About us

Staff

Presidency

Andrea Dell'Angelo

- President

I am Andrea Dell'Angelo, an agronomist specializing in agrometeorology and cooperation with developing countries. In 1976, while still a student, I met Chogyal Namkhai Norbu: a meeting that would profoundly mark me. In 1978 I went to India with Namkhai Norbu to make two documentaries on Tibetan medicine and sacred dances, which were later purchased by RAI. During this trip I had the opportunity to visit the main refugee camps in India and Nepal and to come into contact with Tibetan culture. In 1986, Namkhai Norbu entrusted me with the creation of a village in India for Tibetan refugees. In 1988, together with Namkhai Norbu and 9 people, I founded ASIA. From 1983 to 1998 I worked as a consultant with Italian and Israeli companies to increase precipitation in southern Italy and participated in negotiations for the drafting of the world convention on desertification. Later I collaborated as a consultant for IFAD in Indonesia and for the Overseas Agronomic Institute in Palestine. For 35 years I was Secretary General of ASIA, carrying out more than 50 missions in Tibet, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Bhutan. I strongly believe in ASIA's mission and in the values contained in Tibetan spirituality to create a better, sustainable world respectful of diversity and the environment.

Administration

Roberto Brega

- Administration

I am Roberto, an accountant and Head of Administration at Asia since 2004. After a long and important administrative experience in the for-profit sector, in 1999 I chose to direct my profession towards the cooperation sector. It was the best choice. Certainly administration is not the most exciting activity, but it is a beautiful gear that, together with others, allows our projects to be born, materialize and make the world a little more just, day by day. And to do this we need a hand from all of us, because "We save ourselves and move forward if we act together and not alone".

Lorenzo Caputo

- Project Finance Officer

My name is Lorenzo and I have been collaborating with ASIA since 2024 in the project reporting and financial management office. I am responsible for collecting documentation and project results to present to our donors. I am an economist with a Master's degree in Food Security and Human Development. I began my experience in international cooperation in Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, managing and writing rural development projects for small Italian NGOs. On returning to Italy, I worked as a researcher on precariousness and food insecurity in Italy and Europe. After a brief experience with the United Nations, I realised how small organisations like ASIA can have a far more significant impact on local communities than large international organisations. By acting on a small scale, one can truly improve the conditions of many people, often left behind by the great upheavals of an ever-changing world.

Projects

Alessandra Nardi

- Head of Projects Department

I am Alessandra and I have been collaborating with ASIA since 2017. I have a degree in International Relations, majoring in International Cooperation and a Master's in Water Resource Management in Developing Countries (WASH). I started my professional career abroad with various organizations, working both on development and emergency projects. With ASIA I started working in Mongolia, then returned to Italy as Geographic Manager. I currently hold the position of Head of the Projects Department, coordinating ASIA's initiatives in the different countries where it is present. Despite the challenges that the current world presents and the difficulties of this sector, I have always seen it as a great privilege to have the opportunity to work in development cooperation, finding in it a constant stimulus, both professionally and personally.

Emanuele Assini

- Nepal Projects Desk

I am Emanuele Assini, I have been collaborating with ASIA since April 2022 in the sector of cooperation and development projects in Nepal. I have a degree in Anthropology, Religions and Oriental Civilizations and a master's degree in Environment and Resource Management at Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. During my university education I traveled for long periods in Nepal and conducted socio-environmental research in nomadic communities of Eastern Tibet. These two experiences motivated me to seek a professional outlet that would allow me on the one hand to work with issues of sustainable environmental development, and on the other to contribute to a cause very close to my heart: the preservation of the Tibetan and Himalayan cultural heritage. I am very happy for this job opportunity, to be able to make a small contribution to ASIA's work and to enrich my knowledge in this field.

Alessandro Zito

- Head of South-East Asia and Mongolia

I am Alessandro and I have been collaborating with ASIA since 2023. I have a degree in Territorial Planning, a master's degree in Social Policies and International Cooperation and several specializations in Environment and Climate Change, Nature-Based Solutions, Anthropogenic-Natural Emergency Preparedness and Response, Protection, Human Rights and European Designing. Humanitarian aid, environment, health, migration and hospitality are my main professional topics, on which I have been working for about 20 years with various public and private sector organizations in Europe, the Balkans, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, both in intervention management and training activities. For several years I had the fortune to live and work in different socio-political-cultural contexts, an experience that gave me the opportunity to broaden my vision, acquire a global perspective and contribute to the development of resilient and inclusive communities.

Fundraising and Communication

Linda Fidanzia

- Head of Fundraising

With a degree in Political Science, I began my collaboration with ASIA in 2003. In the early years I dealt with distance support, I had the opportunity to go into the field and to "meet" Tibet, its people, its culture and its boundless spaces. Since 2009 I have been dealing with fundraising, organizing campaigns and initiatives to support projects and institutional activities. For some years I have been participating in the creation of socio-emotional education and well-being projects in schools, translating the values of the Buddhist tradition into paths of emotional growth and ethical education. The aspiration behind my work is to give Himalayan populations, economically fragile but rich in culture and spirituality, the opportunity to live with dignity and contribute to the evolution of our humanity.

Elisa Cappai

- Communication Manager

My name is Elisa and I have been collaborating with ASIA since 2023. I have a degree in Cultural Anthropology and a specialization in Communication and Digital Marketing. For several years I worked in the communication sector, particularly in publishing and culture, developing with a touch of creativity projects capable of bringing out the human side and values of the realities I collaborated with. I chose ASIA because I deeply believe in the strength of its mission: its passionate and rigorous approach won me over from the start. I am convinced that the Himalayan countries guard a unique and precious heritage for humanity, and my goal is to know it, tell it and contribute to keeping it alive.

Sonam Tsering (Kunga)

- Photo Archive Manager and Secretary

I am Kunga, artist and specialist of Tibetan culture. I have been working with ASIA for five years and deal with the promotion of Tibetan culture contributing to the organization of events (exhibitions, conferences, show cooking), and video production. I am also responsible for the Association's photo archive. For me it is a blessing to work with ASIA and with the vision of its founder Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, because I can contribute to preserving my culture and that of my ancestors... A very important gesture in this historical moment.

Long-distance sponsorship

Matteo Maglietti

- Long-distance sponsorship coordinator

I was born in Tuscany in 1989. After graduating in Modern and Contemporary History at the University of Florence, I began working as a project manager in the field of communications, with a particular focus on the intercultural and social dimension of projects. I coordinated communication projects in international contexts, collaborating with NGOs, institutional bodies, multinationals, and local organisations in countries such as Haiti, Chile, Madagascar, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, China, the United States, Canada, and several European nations.

Over the years I have developed skills in the management and operational coordination of international projects, with particular attention to administrative, financial, and organisational aspects. I have overseen complex activities involving the management of databases, financial reporting, and ongoing relations with local partners, clients, and institutions. At ASIA I am primarily responsible for the Long-Distance Sponsorship and Scholarship programme, overseeing both the relational aspect with donors and the planning and supervision of field activities and relations with educational institutions.