Team
Gaetano Giunta
He holds a bachelor’s and a PhD in physics. He was councillor for social policies of the city of Messina in the 90’s and was directly involved in the creation and development of the local social economy cluster (Advanced Social Cluster): he was a founding member of several social economy organizations (social cooperatives, foundations, social enterprises, etc.) and in 2010 he was one of the founders of the Foundation, becoming its Secretary General, a role he maintained until 2022. He has 27 scientific publications in the field of thermodynamics and 20 publications on socio-economic issues. He is directly involved in the design and delivery of all the development policies promoted by the Foundation, including the business support services. Today he is head of development of the Strategic Plan and of national and international networking of the Foundation.
Giacomo Pinaffo
He holds a degree in Business Economics and a Master’s in Economics of Local Development, both with maximum grade. He has focused his entire career of study and work on the social economy sector. He attended a specialization training in project management and was project manager for the Presidency Office in FEBEA (European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks) and in SEFEA (financial cooperative, FEBEA instrument), coordinating also several EU-funded project. He was also Impact Manager at SEFEA IMPACT (Asset Management Company dedicated to impact investing strategies). Since the beginning of 2020 he is project and networks manager at the Community Foundation. Since November 2022 he is also Secretary General of the Foundation.
Rainer Schlueter
He graduated in Business Administration in Brussels. Secretary General of CECOP (European confederation of industrial and service cooperatives), then Director of Cooperatives Europe and the International Cooperative Alliance, he has dedicated his entire career to the development of the Social Economy at European and international level. He was an EU and OECD expert on social entrepreneurship and has been directly engaged in social economy cluster development in Belgium, France, Italy and Madagascar. Experienced as trainer and teacher at University and long-life learning level. Since the end of 2018 he works as project and networks manager at the Foundation.
Maria De Cola
She holds a bachelor in political science and a master degree in Sociology and social research. She has joined Me.S.S.In.A. Foundation in 2015, dealing mainly with administrative and accountability activities.
Giacomo Farina
Musician and event manager. Artistic and technical director of several national and international festivals organised in Sicily and Calabria. Founder and executive producer of several cultural association and art promotion companies. In the Me.S.S.In.A. Foundation he is manager of all artistic and promotional events and is engaged in the communication and dissemination activities.
Andrea Giunta
He graduated in Computer Science with a grade of 107/110 at the University of Messina. He worked as a web developer for Fincons Group s.p.a. in Rome in 2019 having had beforehand a high-level training with Umana S.P.A. in Milan. Afterwards he collaborated with Smartme. He also has a scientific publication.
Fabrizia Bagozzi
Press officer and head of communication. Journalist and writer. She worked on tv with the best italian journalists and wrote for newspaper Europa for 15 years. She also wrote for Corriere della Sera. Expertise in politics and social matter.
Giorgia Turchetto
Cultural geographer, sociologist, cultural social innovation manager, expert in co-design and facilitation processes, passionate about collaborative approaches. I have good involvement skills and I am oriented to a relational know-how with the communities of reference of the projects. I have gained a long experience in the concept, design and development of cultural-based social innovation projects, cultural marketing and audience engagement and cultural welfare. I have experience: in network building and stakeholder management; in the design of calls (including European ones), in the project management, monitoring and reporting; accountability; in social and experiential marketing, in the design of strategic communication; in the mentoring of non-profit and cultural start-ups with a focus on social, environmental and cultural impact; in fundraising strategies (models, tools, traditional and innovative collection channels). I directed two corporate foundations. My professional experience has grown within the Istituto per Il Credito Sportivo, a public bank, where I have had the opportunity to deal with the financing of innovative projects in the field of basic and social sport and culture, also with roles of responsibility.
Liliana Leone
Consultant for public bodies and Third sector organizations dealing with research, monitoring and evaluation of programs. From 2002 up to date she has been director of CEVAS Center of Research and Evaluation (RM). She holds a master’s degree in psychology and a PhD about a new approach of evidence synthesis. Her professional background includes welfare and public-health policies, social innovation, local sustainable development, urban regeneration, labour market policies, health promotion, social inclusion, youth policies, education, crime prevention and legality. Expert in impact evaluation of complex multi-sectoral interventions, quantitative and qualitative methods of research, theory-driven approaches, systematic review (e.g., Realist Synthesis), and evaluation capacity building. She has been teaching as a contract professor from 2002 to 2009 at the University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’ (Faculty of Sociology) and published about 50 peer reviewed research papers and books with ISBN.