Ivan Butina, Presidente, Comitato esecutivo
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Ivan Butina Bolognese, is co-founder and first president of the Italians in DC (IDC) Executive Committee. His main responsibility is to coordinate the association’s activities. In addition, he is in charge of communications and IDC promotion. Ivan is Account Executive with Global Communicators, LLC a public relations company in Washington, DC. He has been living in DC since September 2008, when he moved here to obtain his MA in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins University SAIS. Ivan also obtained a BA from University of Bologna’s Faculty of Political Science R. Ruffilli. Born in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), he was raised in Bologna. Besides Italian, Ivan is fluent in Bosnian/Croatian/Montenegrin/Serbian and in English, and also speaks French and German.

Chiara Monticelli, Vice-Presidente
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Chiara, napoletana, is the Vice President of Italians in DC and she is the point of contact with the Italian families in Washington. She also manages the relationship with some sponsors and the Italian language schools in DC. Chiara work as Italian teacher in two American schools and for the Italian Cultural Society of Washington, DC. She is responsible for teaching language and culture within the Italian Elementary School program. Chiara was born and grew up in Naples, where she gained her BA in Science of Education, a Masters in Mediation and Conflict Resolution and a teaching certification in Social Sciences. In the US, she gained the teaching certification in Italian and English as a second language. Chiara is bilingual in Italian and English.

Francesca Fusaro, Tesoriere
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Veronese. With a Master in Environmental Science and Policy from George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, Francesca Fusaro works for the Sustainable Development Department for the Africa Region at the World Bank. Francesca is the Treasurer of the Italians in DC organization, managing and maintaining bank relationships and bank accounts, recommending cost saving policies, and exploring new potential sponsors and opportunities of fundraising. Passionate about sciences, Francesca taught Physical Geology at George Mason University and she worked for at the National Park of Miramare in Italy. With a strong interest in climate change and sustainable development, Francesca worked for the Italian Government in the Environmental unit where she evaluated and revised environmental proposals and she researched and developed new potential projects and legislative changes concerning the energy sector and the climate change policy. Francesca was born in Italy and grew up in Verona. She is fluent in English and Italian, and she speaks Spanish.

Elena Sylos Labini, Eventi
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Elena Sylos Labini, friulana, is responsible for the organization of the events in Italians in DC. She is also responsible for reporting and moderating all the meeting of the group and the administration of deadlines of the events organized by the organization. Elena’s family moved from Trieste to Washington DC. She has also lived in Parma, Reggio Emilia, Trieste and Milan. Elena graduated from Boston College with a degree in management and worked from several years in structured finance. She has her MBA from GWU a Masters in Real Estate Development at the University of Maryland. Elena is bilingual in English and Italian and also speaks Spanish.

Lorenzo Montanari, Business Relations & Professional Networking
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Lorenzo Montanari, reggiano, is co-founder and member of the first board of directors of Italians in DC and is in charge of business relations and professional networking with Italian firms in the DC area. He currently works as Executive Director of Global Communicators-Italian Contact Point, a public relations company in Washington, DC. Moreover, since 2009, Lorenzo has been working in Washington, DC as a researcher on strategic communication and public affairs at the Graduate School of Political Management at the George Washington University (GWU). He holds a Bachelor degree in Political Science, a Master in International Relations from the University Alma Mater Studiorum of Bologna and a Master in Political Management from the GWU with a specialization in European Public Affairs at the American University. He is member of the International Editorial Board of the Italian Review of Public Communication. He speaks Italian, English and Spanish.

Marzia Motta, Arte & Entertainment
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Marzia Motta, comasca, is a member of the Board of Directors and co-founder of Italians in DC. Within the organization, she is responsible for Art and Entertainment. In this capacity, she supports the organization and promotion of cultural events. Marzia moved to the United States in 2005, where she received an associate’s degree in photography and a Bachelor of Fine Art in Graphic Design. At the moment she works for Samueli Institute as a Graphic Design Coordinator, she is a member of the art collective re:collective, and she plays Surdo in the Afro-Brazilian percussion band Batala. Marzia was born and raised in Carugo, in the Como province of Italy.

Giovanna Casagrande, Scienza e Ricerca
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Within Italians in DC, Giovanna, friulana, is responsible for Science and research. She graduated in Chemical Engineering at the University of Padua, after spending one year at Imperial College (London), as an exchange-student. She obtained a Ph.D. in Bioengineering, developing her studies at M.I.T. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston). Besides focusing on science, she followed one of her other interests by pursuing a B.A. in Journalism and Public Opinion. She is now working at the National Cancer Institute at NIH. Giovanna was born in Pordenone and lived in Padua since her graduate studies. She speaks fluently Italian and English, and basic Spanish and Greek. She enjoys travelling, photography, art and culture, skiing and swimming (especially in the Mediterranean and Aegen Seas!).

Sean Cogliardi, Sport
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Sean Cogliardi, brianzolo, organizes and coordinates sport activities for Italians in DC. Born in Lecco (Italy), Sean has lived in the United States since 2002. He holds a Bachelor's in Economics and International Relations from the State University of New York at Geneseo, and has obtained a Master's in Public Administration and Finance from Cornell University in 2009. After an internship in 2008 at the Delegation of the European Union in Washington DC, he started as an Economic Analyst for the International Monetary Fund in 2009. Sean recently joined the Corporate Executive Board in Arlington, VA as a Consultant. Passionate about travelling and photography, Sean is also a great cook, known for his typical Italian dishes and an excellent tiramisu'!

Letizia Sirtori, Eventi
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Letizia Sirtori is the International Sales Manager at Destination DC, the official destination marketing organization for the city of Washington, DC, with responsibility for the tourism development and marketing of the overseas markets. She sits on the Board of Directors for Italians in DC, where she serves as cultural and tourism liaison with the local businesses. She is also actively involved in national tourism associations, such as the Receptive Services Association (RSA). Letizia Sirtori is originally from Carate Brianza (MB), Italy and lives in Washington, DC since 2007. Prior to moving to the United States in 2005, she has lived and worked in Austria and Mexico for extended periods of time. She holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and Hospitality Management from Florida International University and is fluent in English, Spanish, French, German and basic Portuguese and currently learning Russian for fun. She loves foreign cultures, visual arts and food.

Comitati di IDC

Manuel Mastrofini, IT specialist
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Romano. Manuel Mastrofini has a B.S. and M. Eng. in Computer Systems Engineering from the University of Rome, Tor Vergata. He moved to USA to develop his master thesis in the field of Complex Systems Development for the Aerospace (software systems, hardware systems and systems of systems). He currently works at a Finmeccanica company as consultant, carries a Ph.D. in Software and Systems Engineering and heads his own IT company. He speaks Italian, English and French.