LUCIA BRUSEGAN

Lucia is CEO of Starter working on sustainable agriculture, environment and energy solutions. Lucia has worked extensively in the strategic design, development and implementation of programs aimed at a balanced and sustainable growth of communities and at territorial development both in Europe and Africa. Her fields of expertise include capacity building and knowledge transfer of good practices and solutions through active involvement of relevant stakeholders and end users. She chairs the Steering Committee of the Africa Biochar Partnership, the African continental platform for advancing biochar systems in Africa (ABP). From 2019 Lucia is member of the Board of the International Biochar Initiative. She holds an MA degree in history from the University of Padua (Italy).

LILIANA BRAGGION

Liliana is an expert in European Union policies and local development with over 20 years’ professional experience. She has been working with Starter since 2013. She is an expert in the elaboration, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of socio-economic development projects, within the framework of national and European public investment policies, and of negotiated programming tools. She is focused in territorial and local development, entrepreneurial promotion, infrastructure, training and in the EU Structural Funds. Liliana elaborates territorial socio-economic analyses, and contributes to the strategic planning of local authorities. Liliana has a MA in International Relations at the University of Gorizia.

 
DAVID BLUHM
David has over 30 years of international experience in agricultural and natural resource management projects in South East Asia and Africa with CARE, GTZ, SIDA, SDA, and has been working with Starter in implementation of research trials assessing biochar and phosphorous effects on common bean in farmers’ fields in Burundi. David has an MS degree in Forest Sciences and Biogeochemistry from Colorado State University and a BS degree in Natural Resources from Cornell University. David is currently a Ph.D candidate on Soils and Crop Sciences at Cornell University, USA.  

ROBERTA CALCINA
As an economist working on regional development and public policies, with main focus on sustainable mobility and liveability of urban areas, Roberta has over 20 years of experience in supporting and providing technical assistance to local and regional authorities in Italy and the EU. Her services include the analysis of territorial needs, planning and implementation of specific measures, acquisition and management of funds, moderation of international partnerships, promotion and communication and the assessment of environmental and socio-economic impacts. Between 2008 and 2016 she worked as a member of the Joint Technical Secretariat of the Interreg South East Europe Programme, with responsibility on the priority axis dedicated to Accessibility and Transport.

Since 2015, Roberta has been chairing hub.MAT – Laboratorio per la Mobilità, l’Ambiente e il Territorio, a non-profit organisation promoting active urban mobility as a solution for a sustainable, inclusive and healthy public space, through projects and local initiatives and participation in national and international networks.

GILBERTO DALL’AGATA
Gilberto is an economist, graduated at Ca’ Foscari University in Venice and holds a Master degree in Transport economics from the University of Leeds (UK). Gilberto has been working for more than 20 years in transport demand analysis, logistic issues of companies, cost-benefit analysis of infrastructure projects, strategic public transport policies and relationship between the economic system and the transport system. He contributed to several research projects, financed both by public bodies (Ministry of Transport and Navigation, CNR, Chambers, etc.) and by private companies, collaborating in the creation of IT systems for the strategic planning of the transport sector.

ENRICO PRETTO
Enrico holds a degree in Economics from the Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, with a master thesis on the implementation of a Life project in a municipal context. He has a junior profile and supports partners of European projects in the reporting and management. Enrico also assists local authorities in territorial development processes, being specialised with a Master in Governance of local development from the University of Padua.