PEOPLE

Marco Boaria

Chief Executive Officer of ALDA+ and Director of Programmes and Corporate Strategy at ALDA

Marco Boaria brings over 20 years of international experience to his work. Throughout his career, he has developed projects across various sectors, utilising numerous European (and non-European) programmes and collaborating with several Directorates-General (DGs) of the European Commission. He has served as a project coordinator, focusing particularly on democracy, participation, and youth, and has also acted as an external supervisor for European projects developed by public and private entities.

Marco is actively involved in training initiatives promoted by ALDA and in collaboration with European training agencies, such as SALTO centers and national youth agencies, as well as working with numerous public and private clients. His areas of expertise as a trainer include project cycle management, European funds, participatory methods, non-formal education, and youth-related topics.

In 2013, Marco was a member of the Steering Committee for the European Year of Citizens, and in 2015, he was elected to the Steering Committee of the European Year for Development Alliance, within Concord, the European NGO platform for development.

Since 2015, Marco has been the CEO of “GEIE Europa,” a European Economic Interest Grouping involving ALDA and the Municipality of Monfalcone (Italy), which operates within the framework of European Territorial Cooperation. He is also one of the founders and currently the CEO of ALDA+, a benefit corporation owned by ALDA that promotes training and technical assistance worldwide, targeting various stakeholders, including local authorities and civil society organisations.

Alvise Saggion

Executive Assistant to the CEO

Alvise Saggion has a strong academic background and a steadfast commitment to European values and the protection of human rights. In 2019, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, International Studies, and Public Administration from the University of Padua, followed by a master’s degree in European and Global Studies from the same institution in 2023.

In 2022, he enhanced his education through an Erasmus+ exchange at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, where he broadened his academic and cultural perspectives. He also completed a first-level master’s programme in European Policies, Project Design, and Funding, strengthening his expertise in European affairs and international project management.

In December 2024, Alvise joined ALDA as an Executive Assistant, where he actively contributes to the organisation’s mission, leveraging his passion for European integration and human rights advocacy.

A native Italian speaker, Alvise is also fluent in English and Spanish.

Eleonora Bertin

Quality Officer

Eleonora has been working at ALDA+ since March 2021.

She earned a degree in Politics and European Integration from the University of Padua, with a thesis on lobbying at the European level.

Before joining ALDA+, Eleonora gained experience as a legal assistant at a law firm in Vicenza and as a project assistant for the “Cercando il Lavoro” project of the Municipality of Vicenza, where she contributed to the implementation of two European projects in the education sector and the development of services for unemployed individuals. She has strong expertise in office management and administration and successfully led the ISO 9001 certification process.

Anna Ditta

Expert Trainer and Head of the Programmes and Development Department

Anna has been working for ALDA+ since 2017 and for ALDA since 2011. Within the Programmes and Development Department, she is responsible for developing projects funded by the EU, the Council of Europe, the UN, and other public and private donors, promoting themes such as democracy, human rights, social inclusion, active citizenship, youth, good local governance, and decentralised cooperation. Her role includes partner research, project and budget drafting, collection of administrative documents, and coordination with partners and stakeholders.

She is also responsible for developing, managing, and delivering training courses for local authorities and civil society organisations on topics such as project cycle management, EU funds and programmes, and methods for engaging citizens in community life. Anna is actively involved in school-based training (from primary to high school) on EU-related topics and values, participatory democracy for CSOs and local authorities, and facilitation and coaching to improve NGOs’ internal governance. Her training methodology relies on non-formal education tools, such as interactive lectures, group dynamics, World Café, Open Space Technology, and more.

Anna’s key training references include the Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in the Decision-Making Process, the Citizen Tool by Bosh Alumni Network, and the Democratic Practices of the Kettering Foundation.

Her areas of focus include the EU, the Western Balkans, the South Caucasus, and North Africa. She is also responsible for developing projects in the Middle East and Africa, with a focus on decentralisation, local democracy, and the economic and social empowerment of women.

Lizzy Catherine Galiazzo

Project Designer

Lizzy works in the Programmes and Development Department of ALDA and ALDA+ as a project developer for initiatives funded by the European Union and other public and private donors. Her focus spans key areas such as good governance, human rights, social inclusion, active citizenship, youth, the environment, and sustainable development. She is primarily involved in drafting projects funded through indirect funds, including those provided by the Italian government and regional administrations.

Over the past five years, Lizzy has gained solid experience in writing and managing projects for small and medium-sized Italian enterprises. She holds a master’s degree in Oriental Languages, with a particular focus on ancient languages like Sanskrit. Lizzy is fluent in Italian and English and has basic knowledge of Hindi and French.

Silvia Anselmi

Project Designer

Silvia Anselmi joined ALDA+ in September 2024 as a Project Developer. She holds a degree in Languages for International Relations and a master’s degree in Comparative International Relations, with a focus on Eastern Europe. Throughout her academic journey, she developed a strong passion for European Union policies, particularly those related to environmental sustainability.

Before joining ALDA+, Silvia managed international students coming to Italy for study periods, providing support and mediation. As part of the Erasmus+ Internship programme, she spent time in Bucharest, Romania, working on the drafting and management of European projects, with a focus on topics such as sustainable fashion and the circular economy. She also served as a project and communication assistant in Florence, where she focused on the bioenergy sector.

Silvia has also developed a passion for event organisation, collaborating on scientific conferences in Florence and managing cultural events and exhibitions in Venice at the Honorary Consulate of Switzerland, where she worked as an Event Assistant.

A native Italian speaker, Silvia is fluent in English, has a good command of French, and speaks intermediate-level Russian. She also has basic knowledge of German.

Giulia D’Agostino

Giulia d’Agostino joined the ALDA and ALDA+ team in May 2024 as a Project Designer.

She graduated in International Development and Cooperation from the University of Bologna and holds a master’s degree in Project Cycle Management for International Cooperation.

From a young age, Giulia has been driven by a strong sense of social justice and a passion for making a positive impact, participating in numerous volunteer missions in Africa. During these experiences, she took part in various projects aimed at improving living conditions, healthcare, and education in local communities. These experiences not only deepened her understanding of global development issues but also fueled her dedication to creating sustainable change through grassroots initiatives.

Additionally, Giulia spent six months in Ireland, immersing herself in a different culture and further broadening her horizons. She is a native Italian speaker and is fluent in English.

Alessandra Baio

Project Designer

Alessandra holds a master’s degree in International Sciences from the University of Turin, after earning a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from the University of Trento. With a long-standing passion for social issues, she participated in the International Civil Service in Colombia, working on an educational farm. She later served as a Junior Project Manager for a healthcare company based in Rome, supporting the implementation of projects at regional, national, and European levels.

Alessandra joined the Development Department of ALDA and ALDA+ as a Project Designer, focusing on topics such as good governance, human rights, active citizenship, and sustainable development. She is fluent in Italian, English, and Spanish.

Rita Biconne

Head of the Project Implementation Department at ALDA

Rita joined ALDA and ALDA+ as Head of the Project Implementation Department in February 2022. In this role, she oversees the overall management of all project managers and ongoing projects within the Association, ensuring coordinated, consistent, and unified actions across both organisations.

With extensive experience as a manager and unit coordinator, Rita previously worked at FELCOS Umbria, an Italian association of local authorities for sustainable development, where she was responsible for the design, implementation, and management of international projects, monitoring and evaluation, as well as team coordination and intercultural networking.

Over her 8 years of professional experience, Rita has focused on strengthening citizen participation, good governance, and the accountability of local authorities in the context of sustainable development. She has managed regional and international projects funded primarily by organisations such as the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) and the European Union (EuropeAid, DEAR, Erasmus+, Europe for Citizens, AMIF). She also coordinated two working units focused on Development Education and Awareness Raising and the Localisation of the SDGs through an integrated and participatory approach to local development policies.

In 2015, Rita was a research fellow on territorial heritage enhancement and community planning, and for six years, she assisted the course on Urban Planning for Development Cooperation at the University of Florence. She holds a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning and a master’s degree in Architecture from the University of Florence.

A native Italian speaker, Rita is fluent in French and English.

Rita Martino

Rita is a project manager at ALDA+ and part of the “Environment and Climate Change” Hub.

She holds a master’s degree in Development and International Cooperation from the University of Turin, where she had the opportunity to participate in an Erasmus exchange programme at the University of Bergen (Norway) and work as an intern at the IFRC in Sudan. With a long-standing passion for environmental issues, she also took part in an EVS programme in an eco-village.

After her studies, she moved to Germany, collaborating with international NGOs in the fields of healthcare and social inclusion. More recently, she worked at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (Germany). Returning to her hometown of Schio, she joined ALDA+ in 2024 after gaining experience at a local social cooperative.

Elisabetta Pinamonti

Head of Financial and Administrative Department

Elisabetta has been working at ALDA since 2014 and joined ALDA+ from its inception in 2017. In the early years of the Association, she served as Assistant to the Financial Director, reporting directly to the Head of the Financial and Administrative Department. In 2021, thanks to her extensive knowledge and experience, she became the Head of ALDA’s Administrative and Financial Department.

She has in-depth knowledge and extensive experience in financial management and project reporting, both within and beyond Europe. Throughout ALDA’s implementation of over 500 projects in the past 10 years, Elisabetta has successfully navigated audits by the European Commission for projects funded by various EU programs, such as LIFE, ERASMUS+, Horizon2020, AMIF, Europe for Citizens (EfC), and other external action programmes.

Nadia Vigolo

Reporting Officer

Nadia joined ALDA and ALDA+ as a Reporting Officer in 2024, based in Vicenza.

She holds a degree in International Studies and a master’s degree in International Cooperation and Development from the University of Trieste.

Throughout her career, she has served as a communications and fundraising officer in various NGOs and participated in a volunteer experience in Mumbai, India, through the National Civil Service.

Beyond her professional career, Nadia is passionate about travelling and exploring new cultures. She loves nature, spending her free time in the mountains and trekking. She is fluent in English and French and has a basic knowledge of German.

Tanja Vujanovic

Administrative Assistant

Employed at ALDA+ as an administrative assistant in the financial and accounting department in Vicenza, she holds a degree in foreign languages from the University of Belgrade (Serbia). She has gained work experience in various sectors, particularly in transportation and logistics, as well as in commercial roles and customer care, where she applied her language skills while working closely with international clients and collaborators.

Passionate about roles involving public interaction, she has actively participated in solidarity initiatives and humanitarian projects. She is a native speaker of Serbo-Croatian, fluent in Italian and English, with a good command of German and basic knowledge of Russian.

Beatrice Frascatani

Communication Expert

Beatrice joined ALDA (and ALDA+) in March 2022, initially as a Communication Officer and Project Manager. In July 2023, she took on the role of Acting Head of the Communication Department and currently serves as Deputy Head of the Department.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from “La Sapienza” University in Rome, Beatrice continued her studies with a Master’s in International Relations and Transnational Governance at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Netherlands) and a Master’s in Communication Sciences: Journalism & Media in Europe in Brussels (Belgium). This academic path reflects her two main passions: communication and political engagement.

Before joining ALDA, Beatrice completed an internship as a public policy communication consultant at Political Intelligence, a consultancy agency in Brussels. During this time, she also collaborated with an Italian think tank on geopolitics, writing articles on migration and EU relations with third countries.

A native Italian speaker, Beatrice is fluent in Spanish and English and has a good command of French.