Team

After having worked in Brussels as consultant on EU funds for almost 10 years, in 2009 I established Consulta Europa to act as intermediary organization to connect Canary Islands and Europe and as private territorial development agency. My objective was to promote a sustainable and responsible growth of remote territories leveraging on EU funded projects. Having studied International Relations, I strongly believe in international cooperation. My personal and professional interests in entrepreneurship, led me to start a Phd in innovation. Through the Phd I had the opportunity to explore different aspects of innovation and I eventually focused my research on social innovation. Studying different practices of social innovation, I realised women had a strong potential in leading social innovation initiatives, since usually women are more sensitive to connect profit and social values and I started exploring gender studies. I have managed to dive deeper in my research interests promoting and participating in several European projects. Apart from that, I am mother of two wonderful children and a tango dancer.

Researcher and project manager at Consulta Europa. I completed a PhD in Earth System Sciences: Environment, resources and cultural heritage from the University of Modena.I have a bachelor’s degree in Biology and MSc in Ecology from the University of Salento (Italy). I worked for CoNISMa (Consorcio Nacional de las Universidades para la Ciencia del Mar, Rome, Italy) and participated in courses and researches on Comparative Embriology from Friday Harbor Laboratories (Washington University) and Estación Biológica CNRS (Roscoff). In Consulta Europa, I deal with the development and management of Horizon Europe projects, including AquaWind project, among others.

Omar González Valdivia graduated as Computer Engineer from the University of Computer Science, Cuba (2004-2009). With 10 years of experience in modelling, development, deployment and maintenance of desktop and web applications and in particularly in the development of e-learning platforms. In the field of European projects, Omar has experience in H2020 projects such as Soclimpact, for which he developed the Regional Exchange Information System (REIS). At Consulta Europa he is currently working on ATHENA and RURALIZATION (H2020).

Graduated in Graphic Design, where I have learnt how to use graphic language to generate messages and communicate contents of different nature with different media and for different communication channels. At Consulta Europa, I am in charge of the development of products and graphic materials and I support in the communication activities of our European projects.

Martina Mangia is a freelance EU Project Manager with extensive international experience in event and project management. She holds degrees in Communication Studies, Journalism & Publishing Culture, and a Postgraduate Master in European Project Management. Martina has organised cultural festivals and events, educational workshops, and youth exchanges in Italy, Bulgaria, Ireland, Malta, Indonesia and Spain. She has worked for several years on Erasmus+ projects and co-founded LUMiA ETS, a nonprofit association of which she is also President. Martina collaborates with youth and cultural organisations, sports associations, and social enterprises to create impactful events and projects that foster well-being, personal growth, and cross-cultural exchange.

I hold a BA in Political Science from Université Saint-Louis (Brussels) and a Master’s degree in International Cooperation, Finance and Development from Unitelma Sapienza University (Rome). I have also undertaken specialised training in environment, development, and cooperation. I am fluent in Spanish, French, English, and Italian.

I am a consultant in international cooperation and EU funds, with extensive experience in the full cycle of EU-funded projects — from proposal preparation and strategic planning to implementation, partner coordination, financial reporting, and communication. I have worked across several EU programmes, including Interreg Sudoe, Interreg Atlantic Area, Interreg Europe, POCTEP, POCTEFA, Creative Europe, Horizon Europe, and LIFE, collaborating with public administrations, private entities, and non-profit organisations.

Over the course of my career, I have led diverse tasks such as the drafting of proposals and public tenders, the preparation of technical and financial reports, the design and implementation of communication strategies, and the coordination of multi-level activities. My professional background has been developed in international and multicultural contexts, where I have carried out both technical responsibilities and institutional representation roles.

I currently work as an external consultant.

I earned a Law degree from the University of Turin with a specialization in European Administrative Law, and later completed a Master’s in European Studies in Brussels, with a specific focus on EU funding programmes.

I have over six years of professional experience in the management and development of EU-funded programmes, with strong expertise in proposal writing, project coordination, and financial compliance. I have contributed to projects promoting youth entrepreneurship – such as Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs and other Erasmus+ initiatives aimed at strengthening entrepreneurial skills – as well as to local development initiatives funded by Structural Funds and Next Generation EU instrument, cultural promotion actions supported by Creative Europe, and social economy projects under the SMP and ESF+ programmes. In this field, I gained valuable experience through collaborations with social and cultural non-profit associations, and later in Brussels with the Belgian-Italian Chamber of Commerce, where I coordinated European projects, training activities, and business support services.