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The Founders

Dr Alessandra Buccheri – Art historian specialised in Italian Renaissance and Baroque, Alessandra studied in Florence and Pisa before going to the University of Oxford where she received her PhD. She has contributed extensively to Italian scholarship, having published books and articles in art journals and catalogues. Alessandra has now returned to her native and loved city Palermo, where she shares her knowledge and enthusiasm for Italian art and culture with those interested in discovering Sicily’s immense art heritage. She is currently a lecturer in History of Art at the Fine Art University of Palermo.

Caroline Chaumont -“I have been observing Sicily and its people for many years. I have gradually become attached to the roughness of its landscape, the softness of its gardens, the uniqueness of its culture and above all its people. This being said, I still have a critical eye, acutely seeing the many problems that make the island so particular”. This, in a nutshell, is how Caroline describes her relationship with Sicily. Caroline has a Master degree in Journalism from Columbia University, NY. She previously lived in Rome, Brussels, New York and Paris, where she worked as a print, radio and TV journalist. Caroline has worked for the BBC, CBC, Swiss TSR, France 3, La Croix and many other news publications.  Sicily is her new journalistic beat of which she explores the cultural, political and social aspects. Caroline is French.

Dr Gabriella Cianciolo – Born in Palermo, Gabriella is an architect and Researcher in History of Architecture and Architectural Conservation. She secured her Doctorate in History of Architecture at the University of Palermo, where she is now lecturing. Gabriella was awarded prestigious fellowships among which the Humboldt-Stiftung from the Technische Universität of Munich, and the Max-Planck from the Institut per la storia dell’arte, Biblioteca Hertziana, Rome. She has done research in Italy and abroad, including Germany, Spain and Switzerland, and is well published. Back in her native island, Gabriella continues her collaborative work with the Goethe institute and other academic institutions, and devotes herself to the promotion of quality tourism in Sicily through the activities of Passage to Sicily. Gabriella is one of the authors of the latest Italian Touring Club Guide of Sicily.

Dr Jean-Marie Schmitt – Jean-Marie studied in the United States, India and the UK. He received his PhD degree in Religious Studies from the University of Oxford. Having taught religious studies in English schools for two years, Jean-Marie made a life change in 2009, when he decided to move to Sicily.  Jean-Marie principally manages client services and is often involved in the development of new Sicily-based programmes.

Dr Trude Macrì - Trude holds a PhD in Early Modern History from the University of Palermo. Her doctorate thesis focuses on the history of Palermo. Trude also studied in Catania and Berlin, and worked on a variety of projects in Madrid and London. She now lectures at the University of Palermo. Trude is fluent in English and German, and published several essays about Sicily. Her passion for history and culture extends beyond her intimate knowledge of the island, and this is one of the reasons why she makes a great tour leader, allowing her to contextualize the information she shares with our guests. She loves any opportunity to share her knowledge and passion with others.

Dr Pierfrancesco Vecchio – A native of Italy, Pierfrancesco is a specialist of oriental Archeology, in particular of the Phoenician, Greek and Egyptian civilizations.  He holds a specialization diploma from the University of La Sapienza, Rome and a Ph.D from the University of the Republic of San Marino. Pierfrancesco works as an excavation supervisor and a consultant for Sicily’s Department of Archeological Heritage and the Whitaker Foundation. He led excavations in Mozia, Marsala and Pantelleria and collaborated with several American universities in particular the Northern Illinois and Stanford Universities on some excavation projects.

Dr Luna Figurelli - Luna is an art historian and archaeologist. She studied Classics and the History of both Ancient and Modern Art at the University of Palermo, and was awarded her PhD in “Classical Reception” at the University of Bristol, UK. Her main research interest is the Classical Tradition in the modern ages, especially as far as regards 19th century art. She has published work in Italian and English, and she currently teaches History of Sicilian Baroque (Cet Academic Programs, Catania). She is very passionate about the cultural and historical origins of Sicily, her homeland, and is eager to share her knowledge and thoughts with others.

Alessandra Cilio – Alessandra is a Sicilian archaeologist. She studied Humanities in Catania and is specialized in Classical Archaeology. Her main field of scientific research is the study of material culture in Sicily and Magna Graecia from the Archaic period to the Hellenistic one. She has carried out surveys and excavated in Siena, Sesto Fiorentino, Catania, Caltagirone and Piazza Armerina. Alessandra also worked as a consultant for didactic activities within the Archaeological Museum of Kamarina and the municipality of Vittoria. She currently collaborates with the University of Catania, producing documentaries and giving lectures on the communication of archaeology through the media. Alessandra is Assistant Professor within the Erasmus Intensive Programme “Archaeology’s places and contemporary uses” at the University of Catania.