act as Treasurer since 2008. He has a strong feeling of the need to support our vibrant and resilient leadership and it’s record of innovation evidenced by ALDA+ and ALDA med while not neglecting our original mission in the western Balkans and Eastern Partnership.
His participation in ALDA is based on this vision of a strong E.U. working with our neighbors and building the capacity of both local government and civil society. He also supports ALDA’s commitment to sustainable development goals.

Oriano Otočan

After concluding a third mandate as President of ALDA, Oriano Otočan became treasurer of the Association during the ALDA General Assembly 2024. He represents the Region of Istria, Croatia, since 2016. Since 2005, he served first as a Member of the Regional Government, and afterwards as Director of Department in charge of international cooperation and European integration in the Region of Istria. His duties included the activities of bilateral and multilateral inter-regional cooperation, coordination of EU programs and projects, development of human resources and informing citizens of the Euro-integration processes.
Thanks to his experience in working in a region that has reached an enviable level of tolerance and respect for minority rights, experience in local development, interregional cooperation, work of international organisations, knowledge of Euro-integration process and with his knowledge of the current political reality of Southeast Europe he is actively contributing to the further development of ALDA as an exceptional and unique European organisation which in its work involves individuals, local and regional public authorities and civil society. From 2014 to 2019 he has been working in the European Parliament as Policy advisor and MEP Head of Office.
In 2014 he was awarded the Officer of the Order of the star of Italy, assigned by the President of the Republic of Italy for the particular attention and the strong activity in developing good relationships and important cooperation.

Ana Jovanovic

Ana Jovanovic is the delegate of the Local Democracy Agency Central and Southern Serbia (Serbia), and member of ALDA Governing Board.

The LDA Central and Southern Serbia was established in 2001 in the City of Niš. With the aim of spreading its program further into the territories in need, in 2014 the LDA has moved its headquarter to Knjaževac, a city in South-Eastern Serbia.

The LDA carries on activities in Niš, Knjaževac, Kraljevo and Kragujevac and it contributes to the development of local democracy in the communities of Eastern, Southern and Central Serbia through capacity building programs based on the principles of active citizenship and establishment of concrete mechanisms of citizens’ participation in development of their communities.

Andrea Rilievo

Andrea Rilievo is a member of ALDA’s Governing Board, representing Società Cooperativa Sociale Studio Progetto, Italy.
He is a member of ALDA for 9 years. Studio Progetto has been working for 30 years in the province of Vicenza, in the north of Italy, proposing social projects for disadvantaged people, mainly dealing with job placement and building several social services.
Besides social services Mr Rilievo in the last 9 years took part in developing an internal department that is currently working with European funds, mainly with Erasmus+ and Europe for Citizens programs.
Mr Rilievo sees that the values and vision of social cooperation, a model of business centered on nonprofit development and on human beings and social inclusion as the main pillar on which build the growth of our community.
Mr Rilievo believes that the more that society will evolve quickly, the more will be productive, effective, stable. In this scenario, the will and know-how to propose and generate adequate social services, and projects that include people in need, will be a key-element, in the local context but even more so in the European community, tracing a route of sustainable and inclusive growth.
As an expert in this field, he put all his knowledge and experience at disposal of AlDA’s growth by deeply representing the Italian context in this field with sharing his experience of building projects at European level, focused on social services, and fragility.

Francesco Zarzana

Francesco Zarzana is member of the Governing Board of ALDA, representing the Association “Progettarte”, member of ALDA since 2009.

Mr Zarzana is a writer, playwright, and director; he was born in Palermo and is currently based in Modena, Italy. He is the founder and curator of the Buk Literary Festival in Modena and the Buk Film Festival. He has authored eleven books, one of which was published in France.

In the theater, he has directed seven plays and written ten scripts, one of which is in French. In cinema, he has written and directed three feature films, one of which was showcased at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016, as well as two short films. His works address themes such as human rights, gender equality, and migration.

Goran Gerasimovski

Goran Gerasimovski is member of the Governing Board of ALDA representing the Municipality of Centar, in Skopje, where he also serves as Mayor.

Maddalena Alberti

Maddalena Alberti is ALDA’s Governing Board Member since 2024. She is the Director of the Association Ambasciata della Democrazia Locale a Zavidovici, based in Brescia, Italy. Maddalena has worked for several Italian municipalities as an expert in migration, designing services, processes and building multi-stakeholder relationships with migrant citizens, as well as promoting inclusion processes and dialogue between local authorities, institutions, and citizens with a migratory background. Through her work with ADL Zavidovici, she specialised in material housing and legal assistance services, orientation and labor integration. Since 2021, she has been part of the Advisory Board of ALDA for the Migration Thematic Hub.

Maria Eugènia Gay Rosell

Maria Eugènia Gay Rosell is member of the Governing Board, representing Barcelona Provincial Council, member of ALDA since February 2024.

Within the Barcelona Provincial County she holds the following positions:

• Sixth Vice-President
• Deputy Delegate for International Relations and Agenda 2030
• Member of the Governing Board and the Executive Committee

Marta Sys

Marta Sys is a member of the Board of the Merkury Foundation located in Lower Silesia Region of Poland since 2010. She was responsible for applying for sources,  implementation of social projects aimed on labour market, youth and building civil society as well as international cooperation. She is involved in many actions on local and regional level  dedicated to civil society building eg Lower Silesia Youth Forum (4 editions), Lower Silesian Citizens Congress (5 editions). On local level, Marta is involved in NGO’s fairs (5 editions) as well as events dedicated to volunteering, such as „ Power of Help” (2 editions). She is also involved in the process of building the social economy in Poland as coordinator of innovative project financed by EU initiative EQUAL called „Muflon Partnership”. Marta is a lawyer and career counselor and member of the Board of ALDA since March 2023 as well.

Thibaut Guignard

Thibaut Guignard is a member of the Governing Board of ALDA. He is Mayor of Plœuc-L’Hermitage, a rural new commune since 2014, Thibaut Guignard, a 42-year-old Breton elected official, is committed to supporting rural areas and Europe.

Endowed with expertise in rural development, European fund management, and the implementation of projects dedicated to local territories, Thibaut Guignard presides over Leader France, the national federation of rural territories engaged in the European rural development program Leader.

Since January 1, 2023, Thibaut Guignard has been presiding over ELARD, the European Leader Association for Rural Development. ELARD is a European association that represents nearly 2,600 territories in 29 countries, including those in the vicinity of the European Union, which have adopted and are implementing the LEADER methodology for local development by local actors.

Driven by his European convictions and a desire to promote the interests of European rural areas, Thibaut Guignard is dedicated to developing decentralized cooperation with Central and Eastern Europe. In this capacity, he leads the France-Poland working group within the French Association of Councils, Communes, and Regions of Europe (AFCCRE).

With a dynamic and European vision of rural areas, the Breton elected official also co-chairs the European Commission of the French Mayors’ Association and serves as an alternate member of the European Committee of the Regions.

Since March 2, 2021, Thibaut Guignard has presided over the French Delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CPLRE).

Vadym Boichenko

Vadym Boichenko is Observing member of the ALDA Governing Board.

He is Head of the Section for the Development of De-Occupied and Temporarily Occupied Municipalities of the Association of Ukrainian Cities (AUC), and Mayor of Mariupol.
In 2015 Vadym Boichenko was elected as Mayor of Mariupol.
In 2020, was re-elected for the second term and his party “Block of Vadym Boichenko” won the largest number of votes in the local council.
During his time in office, Mariupol became one of the most rapidly growing cities in Ukraine.
After the outbreak of the full-scale war and the occupation of the city, Vadym Boichenko organised the work of the Mariupol City Council in evacuation.
Currently, Mayor and the Mariupol City Council are focusing their efforts on supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine and evacuated residents of the city.
During the war, at the initiative of Vadym Boichenko, the first social housing for Mariupol residents in Ukraine and the IMariupol support network for displaced persons were created. The IMariupol initiative operates in 21 cities across Ukraine, has 35 support centres and continues to grow.
One of the main areas of Vadym Boichenko’s efforts is planning the reconstruction of the city. Mariupol was the first to start developing the “Mariupol Reborn” city revival plan – the largest city reconstruction plan since the Second World War. The city shares the developed concept and experience with other municipalities that suffered from russian aggression and need to be restored.
As a Head of the Section for the development of de-occupied and temporarily occupied municipalities of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, Vadym Boichenko, together with mayors of frontline and temporarily occupied municipalities in Ukraine, develops joint projects, measures and proposals aimed to support the residents of the hot-spot territories by ensuring the continuous provision of vital services. The Section is also working on developing plans for the recovery of the frontline municipalities after the end of hostilities.

Ahmet Allouch

Ahmed works as an advisor at the Tunisian National Constituent Assembly. Having been active in civil society through many NGOs, Ahmed is currently thevice-president andproject manager at “Youth Without Borders,” a Tunis based NGO aiming to supportyouth engagement in society. Ahmed is a specialist in the youth field with a focus on sports management. He also is a national and international election observer and election observer trainer.

Elif Avci

Participatory processes and Youth Engagement Advisor at the Istanbul Development Agency, will cooperate with the Association for the activities carried out in Türkiye. Elif Avcı holds 3 master’s degrees in Human Rights Law, Political Marketing, and Peace, Resilience, and Social Justice. She started her career as psychologist at TOÇEV and later worked as a Social Policy Specialist at Şişli Municipality. She served as Secretary General at Şişli City Council. After completing a Rotary Peace Fellowship, she joined the social policy team for the Istanbul Mayoral candidacy campaign. She worked in Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality as Social & Cultural Policy Coordinator and NDI Turkey as Program Manager. Avcı co-founded and chairs Local Monitoring Research and Implementation (YERELİZ) and currently advises the Istanbul Planning Agency on participatory policies and youth engagement. Her work reflects a strong dedication to inclusive cities and rights-based policies in collaboration with various civil society organisations.

Ibrahim Ndagijimana

With over 15 years of experience in the area of Governance, Leadership, Peace and Conflict transformation, Political studies and decentralisation, Ibrahim Ndagijimana exercised high level responsibilities in the management of local government and worked as a coach for Districts organisational performance under Rwanda Governance Board in the framework of the Rwanda Decentralisation Support Program, supported by the Belgian Technical Cooperation/BTC/ENABEL).

He has a Master’s degree in Public Administration and Management, Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict transformation together with other relevant trainings and he possesses an excellent proficiency in Kinyarwanda, English, French and Swahili.

Kirsi Verkka

Kirsi Verkka is currently working as a participatory budgeting development manager for the City of Helsinki. She believes that renewing democratic processes, harnessing collective intelligence and deliberation are key aspects towards more democratic and sustainable societies. Her key areas of expertise are participatory democracy, digital participation and project management. 

Kirsi’s background is in the field of education, with a focus on sustainable development, youth participation, teacher training and curriculum development. Her educational background has equipped her with a systemic approach to democracy innovation and citizen participation. She brings a wealth of experience in utilising various development methods, including network management, service design, experimentation, and co-creation.

Kirsi excels in conceptualisation, communication, and marketing of development work, ensuring effective dissemination of ideas and engaging stakeholders in the process. With a focus on empowering individuals and communities, she aims to drive positive change through collaborative efforts and meaningful engagement.

Maite Arrondo

Maite Arrondo is an expert on innovation in housing policies. Nowadays she works for the `Housing and Renovation Institute of Barcelona Municipality´ where she supports the international social and affordable housing agenda through international networks, events organisation such as the European Housing Research Conference or the International Social Housing Festival and EU projects. Currently, she is the coordinator of the “Network of Cities for Collaborative Housing” (NETCO) on behalf of Barcelona Council. Besides, she also collaborates with HOGARSÍ Foundation, where she supports the international agenda stakeholders like the UN Homelessness Working Group and at the European Housing First Hub among others.

A passionate advocate of the interplay between homelessness and housing policies, she has expertise in gender mainstreaming and human rights based approach into public policies. She has wide experience working as urban expert in EU projects and programmes, and has collaborated with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing, European Research Centre or the European Federation of Organisations to End Homelessness among others. At the end of the day, she is the proud mum of a little girl and finds great joy in live music, yoga and cycling, and traveling.

Senida Mesi

Senida is an Albanian politician and professor. She served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Albania from 13 September 2017 to 17 January 2019. Now she is a member of parliament. Mesi lectured at the University of Shkodër “Luigj Gurakuqi” until she was elected to Parliament in 2017. In 2015, Mesi was elected a member of the municipal council for Shkodër. During the 2017 parliamentary elections, Mesi ran as a member of the Socialist Party. On 25 June 2017, Mesi was elected a member of the Parliament of Albania for Shkodër. In August 2017, Edi Rama announced that Mesi would be the next deputy prime minister of Albania. Expert on civil society local governance, she will be the point of contact for the Western Balkans area. 

Tamara Ehs

Tamara Ehs is a political scientist and consultant for democratic innovation from Vienna. She works with municipalities, ministries and parties in Austria, Germany and the Centrope region to foster citizens’ participation.
Tamara is the scientific advisor to the State Councillor of the Baden-Württemberg State Government on issues of citizen participation, to the European Capital of Democracy, and a member of the Commission for Dialogue Processes at the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Protection and Innovation. Moreover, she is involved in diverse forms of political education, especially for first-time voters, and taking part in several COST-Actions (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) as her consultancy is based on scientific research.

Antonella Valmorbida

Antonella Valmorbida, Secretary General of ALDA since 1999, has a senior experience in promoting local democracy, empowerment and participation of civil society, and good governance in Europe, in the Balkans, in Eastern Europe, and in the Mediterranean area. She is a European senior consultant on local development with a focus on the implementation of participatory processes for urban regeneration. She manages a network of 300 members mainly composed of local authorities and civil society groups, in over 40 countries in Europe and beyond.
Antonella Valmorbida was President of the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) and Member of the Advisory Board of Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development, Armenia. After 6 years as President of EPD, she is now part of the Board. She has been Chair of the EPAN working group of CONCORD until 2016, Chair of the Committee on Democracy and Civil Society of the Conference of the INGO of the Council of Europe from 2008 to 2011, and she was the coordinator of the subgroup on local government and public administration reform of the Civil Society Forum for Eastern Partnership. In 2012-13, she was board Member of CIVICUS – the World Alliance for Citizens Participation.
Antonella Valmorbida has an academic career at the university of Padova, Italy, and published two books on the involvement of citizens at the local level to promote democracy as well as various articles. Antonella Valmorbida is a French and Italian native speaker and she is fluent in English and Russian.

An article concerning Civil Society engagement in the European Parliament Elections of 2024, produced by Antonella Valmorbida, was published on the Civil Society Organisations’ Bulletin (December issue) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), accessible here.

Adrien Licha

Adrien Licha joined ALDA in February 2022 as coordinator of the Secretariat Office.

Fully convinced that sustainable development has to be reached at the local level, he has been a local government advocate since 2012, both in his professional and private life.
In previous positions he had the chance to work along many local governments from the Middle East and Western Asia, as well as with European national associations involved in decentralized cooperation. Being based in Istanbul for 5 years, he has gained extensive knowledge of local governance in Turkey and contributed to the recognition of the importance of local governments hosting Syrian refugees. During his stay in Turkey, he managed to learn Turkish and he is currently learning Arabic.

His research areas include local governance, participatory processes and city diplomacy, with a particular focus on Turkey and the Middle East.

Originally from France, he is member of the twinning committee between his home town, in the South of France and the city of Troyan, in Bulgaria. After moving to Belgium, he became Vice-President of the Consultative Council on European Affairs of the commune of Ixelles, which aims at raising awareness on European policies at the local level and promoting social inclusion. More generally, being a part of the international municipal movement has allowed him to observe the diversity of local democracy all around the world.

Mariaelisa Aloi

She works as Event Manager in the Vicenza office of ALDA since 2022. She has a Master’s degree in International Studies from the University of Turin, where she was also a student of the Scuola di Studi Superiori dell’Università di Torino, the school of excellence of the University. After her studies, she had experiences in Italy, Croatia and Sierra Leone, mainly in the project development and management sector. She is native Italian, but thanks to the experience gained abroad she is also fluent in English. Moreover, she has an intermediate level in French, German and Spanish.

Alexandre Météreau 

Alexandre Météreau is ALDA’s Policy and Campaign Officer in the Brussels office. He works on the 2024 European elections, the “Get the Trolls Out!” project, and the advocacy and outreach of ALDA towards European and international stakeholders.

Alexandre has lived in Brussels since 2018. Passionate about European politics and communication, he created in 2022 ‘The Beubble’, a newsletter for lobbyists and activists in the European bubble. His previous experiences include communication, marketing, and EU affairs roles in various organisations such as trade associations, NGOs, businesses, and consultancies.

Alexandre holds a double Master’s Degree in International Business Management (major in marketing) from Excelia Business School, La Rochelle, France, and the Alpen Adria Universität, Klagenfurt, Austria.

In his free time, Alexandre plays improvisation theatre and enjoys urban gardening.

Senya De Zotti

After performing as an Executive Assistant Intern in the Vicenza Office of ALDA, today Senya is Logistic Officer at ALDA.
She is a Master’s Degree student in European and Global Studies at the University of Padova and she is specialising in European Policies. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Design and Management of Cultural Tourism from the University of Padova, and during her studies she participated in an Erasmus exchange programme at the University of Liège (Belgium) and worked as an intern for the Municipality of Padova.
She is a native Italian speaker and thanks to her previous education and experience abroad, she is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

Elena Riboldi

Elena works as Membership Officer within the Secretariat and she is based in the Vicenza office.

She joined ALDA in March 2025 as an Executive Assistant. Elena holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations and a Master’s degree in Human Rights and Multilevel Governance. Additionally, she has completed a Prince2 Foundation Course in Project Management. 

During her academic journey, she undertook a curricular internship at CUAMM – Doctors with Africa, where she gained hands-on experience in administrative processes and project development. 

She is passionate about environmental sustainability, gender equality and international cooperation, which she refined during her volunteer work with a foundation in Kolkata India, where she helped support street children and women in need. 

These experiences reinforced her dedication to human rights protection and deepened her understanding of global issues, motivating her to further pursue her career in these fields. 

She is a native Italian speaker and fluent in English, but also has an intermediate level of Spanish and basic knowledge of German and French.  

Marco Boaria

Marco Boaria has an experience of over 20 years working in the international field.

As far as project development is concerned, he has been working in different sectors using many different European programmes (and not only!), cooperating with different Directorate Generals (DGs) of the European Commission.
He has been working as project coordinator, with particular focus on democracy, participation, youth and as external supervisor of European projects developed by public and private entities. He regularly carries out training activities, directly promoted by ALDA and in collaboration with several European training agencies (i.e. SALTO centres, youth national agencies, etc. ), as well as with other public and private clients. Its specialisation as a trainer is primarily focused on the following areas and topics: project cycle management, European funds, participatory methods, non-formal education, youth.

Marco was a member of the Steering Committee at the European level for the European Year of Citizens in 2013 and participated as an elected member in the Steering Committee of the European Alliance of the European Year of Development, set up within in Concord, the European Platform of development NGOs, in 2015.

Since 2015 he is the CEO of “GEIE Europa”, an European Group of Economic Interest participated by ALDA and the Municipality of Monfalcone (Italy), active in the frame of the European Territorial Cooperation.

He contributed to the creation and is the CEO of ALDA+, a benefit corporation company owned by ALDA promoting trainings and technical assistance worldwide to different stakeholders such as local authorities, civil society, and many more.

Anna Ditta

Anna works for ALDA since 2011. In the Programmes and Development Unit, she is responsible for developing projects funded by EU, CoE, UN and other public and private donors, in the promotion of: democracy, human rights, social inclusion, active citizenship, youth, good local governance and decentralized cooperation. This involves: partner search, project and budget drafting, administrative documents collection, and coordination with partners and stakeholders. She also is in charge of developing, managing and delivering training courses addressed to local authorities and civil society organisations on: i) Project Cycle Management; ii) European Funds and Programmes; iii) Methods for mobilising and engaging citizens in their community life. She also delivers training at school (from primary to high school) about EU and its values, participatory democracy methods for CSOs and LAs, facilitation and coaching to improve NGOs’ internal governance. The methodology employed involves the typical tools of the non-formal education (interactive lessons, group dynamics, i.e. world café, Open Space Technology, etc.).

Main training references: Council of Euroope Code of Good practice for civil participation in the decision making process, Tool for citizens by Bosh Alumni Network, Kettering Foundation democratic practices.

Areas of work: EU, Western Balkans, South Caucasus, North Africa. She is responsible of the development of the projects targeting Middle East and Africa area and addressing topics of decentralisation, local democracy, women economic and social empowerment.

Alma Bustamante

Alma joined ALDA in 2023 as a Junior Project Developer after an internship in the Programmes and Development Unit. She holds a Master’s degree in European and Global Studies with a Minor in Global Social Policies and Security Issues from the University of Padova, and she holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies with a Minor in Law from the Torcuato Di Tella University.

Before joining ALDA, she worked as a political analyst for a research and advocacy organisation promoting transparent legislative processes and strengthening the civic space. Her career path also includes experience assisting the development of educational programs between Argentina and the USA, as well as experience as a research assistant on development, sustainability and gender equality. She is fluent in Spanish and English, and has a working knowledge of Italian and German.

Lizzy Catherine Galiazzo

Lizzy works in the Programmes and Development Department of ALDA as developer of projects funded by the European Union and other public and private donors, in the fields of good governance, human rights, social inclusion, active citizenship, youth, environment and sustainable development. More specifically, Lizzy is involved in the drafting of projects within the context of the indirect funds such as projects funded by the Italian government and regional administrations. Over the last 5 years, Lizzy has acquired a consolidated capacity and expertise in the writing and management of projects for medium and small enterprises based in Italy. She holds a master’s degree in Oriental languages with a focus on ancient languages such as Sanskrit. She is proficient in Italian, English and she has basic knowledge in Hindi and French.

Deborah Anzile

Deborah joined ALDA’s Programmes and Development Unit as a Junior Project Developer in 2024. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from the University of Trieste, which is followed by a Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Multilevel Governance completed at the University of Padua.
Before joining ALDA, she worked for the International Organization for Migration, Country Office of Hungary. For one year, she supported the Programme related to the Ukrainian crisis response by developing projects among other responsibilities. Her career path also includes campaign implementation, non-formal education, digital marketing in the field of development, youth, and migration.
She is fluent in Italian and English, meanwhile she has a working knowledge of Spanish and an intermediate level of French.

Alessandra Baio

Alessandra holds a master’s degree in International Science at the University of Turin. Previously, she graduated in International Studies at the University of Trento. Always interested in social issues, Alessandra participated in the International Civil Service in Colombia, working on a teaching farm. Later, she started working as a Junior Project Manager for a healthcare provider based in Rome, supporting the implementation of regional, national, and European projects.
She began collaborating in the Development Department at ALDA as a Project Developer in the fields of good governance, human rights, active citizenship, and sustainable development. She is proficient in Italian, English, and Spanish.

Giulia d’Agostino 

Giulia d’Agostino joined the ALDA team in May 2024 as a Project Developer Assistant.

She graduated in International Development and Cooperation at the University of Bologna and holds a master’s degree in Project Cycle Management for International Cooperation.
Motivated since an early age by a strong sense of social justice and a passion for making a positive impact, Giulia has participated in several volunteer missions in Africa. During these missions, she engaged in various projects aimed at improving living conditions, healthcare, and education for local communities. These experiences have not only deepened her understanding of global development issues but also fueled her dedication to creating sustainable change through grassroots initiatives. Additionally, she spent six months in Ireland, immersing herself in a different culture and further broadening her perspectives. Giulia is a native Italian speaker and she is fluent in English.

Claudia Dal Mas

Claudia joined ALDA in June 2024 as a Project Developer. After a bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, she earned a master’s degree in Human Rights Law from SOAS University of London and a master’s degree in Human Rights and Conflict Management from Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa. 
She worked in writing and supporting projects for Blossom Trust, an Indian NGO based in southern India, focusing on women’s empowerment and vulnerable groups such as people with tuberculosis and girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. Previously, she worked between Rome and Brussels on project support and development for the Italian NGO No Peace Without Justice, where she focused mainly on the thematic area of gender equality and female genital mutilation. She has volunteered in Jordan with refugees and in the United Kingdom with people in migrant detention centers. 
Claudia is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English and French. 

Silvia Anselmi

Silvia Anselmi joined ALDA+ in September 2024 as a Project Developer.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Languages for International Relations and a master’s degree in Comparative
International Relations with a focus on Eastern Europe. During her academic journey, she became
passionate about EU policies, especially concerning the environment and sustainability.

Before coming to Alda, she was involved in managing international students who came to Italy for
a period of study, mediating and providing support. Within the Erasmus+ Internship framework, she
spent some time in Bucharest, Romania, where she was involved in writing and managing
European projects, with a strong focus on sustainable fashion and the circular economy. Sticking
with sustainability, she worked as a Project and Communication Assistant in Florence, Italy, where
she mainly dealt with the bioenergy field. At the same time, she developed a passion for organizing
events both in Florence, where she helped in the organization of scientific conferences, and in
Venice, at the Honorary Consulate of Switzerland, where she did an internship as an Event
Assistant, dealing with the organization and management of cultural events and exhibits together
with the Consulate team.

She is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English. She has a good command of French and an
intermediate level of Russian. She knows the basics of German.

Maria Vittoria Traforti

Maria Vittoria Traforti is a dedicated and enthusiastic professional with a strong academic background and a passion for democracy, human rights, gender equality, and international cooperation. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from University of Trento and a Master’s in European Studies from KU Leuven University, where she specialised in EU foreign policy and relations with the EU’s Southern neighbors.

Maria Vittoria’s international experience includes an Erasmus+ exchange at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, where she is one of the founding members of the European Union Society, and a year as an exchange student in the USA with the American Field Service. She has actively contributed to youth participation in democratic processes through volunteering and activism, including involvement with organisations such as JEF Italy, ARCI Brussels, and Amnesty International’s Human Rights Academy.

In January 2024, Maria Vittoria joined ALDA as a Project Manager Assistant, supporting the International School of Local Democracy and Marco Boaria’s team. Fluent in Italian and English, with proficiency in Spanish, she thrives in multicultural environments and is committed to fostering participatory governance and active citizenship.

Elisabetta Malcisi

Elisabetta joined ALDA in July 2024 through the Universal Civil Service programme, and she is now part of the team in Vicenza as a Project Designer.

She holds a Master’s degree in European and International Studies from the University of Trento, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Parma. Additionally, she completed an Executive Master in Leadership for International Relations and Made in Italy at the Italy USA Foundation.

Before joining ALDA, Elisabetta collaborated with a local newspaper in Italy and volunteered for a Romanian NGO, contributing to projects focused on lenity and digital skills.

Her main fields of interest include political communication, gender studies, and migration.

Linda Rombolà

Linda Rombolà joined the ALDA team in March 2025, as Project Designer for the EU area within the Fundraising and Project Design department at the Vicenza office.

She brings solid experience as a project designer and project manager developed since 2015, collaborating with various organizations in Italy and abroad through the design and coordination of projects with a particular focus on youth, human rights, citizenship, and sports.

Linda has extensive experience in the sector of the associations, where she has held leadership and representative roles. As a youth worker, Linda has also delivered youth training, using non-formal education methodology.

Linda has developed her skills on a strong academic background: a Master’s degree in History and Society obtained from Roma Tre University, with a focus on the European Union’s integration process and a thesis on European policies towards third countries and a Master’s in International Public Affairs obtained from LUISS Guido Carli.

Linda is a native Italian speaker, speaks English fluently and has an intermediate level of French.

Anastasiia Buslaieva

Anastasiia Buslaieva, originally from Kyiv, Ukraine, is a skilled cross-cultural mediator and simultaneous interpreter based in Vicenza, Italy. With a Master’s degree in Translation, Anastasiia brings extensive experience, including work at CCIPU Camera di Commercio Italiana per l’Ucraina. Fluent in Italian, English, Ukrainian, Polish, and Russian, she specializes in facilitating effective communication across diverse languages and cultures. Passionate about fostering understanding and collaboration, Anastasiia offers expert language services to bridge cultural divides and facilitate global connections.

Viacheslav Yefymenko

Viacheslav is a project assistant for ALDA’s projects in Ukraine.

He holds two Master’s Degree: one in History from the National Pedagogical Dragomanov University in Kyiv, Ukraine and one in European and Global Studies from the University of Padua, Italy.

He received experience in Public Policy and European Affairs during internships for European NGOs.

His expertise lies in International affairs focusing on European Union and its Neighborhood policy.

Viacheslav speaks Ukrainian, English, Italian and Russian.

Yuriy Stepanets

ALDA Representative in Ukraine

Yuriy Stepanets is an experienced expert in civil society development, local democracy, and community engagement. Since 2007, he has led the Association of Ukrainian Civic Initiatives (AUCI), a national network of over 30 organizations that promotes active citizenship and local participation across Ukraine.

He cooperates with municipalities throughout the country, supporting decentralization reform and developing tools for citizen participation. Yuriy has coordinated numerous national and international projects in partnership with the Education for Democracy Foundation (Poland), GIZ, USAID, and NED, focusing on inclusive governance, dialogue facilitation, and community capacity-building.

In 2020, he founded Vereta, a social enterprise that upcycles textile waste into handmade woven products while preserving traditional Ukrainian crafts and supporting rural communities.

Since 2022, Yuriy has coordinated initiatives helping internally displaced persons and local governments adapt to wartime challenges and rebuild stronger, more resilient communities.

Since 2023, he has also been a member of the Enlargement Candidate Members Group at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

Matteo Parisen Toldin

Matteo is the HR Manager of ALDA. He is in charge since april 2020 and he has 10 years of experience in Human Resources of non-profit organizations.

He has previously been working for over 9 years as head of the office in an association of private schools, and before he has been working as a consultant for 2 years in a payroll service. At the beginning of his career, he worked as an accounting officer in a lead Italian bank.

He holds a Master’s Degree in “Administrative Science” from the University of Trieste and in 2018 he obtained a Master’s Degree in “Human Resources Management” at Fondazione CUOA.

Italian native speaker, Matteo speaks English fluently and has a good knowledge of German.

Silvia Lora

Silvia joined the ALDA Team as HR Assistant. She holds a degree in International Studies from the University of Trento, followed by a Master’s degree in International and Diplomatic Affairs from the University of Bologna. In her latter academic career, she focused on euro projects, european integration, and migration policies.
Driven by her passion for travel and languages, she decided to undertake her first internship in Ireland within a non-profit organization, specializing in strengthening relations between the Latin American migrant community and Irish citizens. Subsequently, she did a post-graduate internship in Spain as an ERASMUS+ and ESF European Project Assistant.
In her most recent work and volunteering experiences, she has held the position of International Trainer, approaching and becoming increasingly interested in human resources. She has selected and followed numerous interns during their training abroad and contributed to the re-employment of migrants and people with employment difficulties.
Silvia is a native Italian speaker, she is fluent in English and French, and has a good command of Spanish and German.

Rita Biconne

Rita joined ALDA as Head of the Project Management Department in February 2022. She is responsible for the overall management of all project managers and all ongoing projects of the Association, to ensure a unified, consistent and coherent action of ALDA.

Rita is an experienced manager and unit coordinator, thanks to her previous experience within an Italian Association of Local Authorities for Sustainable Development (FELCOS Umbria), where she had responsibilities linked to international projects and programmes design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, team coordination and cross-cultural networking.

During her 8-year professional experience, she has been committed to strengthening citizen participation, good governance and local authorities’ accountability on sustainable development. She managed various regional and international projects mainly funded by UNDP (United Nations Development Program) and the European Union (EuropAid, DEAR, Erasmus+, Europe for Citizens, AMIF) and coordinated two working units, specifically dedicated to i) Development Education on Awareness Raising, and ii) SDGs localisation through an integrated and participatory approach for local development policy.

She was Research fellow on territorial heritage valorisation and community planning in 2015 and Assistant lecturer for six years in the Course on Urban planning for Development Cooperation at the University of Florence.
She holds a PhD in Urban and Territorial Planning and a Master’s Degree in Architecture in the University of Florence.
Italian native speaker, Rita is fluent in French and English.

Camilla Vedovato

Camilla holds a bachelor’s degree in Linguistic and Cultural Mediation from the University of Padova, where she could take part in the Erasmus Program at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Scotland. 

Passionate about human rights and equality, she volunteered to support refugees and asylum seekers for two years. 

To further deepen her understanding of women’s rights and LGBTQIA+ rights, she is currently graduating with a master’s degree in European Studies and Global Gender Studies at Aalborg University in Denmark. 

During her master’s degree, she joined ALDA Vicenza in September 2022, working as Project Manager Assistant in the Gender, Inclusion and Human Rights Hub where she could put her studies into practice, and she is now Junior Project Manager and Hub Coordinator of this Hub. 

Italian native speaker, she is fluent in English and Spanish.

Valeria Fantini

Valeria works as a project manager for projects implemented by ALDA, with a specific focus on environment and sustainability.

Currently, she is managing projects funded by different European Programmes, such as DEAR, LIFE, HORIZON, ERASMUS+, on the topic of climate change adaptation, flood risk mitigation, fair and sustainable food consumption and production, territorial development, and Green Deal policies implementation.

During her previous work experience at the Europe Direct Network Office of the Province of Verona, she was responsible both for the dissemination and outreach of European Union policies and opportunities on the territory and for the planning and execution of complex projects, conferences, and training activities with various stakeholders, such as the 98 Municipalities of the territory, the Veneto Region, the Europe Direct Network and the DG Communication of the European Commission. In this context Valeria was able to deepen her knowledge on European environmental policies and the Green Deal, and to carry out concrete actions and initiatives to disseminate these policies on the territory.

She holds a master’s degree in law, acquired at the University of Trento – where she specialized in European Union Law. Her passion for Human Rights and equality led her to attend the 10th edition of the “Diversity Management and Gender Equality” Master course of the Giacomo Brodolini Foundation.

Valeria is a native Italian speaker; she has an excellent command of English and German and a sound knowledge of Spanish and French

Luisa dal Prà

Dal Prà Luisa is a Project manager for ALDA Italia APS and she is the coordinator of the Alta Via della Grande Guerra (AVGG) DMO where she manages the project’s communication, promotion and development and she coordinates events and relations between administrators and economic stakeholders; she is also in charge of the project H.I.L.L. (Habitat in Living Landscape); project Carpaneda Chiama – in Vicenza, organization of participatory events. She collaborates in the definition and the drafting of the SISUS project for the Pedemontana Urban Area and the definition of partnerships for Europei projects in different programs.

Aladdin Alrifai

Aladdin is an experienced EU Projects Manager and Coordinator with a proven track record of leading successful initiatives in Sports, Youth Empowerment, Civic Engagement, Sustainable Development, and other youth-related areas. Over the past 3 years, he has effectively managed and coordinated multiple projects with EU and global partners. With a strong background in Business Management and Development spanning 9 years, Aladdin has acquired valuable expertise across various sectors and fields. He holds two MSc degrees, one in Leadership and another in Marketing, reflecting his commitment to lifelong learning and professional growth. Aladdin speaks fluent English, Arabic, and good French.

Lizeth Lopez

Lizeth joined ALDA in 2023 as Junior Project Manager in the Environment & Climate Hub after an internship in the Project Implementation Unit. Based on the Vicenza Office, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Manchester (UK). She is currently finishing her master’s degree in Local Development at the University of Padua (IT).

Her past working experience includes the implementation of social development programs for small-scale farmers in Ecuador. Her interests involve corporate social responsibility, circularity and sustainability.

Sara Afendi

Sara is a dedicated professional with a robust academic background in European studies and cultural mediation. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Languages from the University of Padua and subsequently pursued their passion for European affairs by completing a Master’s degree in European Studies at the University of Turin.

Throughout her academic journey, Sara demonstrated a profound interest in European affairs, concentrating on the intricate political, economic, and social dynamics that influence the European Union. Her commitment to the subject matter is evident in their research endeavors and active engagement in related activities.

Sara started her journey in ALDA as an intern in the Project Management Department focusing on Gender Equality, Inclusion, and Human Rights. In January 2024 she became a Junior Project manager!

Alice Lazzarin

Alice holds a Master’s degree in European and Global Studies and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Sciences and International Relations both from the University of Padua. During her study career she had the opportunity to discover the Erasmus exchange programme at “Faculté Jean-Monnet – Université Paris Saclay ” in Paris, and she joined ALDA for an internship as Project Management Assistant with a focus on Migration and Sustainable Development in the Brussels office.

Her working career began as a Junior Project Manager in a trading company and then as a Project Officer in the General Direction of the Municipality of Venice, but her passion for EU funded projects was still there so she decided to come back and she is now Junior Project Manager at ALDA, based in Vicenza.

Passionate about sports, environment, and sustainable development, she is a track and field instructor and athlete.

Italian native speaker, she is fluent in English, French and she possesses a good level of Spanish.

Ginevra Gatti

Ginevra holds a Bachelor’s Degree and Diploma of Merit in Foreign Languages and Cultures from the University of Venice. She specialised through two Master’s degrees in International Relations and Sustainable Development, focusing on European climate and energy politics.

Before joining Alda in the role of Project Manager in the Environment & Climate Hub, she oversaw sustainability projects for a big multinational company. Ginevra also worked as a trainee at the Italian Embassies of Tbilisi (Georgia) and Oslo (Norway) and at the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change in Venice (Italy).

Ginevra has a strong passion for Asian geopolitics and culture. She loves going to art exhibitions and spending time in nature. She speaks 4 languages fluently (Italian, English, German and Russian), and has a good command of French.

Rita Martino

Rita is a project manager at ALDA+ at the Environment and Climate Change Hub.

Rita holds a master’s degree in International Development and Cooperation from Turin University. During her studies, she participated in an Erasmus exchange programme at Bergen University (NO) and worked as an intern at the IFRC in Sudan.

Always interested in environmental issues, she participated in an EVS programme in an eco-village.

At the end of her studies she moved to Germany where she has been working with international NGOs engaged in health care and inclusion and most recently at the Ludwig – Maximilian – University in Munich. 

Relocated to Schio, her hometown, she joined Alda+ in 2024 after a working experience in a local Social Cooperative.

Matilde Ferrari

Matilde joined ALDA in January 2024 and she is working as a Junior Project Manager in the Youth, Empowerment & Education Hub. Matilde holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, during which she also spent her Erasmus semester at Paul-Valery University in Montpellier, France.

She is passionate about youth empowerment and active citizenship, and she was continuously involved during he studies in event organisation within European.
During her studies she collaborated with different student organisations, being in charge of event management and reporting.
Previously she worked as a Project Coordinator at a youth organisation, where she always managed Erasmus+ projects and trainings. 

Italian native speaker, she is fluent in English and French, and she has a good level of German and Spanish.

Mohammed Mustafa

Mohammed is the Project Manager of ALDA’s Migration Thematic Hub based in Vicenza managing EU Projects, driven by a passion for migration studies and human rights. He has extensive experience managing EU-funded projects like AMIF, CERV, and other non-EU initiatives. With a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and Development Project Management, he also holds a second-level Master’s degree in International Relations, Cooperation, and Development.

Mohammed began his career in East Africa, working directly with refugees, migrants, and IDPs, where he built a strong regional network. He then moved on to manage projects across East and North Africa, developing project briefs and navigating complex funding landscapes.

In Italy, Mohammed worked with E4Impact Foundation on diverse projects across Africa and the Middle East. His skills encompass project development, monitoring and evaluation, budgeting, and strategic planning. He is certified in PMD Pro+, PMP, Spend Analysis & Budgeting, and Monitoring & Evaluation.

Previously, Mohammed worked as a Country MEAL and Reporting Specialist at COOPI and as a Coordinator for UN-IOM in Sudan. He also collaborated with the Danish Refugee Council on disaster response at the Sudan-Ethiopia border.

Fluent in English and Arabic, Mohammed is advancing his proficiency in Italian. He is passionate about traveling, diversity, and inclusion, and he leverages his cross-cultural experience and technical expertise to support ALDA’s mission.

Lorenzo Ianiro

Lorenzo is “Italian Networks and Citizens Engagement Officer” and he joined the ALDA Team as an Intern in August 2024, with the role of Project Manager Assistant, to complete his second level Master’s degree in Participatory Planning named “ProPart”, at the IUAV University.

He holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Philosophy at the “Sapienza” University in Rome, which he combined with Urban Studies following his deep interest in city development and bottom-up space shaping processes. This passion brought him to work as City Councillor in Rome and to participate in different projects for the access to the “right to the city”.
Strongly believing in the interconnection between local and global dimensions, in the past years Lorenzo joined different cooperation missions in Ukraine, working on local communities’ empowerment projects in close connection with the territorial stakeholders and international NGOs. He also collaborates with different Italian newspapers.

Lorenzo is a native Italian speaker, fluent in English and with solid communicative skills in Spanish.

Silvia Pasetto

Silvia started her internship as Project Manager Assistant for ALDA Italia in October 2024 and she got hired on May 2025. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Language Mediation and a Master’s degree in European and International Studies that she obtained at the University of Trento.

She is passionate about human rights issues, multiculturalism and international dialogue, and she loves travelling. Following these interests, she has spent a considerable amount of time abroad in four different countries beside Italy, where she was born: Russia, Belgium, England and Hungary, either to study or to work. In Budapest she worked as an intern for the Italian Embassy, and this experience made her interest for diplomacy grow, while it was in Russia where Silvia discovered her deepest passion: culture, history and politics of Eastern Europe and Russia.

A native Italian speaker, she is proficient in English, and she speaks Spanish and Russian at an intermediate level.

Alice Fantin

Alice is a Project Manager in the Environment & Climate Hub at ALDA, based in the Vicenza office.

She holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations and a Bachelor’s Degree in Modern Languages and Civilisations, with a focus on Anglo-American and Ispano-American studies, both obtained from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. Her Master’s thesis explored the right to water in the context of the global water crisis and climate change, reflecting her strong interest in environmental and societal challenges.

She has gained valuable experience in managing and implementing Erasmus+ programs, where she served as both a trainer and coordinator. Her work focused on fostering community participation and raising awareness about environmental protection, waste reduction, and sustainable development. These projects have taken her to Greece, Malta, Hungary, and beyond, where she collaborated with diverse communities and stakeholders to promote lasting impact.

She is also actively involved in civic engagement as a volunteer in a civic list dedicated to community participation and local development, contributing to proposals that enhance the well-being of the community and its environment.

A native Italian speaker, Alice is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and has a basic knowledge of French, developed through her academic studies and international experiences.

Marzia Cescon

Marzia is an expert in project management, with over ten years of experience managing international projects, particularly focusing on issues related to gender equality, inclusion and social innovation. With a background in economics, Marzia later developed a strong interest in global and social issues and pursued a Master’s in Global Economics and Social Affairs at Ca’ Foscari University in Venice. More recently, she became passionate about meditation and is currently enrolled in a Master’s in Contemplative Studies at the University of Padua.

At ALDA, she holds the position of Project Manager, bringing a wealth of experience not only in project management but also in research, as well as in the development and implementation of training programs, and the creation and management of collaborative and co-creation processes. She has also developed strong expertise in financial management for projects, with particular experience in Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, and Erasmus+.

Marzia is actively involved in social work: for six years, she served as president of a local association in Padua and teaches Italian to migrants. In her free time, she enjoys trekking in the mountains, reading, diving, and taking part in meditation retreats.

Rebecca Marconi

Rebecca has been a Project Manager and part of ALDA’s Territorial and Local Development Hub since January 2025.

After obtaining a Master’s degree in International Politics and Economic Relations from the University of Macerata (UniMc) and a Master in Social Sciences from the Scuola di Studi Superiore Giacomo Leopardi, she gained several working experiences in the field of European projects, mainly in the coordination of public and private stakeholders and in the identification of complementary synergies between public and private institutions, universities, professional associations and financial institutions. 

She worked as researcher for the Marche Region and for Save The Children.

She has worked as Project Manager Assistant at the UniMc Grant Office and at the European Policies Office of the Municipality of Macerata, where she dealt respectively with European policies and programmes for research and innovation and with projects for local development in the fields of digital, culture and youth participation, supporting Horizon, Erasmus, ERDF and ESF projects. She has participated in several European and international projects and worked in Brussels for the European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities (EASSH), specialising in science policy and advocacy. Thanks to her collaboration with Disamis srl, she also acquired expertise in project evaluation in the context of the Partnership for Sustainable Cities programme.

In 2024 she completed her PhD in Applied Economics at UniMc, with an applied research project on integrated governance for local development in the Twin Transition era.

A passionate activist, she has developed her interest in local development serving different types of associations for which she has always been active, maintaining strong ties of civic commitment, firmly believing that local territories and the people who inhabit them are the real engines of possible and global change.

Multifaceted and curious, she loves to explore and learn, especially through encounters with others, fascinated by the power of human relationships. She loves creating bonds, triggering relational processes and developing networks of positive synergies.

She loves to travel, dance, eat well, play sports and be in nature. Her passions include hiking, scuba diving and reading.

A native Italian speaker, she is fluent in English and Spanish and has a practical knowledge of French, which she continues to study.

Maria Illetterati 

Maria works as a project manager at ALDA implementation department based in Vicenza. 

She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science, International Relations and Human Rights from the University of Padua with a grade of 110 cum laude. During that course of study, she did an Erasmus at the Faculty of Law in Zagreb, Croatia. Afterwards, she got a master’s degree in emergency governance at the University of Verona. 

With a professional background in EU-funded projects management, mainly in the field of the rule of law and security and with a passion for democracy and citizen participation, she joined the ALDA team to support the implementation of international projects. 

A native Italian speaker, she is proficient in English, and she speaks French at an intermediate level.

Emir Coric

Emir Coric is the “Policy and Community engagement officer for the Western Balkans, Bulgaria and Croatia”.

He was ALDA Vice President in 2024 and former Governing Board member representative of the Municipality of Centar, which has been member of ALDA since 2016. In these years of cooperation, together with Municipality of Centar ALDA has implemented several projects, namely the project RECOV. Moreover, many initiatives in Skopje in the interest of young people from North Macedonia and Balkan Region were implemented successfully.

Mr. Coric is a young and dynamic person working in the Municipality of Centar. As contact point for the cooperation with ALDA he has brought up many initiatives for involvement of the municipality in European programmes. He is motivated to engage in international projects and discuss global issues and their implications on local level.

Katica Janeva

Katica Janeva has been working for ALDA for over a decade and has a vast experience on the subject of local democracy, cooperation between local authorities and civil society as well as the decentralisation process.

She is currently Director of the branch ALDA based in Skopje & Western Balkans Coordinator. Furthermore, she is founding member and director of the Balkan Network for Local Democracy focusing on empowerment of good governance in the Western Balkans.

Among other, she also works in the field of Francophonie and is a very active contributor to the International Organisation of the Francophonie.

She also benefited from the Francophone volunteer program and was based at the Francophone University Agency in Cambodia in 2014. Based on her civic engagement she believes that the local approach has great potential for long lasting positive change of the communities and strengthening democracy.

Milena Dimitrovska

Milena is a project Development Officer at ALDA office in Skopje. She has been working with ALDA since 2017 and has more than 10 years of experience with project management and development. She workson developing projects funded by EU programes such as: IPA Instrument, Horizon, CERV, Erasmus+ and others, including non-EU donors programs. She is also engaged in following tender services published by the European Commision. She follows programmes and tenders that are related to: local democracy, Western Balkan civil society development and EU integration, regional cooperation, environment and other related topics.

Regarding education, she has an executive MBA from the University of Sheffield and York College and a Masters’ Degree in Democracy and Human Rights from the ERMA Programme. Previously, she worked in the public and private sector always as project manager and developer.

Ivana Velkova

Working for ALDA from 2015, Ivana started as a project assistant and progressed steadily to the position of project manager that she holds today. Originally a French professor, with a Masters in Languages, Business and International Trade, Ivana has developed various skills in both governmental and non governmental settings. Her skills in project cycle management, youth work and communication are an added value while implementing projects not only on the territory of North Macedonia but also on regional and international level.

Alongside Macedonian as her mother tongue, she is fluent in French, English and Serbian, and has a moderate understanding of Italian. She is outgoing, friendly and easily communicates with people.

Simona Slavkova

Simona Slavkova is currently serving as a Grant Manager at ALDA Skopje.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the Economy University of Skopje. Her engagement as a youth leader in numerous Erasmus+ projects underscores her commitment to youth empowerment and cross-cultural collaboration.

Before joining ALDA, she worked as a Project Coordinator and Communication Assistant, gaining valuable insights into project management and effective communication strategies.

She has advanced social media skills, contributing significantly to outreach and communications efforts.

Maja Varoshlija

Maja joined ALDA as a Project Manager in April 2024 and she is based in the Skopje office. She holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master of Art in Social Work and Social Policy from the Faculty of Philosophy at the University St. Cyril and Methodius, Skopje.She has a longstanding background in developing and leading programs for vulnerable individuals, including victims of trafficking and sexual violence, and addressing gender inequalities. Further, as the Program Coordinator of the Gender Budget Watchdog Network of CSOs in the Western Balkans and Moldova, she has consistently supported the CSOs in advancing their organizational capacities and skills for monitoring gender budgeting. Throughout her career Maja constantly advocates for the empowerment of marginalized communities, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights upheld.

Viktorija Postolovska

Viktorija has recently joined the ALDA team as Project Manager in the Skopje office.

Her journey is marked by a prominent activist career which ultimately resulted in a diverse professional experience. Her professional background combines practical expertise and academic rigor, notably serving as a Student Ombudsman and Project Coordinator for an NGO focused on educational reforms. She has also collaborated with prestigious organizations like UNESCO and the Ministry of Local Self Government in North Macedonia. Her profound interests include: culture, activism, civic participation and education.

She is an English major and is currently pursuing her postgraduate studies in Linguistics.

Known for her ability to bring ideas to life, she is an advocate for lifelong learning and social impact, always eager to challenge the status quo and inspire others to do the same.

Berta Stojkovska

Berta Stojkovska is part of ALDA’s Programmes and Development team based in the Skopje office (North Macedonia), where she designs and develops initiatives that strengthen governance, local democracy and inclusive community development across the Western Balkans. With an academic background in Political Science, International Relations and Diplomacy, she combines strategic thinking with hands-on project experience.

Passionate about putting citizens at the heart of decision-making, Berta has worked with international organisations such as OSCE, Center for European Perspective, and the American Councils for International Education, gaining valuable insight into the power of intercultural collaboration and resilient democratic societies. She is an alumni of the YES Program, an initiative funded by the U.S. Department of State, and has contributed to numerous projects advancing international cultural cooperation.

Her professional background includes project coordination, policy research, and public diplomacy, with a growing focus on cross-border initiatives that bridge institutional frameworks with local community needs. She thrives in spaces where diplomacy meets everyday life, and where collaboration can turn ideas into lasting change.

Ivana Smilevska

Ivana recently joined ALDA as Communication Officer at the Skopje office. She brings experience in investigative journalism, digital communications, and youth mentorship.

She is the recipient of awards for investigative journalism and short fiction, reflecting her commitment to both media integrity and literary creativity. She has also designed and led creative writing workshops for young people, fostering critical thinking and storytelling skills.

With a Bachelor’s degree in General and Comparative Literature from Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Ivana combines her academic background with practical expertise in communication strategies, content creation, and media literacy. Her interests span contemporary culture, the dynamics of language, and civic participation, which she integrates into her work.

Viorica Tudos

Viorica Tudos joined ALDA in 2022 as a project manager and was promoted to director of the ALDA Moldova branch a year later. In this role, she contributes to cross-country projects within the Eastern Partnership and manages EU-funded initiatives aimed at improving local governance and fostering citizen engagement and dialogue with local authorities.

Throughout her career, Viorica has gained extensive experience in project management, marketing and communications in the corporate, public and international development sectors. She is also an experienced consultant specializing in communications strategies for sectors such as justice, healthcare, tourism, light industry and non-profit organizations.

Viorica holds degrees in Public Relations and Social Communication, a master’s degree in Marketing, and a CIM Level 6 Diploma in Professional Marketing from Oxford College of Marketing. She is a native Romanian speaker and is fluent in English and Russian.

Ecaterina Popa

Ecaterina joined ALDA in November 2022 as an administrative and communication assistant. Her professional career started as an assistant and evolved to head of the Communication and Consultancy Department of the National Intellectual Property Agency, a position she held for over 10 years.

She has designed and implemented institutional communication strategies, managed social media accounts and websites by writing content, monitoring activities and researching trends, developed concepts for visual and promotional materials, and organised national and international conferences, interactive and protocol events, and science-themed exhibitions. 

She holds degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science and Economics and Marketing, from the State University of Moldova, Intellectual Property Management from the World Intellectual Property Office Academy, and Intellectual Property Enforcement from the European Union IP Office.

Natalia Karmanova

Natalie joined the ALDA Team in 2022. She obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the National Research University Higher School of Economics in Moscow.

She has worked in different fields and has various experiences in working as an employee, but also as self-employed while also managing a small enterprise she founded while living in Moscow. The main work experience is related to business projects, legal and financial documents, accounting, and the digital sphere.

Irakli Jgharkava

Irakli Jgharkava serves as the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia coordinator, based in Tbilisi, Georgia. Prior to joining ALDA, Irakli gained valuable experience working with the European Endowment for Democracy (EED) as a programme assistant and consultant, where he contributed to the organisation’s efforts in promoting democracy in the EU’s eastern partnership region. Additionally, he worked as a researcher at the Tbilisi-based think tank, the Georgian Institute of Politics, focusing on research areas such as Georgia-EU relations, media polarisation, information warfare, national security, and nationalism.

Irakli’s academic background spans various disciplines, such as international relations, security studies, and European studies. He holds an MA degree in the Managing Disruption and Violence programme from the Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security (Washington, D.C., United States), as well as a Master’s degree in European Public Affairs and Policies from the College of Europe in Natolin. He completed his undergraduate studies in international relations at Tbilisi State University.

Giulia Sostero

Giulia coordinates ALDA’s activities in the ASWAT: Africa, South West Asia, and Türkiye Department and animates our association’s Euro-Mediterranean networks. She manages EU and non-EU funded projects in the framework of many different programmes, such as ENI, DG DEVCO, Erasmus+ and others, for which she also supports the project development phase. She oversees the development of two Local Democracy Agencies situated in Morocco and Tunisia, by supporting the internal management and sustainability and project development. Along with the team she coordinates, she represents ALDA in international networks and events and has acquired expertise in partnership building. She also contributes to research works and assignments within her field of competence.

She specialised in the Mediterranean area both during her studies and her professional life. She holds a BA in Languages, Cultures and Societies of Mediterranean Asia and Africa, with a major in Arabic, and an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree on Inter-Mediterranean Mediation, which mixed sociology, political science and project management, issued by Ca’ Foscari University (Venice, Italy), Université Paul Valéry Montpellier III (Montpellier, France) and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain). Her Master thesis, which she had the chance to present at the International Sociological Association conference in Toronto (Canada) and at the RN34 European Sociological Association Sociology of Religion conference in Torino (Italy), regarded the concept of radicalisation and its link to Islamophobia, with a case study on the Swedish prevention system.
She previously worked as a legal assistant for asylum seekers in Northern Italy (Vicenza province), taking care of the first reception phase entailing the delivery of information to asylum seekers about their rights, but also individually coaching them to prepare for their interview.

On a side, she is an educator within the Scout movement and coordinates a group of mentors working with youth aged 12 to 16. She often organises and holds workshops for youth and/or adult groups on the topic of migration, asylum and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Since 2010 she has been volunteering in the field of migration and integration, but also disability and homelessness. She took part in and assisted in organising many youth transnational exchanges. She is passionate about music, which she studied and uses as a research and educational tool.

She is a native speaker of Italian and French, and also speaks English, Spanish and Arabic (along with basics of Swedish, Turkish and Hebrew).

Faty Babou

Faty works at ALDA as Grant Manager for the WYDE Civic Engagement project and she is based in Senegal. She holds a master’s degree in urban geography from the Gaston Berger University of Saint-Louis in Senegal. Prior to joining ALDA; she worked at GGGI on a waste management project in Touba. She is fluent in French and has an intermediate level in English and Spanish.

Fedoua Bouderdaben

Fedoua is a junior project manager in the Middle East-Africa department at ALDA and is based in Strasbourg. She holds a bachelor in Political Science and a master’s degree of International Relations from Science Po Strasbourg. She had the opportunity to do an erasmus exchange in Istanbul and following that experience, she produced a research paper on the end of the ottoman caliphate for her master’s thesis. 

She has previously volunteered and worked in associations focusing on migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker visibility, and on citizen’s appropriation of public space through a citizen-thought urbanism. She also acquired substantial knowledge on the Euro-mediterranean area by doing an internship at the maltese permanent representation to the Council of Europe.

Yasmine Falfoul

Yasmine Falfoul is a Tunisian young professional with extensive experience in international cooperation and development. She has successfully contributed to multiple Donor-funded projects implemented by reputable organizations such as Deloitte and Chemonics. Yasmine’s expertise lies in developing and implementing Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) plans, data analysis, communication strategies, and impactful storytelling. Her notable project involvements include the USAID-funded TADAEEM and Tunisia JOBS initiatives, as well as the EU-funded AUTREMENT project.

Complementing her professional experience, Yasmine holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Studies with valedictorian honours. She pursued a two-year Master’s program in Translation and Interpreting from the Higher Institute of Social Sciences of Tunis. Furthermore, she completed an advanced Master’s degree in European Interdisciplinary Studies from the prestigious College of Europe, focusing on the EU’s role as a global actor and gender equality promoter in the ENP countries. Under the guidance of esteemed scholar Prof. Tobias Schumacher, her thesis explored the EU’s efforts in advancing gender equality in Tunisia after the Arab Spring.

Since September 2022, Yasmine has assumed the role of Communication and Local Democracy Officer within the MEA Department of ALDA.

Abdelaziz Bouslah

Abdelaziz Bouslah is the Regional Officer the ASWAT: Africa, South West Asia, and Türkiye Department. He joined the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA) in March 2019. Before that, he was a consultant for the Euro-Med France Network, where he liaised with the EU delegation in Tunisia. He also worked as a project manager for the Tunisian Association for Management and Social Stability (TAMSS), focusing on entrepreneurship and job creation for marginalised communities in Tunisia.

He is an expert in Project management, Local governance and enhancing citizens’ participation and dialogue with national and local authorities. 

As for civil society activities, Abdelaziz is a member of the steering committee of the Euro-Med France Network, a former member of the advisory group of the UNESCO Networks-Mediterranean Youth Networks Tunisia and a former logistics officer at the International Debate Institute.

Abdelaziz is a native Arabic speaker, fluent in French and English, and has conversational skills in Italian.

Elisabetta Uroni

Elisabetta is responsible for the whole communication-related activities of ALDA (institutional communication, projects related information, communication with members). After her graduation in “Mediterranean Languages” at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, with a focus on Serbo-Croatian and Turkish languages and cultures, Elisabetta continued her studies in France, firstly in Paris and then in Aix-en-Provence where she lastly got a Master’s Degree in “International and Intercultural Negotiation” at Aix-Marseille University.
Before starting her adventure at ALDA, she spent a couple of years in Turkey, where she collaborated as project assistant with three youth organisations working to foster the inclusion of disabled people, promoting employment and raising awareness of individual rights in rural areas. She then lived and worked in Paris as behaviour interventionist and then she landed at the Italian and European Chambers of Commerce in Canada-West, in Vancouver, as junior communication and marketing manager. There, she was managing the web and social media presence of the whole organisation, as well as organising cultural events and conferences in partnership with Assocamere Estero and the EU delegation.
Native Italian, she speaks fluently English, French, Turkish and Serbo-Croatian languages.

Beatrice Frascatani

Beatrice joined ALDA in March 2022. She started as a Communication Officer and Project Manager. In July 2023 she took over the position of Acting Head of the Communication Department, and she is currently Deputy Head of the Department. After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations at Università ‘La Sapienza’ in Rome (Italy), she decided to continue her studies by achieving a Master in International Relations and Transnational Governance at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (The Netherlands) as well as a a Master in Communication Studies: Media and Journalism in Europe at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium).This chosen study path combines her two greatest passions: communication and political involvement. 

Before joining ALDA, Beatrice concluded a traineeship as a Public Policy Communications Consultant for Political Intelligence, a consultancy agency based in Brussels. In the meantime, she contributed to an Italian Study centre on geopolitics, writing articles on migration and EU relations with third countries. 

Native Italian, Beatrice speaks Spanish and English fluently, and she possesses a good level of French.

Manal Snidi

Manal is Communication Officer and Deputy Head of the Brussels Office at ALDA.
During her Bachelor Degree in International Studies in Trento (Italy), she took part in an Erasmus programme at the Goethe University in Frankfurt. She then did the Master in European and International Studies at the School of International Studies in Trento, focusing on international law, human rights, and EU policies.
Right after, she started her journey in ALDA in 2022, where she firstly was working as advocacy and communication officer, and now fully under the Communication Department.

Native Italian and Arabic, she speaks fluently English, French, and German, and a bit of Spanish.

Teodora Deljanin

Teodora Deljanin is Communications Officer at ALDA, drawing on a strong foundation in strategic communication, policy analysis and civic engagement.

With prior experience as a political analyst and researcher focusing on youth participation, democratic resilience and conflict-transformation, she applies her skills to advancing ALDA’s mission in local democracy and citizen empowerment. Teodora holds a Master’s degree in European and Global Studies from the University of Padova and has developed competence in social-media strategy, multimedia storytelling and multilingual outreach across the Western Balkans and European networks.

Passionate about inclusive governance and global peace, she seeks to connect research, advocacy and communications to strengthen community resilience and amplify young voices.

Elisabetta Pinamonti

Elisabetta has been working in ALDA since 2014. During the first years in the Association, she covered the role of Assistant Financial Manager, directly reporting to the Head of the Financial and Admin Department of ALDA. In 2021, she took over this role and in light of her broad knowledge and experience she became the Head of the Admin and Financial Department of ALDA.

She has an in-depth knowledge and an experience in the financial management and in the reporting of projects, both European and non-European ones. In the framework of the over 300 projects ALDA implemented in the past 10 years, Elisabetta went successfully through the audits of the European Commission for projects that received funding by various EU-programmes, such as LIFE, ERASMUS+, Horizon2020, AMIF, EfC, External Actions programmes and so on. She is now Head of Admin & Financial Department.

Raffaella Bedin

Raffaella works in the ALDA’s Admin and Financial Department since 2019.

She collaborates in the financial reporting of projects, the most part financed by the European Commission, some of them financed by private funds. In the past she had various work experiences in commercial, import/export and retail offices. She also had some experience in teaching foreign languages.

She graduated in Chinese Language and Culture at Venice at Ca’ Foscari University and she is very passionate about chinese history and culture.

She speaks Italian, English, French and Chinese.

Giulia Albertoni

Working as Financial Officer at ALDA, Giulia has three years of experience in the financial reporting of European projects.

She has a Master degree in Local Development and she worked as project manager in different organisations in Italy and UK. She then developed an interest for the financial reporting and in the last four years she has followed the implementation and financial reporting of different projects, mainly funded by European Programmes, but also by other public and private donors.

As a teenager she hated numbers and maths and now she feels satisfied when everything adds up in the reports, but do not ask the same in her personal life and hobbies!

Linda Dal Bosco

Lina has been working in the ALDA’s Admin & Financial Department since 2015. After working as assistant to the Head of the Department for projects reporting in the frame of DEAR actions, as well as of mostly public and private donors, since 2021 she became Paying Manager and General Accountant.

She studied administration and management. She benefits from over 20 years of experience in administration/management assistant positions in Italy and abroad.

As far as her linguistic skills are concerned, she speaks fluently Italian, English and Spanish.

Martina Dus

Martina works as an Accounting and Financial Officer. She has a degree in business administration and she is attending a master’s degree in Vicenza of “Management and business strategy”.

Thanks to her studies she got passionate about sustainability, especially as far as business sustainability concerns. She speaks Italian and English.

Silvia Piccoli

Silvia Piccoli joined ALDA as Financial Reporting Officer in 2021 and she is based in the Vicenza office. She completed her studies at the University of Verona, earning a Master Degree in Languages for Communication in Tourism and Commerce.

During her previous main work experience at Villa Fabris Foundation – European Centre for Heritage Crafts and Professions and Niuko Innovation and Knowledge she was responsible for management, coordination and tutoring of training projects.

Italian native speaker, she is fluent in English and French.

Eleonora Bertin

Eleonora has been working in ALDA since March 2021 supporting Marco Boaria in the development of the services provided by ALDA +.

She holds a degree in Politics and European Integration from the University of Padua with a thesis on the lobbies at the European Level.

During her previous work experience, she has been working as legal assistant in a law firm in Vicenza and as project assistant in Vicenza Municipality’s project called “Cercando il Lavoro” where she collaborated on the implementation of two European projects in the field of Education and on the development of services focused on unemployed people. She has senior experience in office’s management and administration, and she is now responsible for the finalisation of ISO 9001 certification process.

Tanja Vujanovic

Employed in ALDA+ as an Administrative assistant in the Vicenza Financial and accounting department.
She holds a degree in foreign languages from the University of Belgrade and she has gained work experience in a different sectors, especially in the transport and logistics sector as well as commercial sector and customer care, where she was able to apply her language skills and work closely with foreign clients and collaborators.
She has always enjoyed working with the public and taking part in solidarity and humanitarian initiatives.
She is Serbo-Croatian native speaker and she is fluent in Italian and English. She has good knowledge of German and a basic level of Russian.

Nadia Vigolo

Nadia joined ALDA as a Reporting Officer in 2024 and she is based in the Vicenza office. 

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies and a Master’s Degree in International Cooperation and Development from the University of Trieste. 

She worked as a communication and fundraising officer in different NGOs and volunteered in Mumbai, India, thanks to the Italian National Civic Service. Beyond her professional background, she is keen to discover new places and cultures. She is passionate about nature and loves spending time in the mountains and trekking. She is fluent in English and French and has a basic knowledge of German. 

Laura Sinigaglia

Laura joined the ALDA team in December 2023 and works as a Report Officer in Vicenza. She obtained a degree in Languages and Business Communication in Verona, and with the Erasmus program she studied in Germany at the Universität Potsdam and participated to an internship project in Madrid.
Keen on travel, art and communication, she has many years of experience in the tourist promotion of the city of Vicenza, she carried out a volunteer experience in Ecuador and also worked in the commercial and logistics dept. of production companies.
Italian native-speaker, Laura speaks fluent German, Spanish and English and has a basic level of French and Russian.

Beatrice Guerra

Beatrice works as a reporting officer for ALDA.

She has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science International Relations Human Rights from the University of Padua with a thesis on gender policies in Verona and a master’s degree in Emergency Governance from the University of Verona with a thesis on third sector law and the role of NGOs in international cooperation.

Passionate about the cooperation sector, she has experience in the administrative area, after two years working with two different NGOs in Italy. She also spent a year in Bèni Mellal in Morocco through the Universal Civil Service Program, working on a project on gender-based violence prevention and taking charge of women survivors of violence.

Fluent in English and French, she is passionate about inclusive language and promoting a World that looks at the rights of all.

Alice Fraccaro

Alice joined ALDA’s team in Vicenza as a Project Designer Assistant Intern in February 2025. She holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Humanities with a specialisation in environmental anthropology, alongside further studies in Social Innovation Management and EU Project Design.
Passionate about sustainability, inclusion, and social innovation, Alice has worked with associations and NGOs in both Italy and Germany, contributing to projects that promote local and international social and cultural development.

Her recent work in the Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) and internal communication sectors involved designing strategies to foster organisational culture and promote inclusivity. Alice also integrated her professional experience with research in social sciences, particularly in inclusive and multispecies design, focusing on creating systems that address the needs of diverse human and non-human communities.

A native Italian speaker, Alice is fluent in English and has a basic knowledge of Spanish and German.

Ambrogio Carugo

Ambrogio Carugo joined ALDA in June 2025 as a Project Designer Assistant.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Milan, where he focused his studies on the Sociology of Organised Crime. He subsequently obtained a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs at the University of Bologna, Forlì Campus, concentrating on Human Trafficking and Organised Crime, and on how the regional order established in South East Asia addresses these issues.
As part of his academic journey, he undertook a curricular internship at the Prefecture of Forlì-Cesena within the Territorial Commission for the Recognition of International Protection. He also completed a postgraduate specialisation course at the University of Milan, deepening his knowledge of international scenarios related to organised crime. In addition, during these years he volunteered with the Europe Direct Centre at the University of Bologna, taking part in various programmes and eventually becoming a trainer on European affairs.

Following graduation, Ambrogio worked as a Graduate Research Fellow and Project Assistant
at the University of Bologna. In this role, he managed two EU-funded projects: a Jean Monnet initiative aimed at creating a network of teachers engaged in European affairs, and EYE-Forlì 2024, a European Parliament initiative and the first Local European Youth Event held in Italy. As a Graduate Research Fellow, he had the opportunity to analyse trends in European citizenship, coordinate academic initiatives, and contribute to research on civic engagement and education policies. Alongside this work, he collaborated with several youth organisations in Italy.

Ambrogio is a native Italian speaker, fluent in English, with basic proficiency in French.

Anna Benevolo

Anna began her civic service as a Project Management Assistant at the Migration Hub of ALDA in June 2025.

She holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Pavia, where she also spent a semester at the University of Coimbra through the Erasmus+ programme. During her studies, she was actively involved in volunteering and student associations, leading youth activities and projects.

She gained experience in communication and event organisation through internships at ISPI and GLOBEC (University of Pavia). Between her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, she spent six months in Spain volunteering at a youth centre for marginalised children and refugees.

Her main interests include climate-induced displacement, social justice, and gender studies. She is a native Italian speaker, fluent in English and Spanish, with a working knowledge of French.

Benedetta Nardin

Benedetta joined ALDA’s office in Vicenza in November 2025 as a Project Manager Assistant Intern, working within ALDA Italia. 
She is currently completing her Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy, International and Economic Studies at Ca’ Foscari University in Venice. 

She has always been extremely active within her local community, starting at a very young age and still doing voluntary work mainly working with children with special needs and learning disabilities.

Benedetta is passionate about human rights, international cooperation, sustainable development. She brings strong organizational skills and curiosity to the projects she’s involved in, always eager to learn something new. 

Claudia Ferrotti

Claudia joined ALDA in November 2025 as an Assistant to the Events Manager. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies from the University of Trento (Italy) and a Master’s Degree in International and Security Politics from the Catholic University of Lille (France). During her academic journey, she undertook several experiences that provided her with hands-on experience in research, policy analysis, and international project coordination. She concluded an internship at CeSI – Centro Studi Internazionali in Rome. As a Project Assistant, she worked on a project on inclusivity for unaccompanied foreign minors in Lille. She is currently a Writer and Researcher at the Jason Institute for Peace and Security Studies, based in The Hague. Due to her international experiences, Claudia fluently speaks Italian, English, Spanish, French and Russian.  

Coralie Crabeil

Coralie joined ALDA in December 2024, she works as a project development assistant in the Skopje office as part of the French Service Civique.

Coralie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Sciences from the University of Lille (France), during which she spent a year at Durham University (United Kingdom) as part of Erasmus+.

She holds two master’s degrees from the University of Amsterdam. Her first master’s focused on European Policy and External Relations, while the second one was dedicated to Conflict Resolution and Governance. During her second master’s degree, her master’s thesis focused on human rights upholding within the breakaway state of Transnistria, internationally recognised as part of Moldova. As part of my research, I interviewed civil society from the breakaway state to get insight into their lived experiences. I then used these testimonies to draw conclusions and report about international organisations’ lack of engagement towards upholding human rights and democratic values within breakaway states. 

Upon graduation, Coralie volunteered in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Nepal through the European Solidarity Corps. The mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina revolved around supporting IOM’s work in the Temporary Reception Centre of Blazuj. In Nepal, her mission focused on women’s empowerment through entrepreneurship and soft skills development.

Coralie is a native French speaker and proficient in English. She has a good knowledge of Italian and German and basic skills in Nepali.

Elisa Paniz

Elisa joined ALDA in September 2025 as Assistant to the Secretariat Department. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Linguistic Mediation for International and Diplomatic Organisations and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in International Relations and European Affairs at the University of Bologna. She also spent a semester at Ghent University through the Erasmus+ programme.

Passionate about gender equality, migration and environmental justice, Elisa is currently engaged with SOS Méditerranée, supporting awareness-raising initiatives to protect the rights of migrants and refugees in the Mediterranean. She has also worked on projects such as a podcast highlighting land and environmental human rights defenders in Latin America. Through the European Solidarity Corps, she volunteered in Slovakia and Spain, where she contributed to youth initiatives, intercultural dialogue and LGBTI+ community building.

Elisa is a native Italian speaker, fluent in English, German and Spanish, with a basic knowledge of French.

Enni Xhelaj

Enni joined ALDA in September 2025 as a Project Manager Assistant Intern within the Gender, Inclusion & Human Rights Hub. She is currently completing her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”.

Her volunteering experiences reflect a strong commitment to inclusion, equality, and building spaces where underrepresented voices can be heard. With CISV, she took part in intercultural education and peace-building programmes; with Save the Children, she supported children with diverse needs and contributed to educational and awareness activities. She also participated in Ali per volare, a local initiative offering Italian language support to migrants; and volunteered at IRCER, a retirement home.

Before joining ALDA, she worked as a Communication and Advocacy Assistant Intern at the World Fair Trade Organization Europe, contributing to internal and external communication strategies, advocacy efforts, and campaign planning.

She is an Italian and Albanian native speaker, and she is fluent in English.

Giulia Bosco

Giulia is a young graduate in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Human Rights and Multi-level Governance at the University of Padua. Over time, she has developed excellent organisational, communication, and interpersonal skills, which she has effectively applied in both academic and professional contexts.

With a strong aptitude for problem-solving and priority management, she works efficiently both independently and as part of a team, always demonstrating a sense of responsibility and initiative. Her Erasmus+ experience and fluency in four languages (Italian, English, Spanish, and French) have enabled her to develop a deep intercultural awareness and remarkable adaptability—essential qualities for working in dynamic international environments.

She is currently serving as a Project Manager Assistant within ALDA’s Environment and Climate Hub, contributing to the development of European projects focused on sustainability, active citizenship, and good local governance, in line with the objectives of the Green Deal and the 2030 Agenda.

Giuliana Imbalzano

Giuliana Imbalzano started working as a Project Designer Assistant at ALDA in June 2025.

She has a Bachelor’s degree in Modern Languages, English and Russian, and a Master’s degree in International Studies.

Before joining ALDA, she worked as an assistant researcher, and it was her passion fordeveloping projects with a strong social impact that ultimately led her to the organization.

Her fields of interest are geopolitics, migration and intersectionality.

She is a native Italian speaker, fluent in English, with a working knowledge of French, Russian and Spanish.

Hari Singh Champawat

Hari joined ALDA’s Brussels office in June 2025 as a Project Manager Assistant through the Universal Civil Service programme. He holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from Azim Premji University in India and a second Master’s in International Cooperation on Human Rights and Intercultural Heritage from the University of Bologna, Italy.

Passionate about socio-political issues and youth participation, Hari has been actively involved in student politics and social movements in both India and Europe. Prior to joining ALDA, he coordinated youth education projects using non-formal learning methods.

In his spare time, he enjoys travelling, cooking Indian food, discussing global politics, and staying active through sports. Hari speaks English, Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi fluently, and has a basic knowledge of Italian.

Jacopo Angiuli

Jacopo joined ALDA’s Secretariat in June 2025 as part of his civic service, where he supports research, policy drafting, and advocacy activities.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from the University of Milan and later obtained a Master’s degree in International Relations at the University of Strasbourg.
During and after his studies, he gained diverse work experience, starting at the Feltrinelli Cultural Foundation and doing some communication consulting. He later worked in NGO advocacy at Emergency, as a content writer on geopolitics for an Italian think tank, and as a junior communication officer at the European Parliament liaison office of Rome. More recently he followed a course about Sustainability at the Chamber of Commerce of Milan.

His interest in mass media and information systems, which he developed at university, led him to co-author a book with his supervisor on news and media consumption, biases, and conspiracy theories, directed at students and teachers alike. 

Passionate about politics, history, and the environment, he enjoys learning, reading, and meaningful conversations, often while cooking.

He is a native Italian speaker, fluent in English, with intermediate proficiency in French and basic knowledge of German.

Laura Rabassa Breva

Laura joined the ALDA office in Strasbourg in September 2025, and she is working as a Project Manager Assistant in the ASWAT department. 

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Global Studies and a Master’s in International Studies on Media, Power and Difference, both from the Pompeu Fabra University, in Barcelona. During her bachelor’s, she did an exchange in Vancouver, Canada, at the Simon Fraser University.

She gained experience in international cooperation at Lafede.cat, the Catalan federation of NGOs, where she interned in the communications department. She also participated in an European Solidarity Corps programme in Le Mans, France, where she worked with kids and young people to promote interculturality and European mobility programmes. 

Her main areas of interest are gender equality and migration, as well as cultural diversity and geopolitics. She is fluent in Spanish, Catalan, English and French, and she knows a bit of Arabic.

Lucia Sardi

Lucia Sardi joined ALDA’s Strasbourg Office in June 2025 as a Communications Assistant.

She has a Bachelor’s in Foreign Languages and Cultures and a Master’s in International Relations, both achieved at the Università degli Studi di Genova, in Italy. Currently, she is also volunteering for MOAS, a humanitarian organisation based in Malta.

She loves writing, taking pictures and creating graphics. At the same time, she is a very curious person who enjoys learning new things everyday. For her, being a Communications Assistant means combining these 2 aspects together, which is why she really likes this field.

She is a native Italian speaker, fluent in English and French, and she has a basic level of Russian.

Margherita Ferri

Margherita Ferri joined ALDA in June 2025 as a Project Management Assistant.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Linguistic Mediation and Intercultural Communication, during which she studied Russian and participated in an Erasmus+ program at the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute in Moscow, Russia. She later completed a Master’s degree in Global Politics and Society, focusing on the European enlargement process, the current challenges faced by democratic states, and organized crime. As part of her academic path, she undertook a curricular internship at an Italian NGO, supporting the implementation of projects on global citizenship education.

After graduating, Margherita volunteered in Kolkata, India, assisting in women’s empowerment initiatives. Driven by her interest in post-communist regions, she then joined the United Nations Association of Bulgaria as a European Solidarity Corps volunteer for one year. There, she focused on democratic participation, youth empowerment, and migration-related issues.

Margherita is a native Italian speaker and fluent in English. She has an intermediate level of Russian and basic proficiency in both Bulgarian and French.

Marianna Picone

Marianna is a Project Designer Assistant at the ALDA office in Strasbourg.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Linguistic and Cultural Mediation from l’Orientale di Napoli, and a Master’s Degree in International Relations from LUMSA University in Rome. During her Master’s studies, Marianna took part in the Erasmus+ programme at ICES University in La Roche-sur-Yon. She further developed digital skills by completing the Palestre Digitali programme, a training initiative promoted by Accenture.

Her main areas of interest include migration policy, human rights and sustainability. Indeed, she participated as a youth delegate in the BRS COPs with the CWYP, and carried out an internship at the Interministerial Committee on Human Rights (MAECI).

Marianna is also actively involved in local advocacy initiatives, particularly those promoting social inclusion and environmental awareness.

She fluently speaks Italian, English and French.

Shalom Caruso

Shalom joined ALDA in July 2025 as a Membership Assistant Intern, working within the Association’s Secretariat.
She holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Human Rights from the University of Padua. Her Master’s thesis in International Humanitarian Law earned her an academic prize in recognition of her work, awarded during the 100th year Anniversary Celebrations of the Political Science Department.

Following her graduation, she attended the Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), an experience that further fueled her ambition to pursue a career in the international field.

Throughout her academic journey, Shalom engaged in volunteering activities and was a Jurist intern at the Citizenship and Foreign Residency Office of the Municipality of Padua.

She has a strong interest in institutional affairs and diplomatic relations – areas that closely align with her current role. Additionally, she is deeply fascinated by East Asian history and politics, which inspired her to begin learning Korean. She is fluent in both English and Spanish.

Her exposure to diverse cultures has shaped her belief that societies flourish through exchange and mutual influence.

Shalom is bringing this intercultural perspective and passion to her work at ALDA.

Valeria Picchi

Valeria joined ALDA in July 2024 as a Universal Civil Service Volunteer in the Project Management Department, specifically in the Environment and Climate Hub at the Brussels office.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Development and International Cooperation from the University of Bologna and a Master’s Degree in International Sciences and European Studies from the University of Turin.
During her academic career, Valeria explored international cooperation dynamics, with a particular focus on the European Union. She completed two Erasmus+ Traineeships: one with a local NGO in Barcelona promoting European citizenship, and another at SOLIDAR in Brussels, where she supported advocacy campaigns on just transition and EU-Latin America relations. Additionally, she worked for Oxfam Italy on a fundraising campaign, and most recently at the Europe Direct Centre of the Emilia-Romagna region.
Valeria is passionate about international cooperation, environmental and climate change issues, inequalities, and human rights.

She is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English and Spanish.