Syracuse Florence’s highly qualified staff is committed to helping students make the most of their study abroad experiences in Florence.
Sasha Perugini
Program Director
Patrizia Aurilia
Business Office
Email: paurilia@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39 055-5031-326
Patrizia Aurilia is responsible for overseeing budget analyses and forecasts, data entry, and financial management.
Andressa Bavaresco
Student Support for Student Health and Wellness
Email: abavares@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39 055-5031-324
Andressa Bavaresco is responsible for student health and wellness services by helping students with the kinds of personal, social, and cultural concerns that can arise during their time in Italy.
Kevin BarnettKevin Barnett provides oversight for all technology operations in collaboration with and reporting to ITS and Syracuse Abroad. This includes technology architecture and design, hardware and software life-cycle management as well as the initiation of new projects. He is also responsible for ensuring compliance with data security and privacy regulations.
Olimpia Bozza
Internship Programs and Experiential Learning
Email: flrinternships@syr.edu; obozza@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39-055-5031-332
Olimpia Bozza is in charge of the Syracuse Florence Internship Program. She also handles matters related to course budgets and acquisitions for studio arts courses, and collaborates with the Field Studies Office on the Experiential Learning component of the Arts and Sciences program. She keeps the student 24/7 emergency phone on an occasional rotating basis.
Silvia Brandi
Field Studies Program
Email: florencefieldtrips@syr.edu; sbrandi@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39-055-5031-331
Silvia Brandi is in charge of planning, scheduling and budgeting field trips for Syracuse Florence’s I-Explore program and course-related field studies. She also handles budgets and logistics for the signature seminars and assists with faculty-led summer programs. She responds to field trip-related emergency calls on the dedicated field trip emergency cell phone.
Claudia Delli
Manager for Safety, Compliance, and Operations
Email: cdelli@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39-055-5031-337
Claudia Delli is responsible for ensuring compliance with all health and safety protocols relating to facilities and general operations throughout the Syracuse Florence campus, including oversight and enforcement of student health and welfare protocols; she also keeps the student 24/7 emergency phone on an occasional rotating basis throughout the semester.
Jennifer Haag
Assistant to the School of Architecture
Email: jrhaag@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39-055-5031-345
Jennifer Haag handles budget transactions and bookkeeping operations for the Architecture department in cooperation with the Business Manager. She is responsible for organizing the architecture field study trips, cataloging new acquisitions, and maintaining updated files in the Faculty Research Library. She also coordinates office operations and building maintenance for the Architecture Studios.
Sylvia Hetzel
Library Coordinator and Web Content Administrator
Email: syhetzel@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39-055-5031-359
Sylvia Hetzel is responsible for all library operations, including collections management, research and reference assistance to faculty and students, and resource loans and returns. She oversees Syracuse Florence’s Villa Rossa Archive and makes content updates to the website.
Melanie Honour
Student Life Advisor
Email: mchonour@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39-055-5031-321
Melanie Honour provides general information and support to students in the Student Life Office, including scheduling students’ doctor appointments and taking sign-ups for student life activities. As a member of the student emergency network, she keeps the student 24/7 emergency phone on an occasional rotating basis.
Fabio Landi
Network Systems Assistant
Email: flandi@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39-055-5031-329
Fabio Landi assists the IT manager with maintaining the school’s extensive computer network and technical operations.
Silvia Landi
Building Maintenance
Email: slandi@syr.edu
Silvia Landi is responsible for campus mail distribution, classroom and equipment upkeep, cleaning and maintenance services, and receptions for special events.
Zama Mbense
Community Engagement Consultant
Email: zmbense@syr.edu
Roberta Mugelli
Housing Office Assistant
Email: rmugelli@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39-055-5031-328
Roberta Mugelli assists with the placement of students in Italian homestays and apartments. She acts as the primary liaison with host families and each semester organizes and leads a student-host weekend excursion.
Gelso Sassonia
Facilities & Grounds Maintenance
Email: gsassoni@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39-055-5031-337
Gelso Sassonia assists with the upkeep of Syracuse Florence’s building and grounds as well as with audiovisual equipment operations and maintenance.
Rachael Smith
Academic Manager
Email: rsmith81@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39 055 5031322
Rachael Smith is the Academic Manager responsible for coordinating academic operations and ensuring they run smoothly. She liaises closely with the Student Life and administrative teams, as well as providing support to faculty and students.
Erika Soncin
Assistant to the Director
Email: esoncin@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39 055-5031-336
Erika Soncin provides administrative assistance to the director, including appointment scheduling, visitor itineraries, and events organization and promotion.
Kamila Subko
Human Resources Administrator
Email: ksubko@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39 055-5031-333
Kamila Subko is responsible for overseeing HR administration tasks and people management focusing on communication and effective teamwork.
Michelle Tarnopolsky
Academic Office Assistant
Email: mtarnopo@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39 055-5031-381
Michelle Tarnopolsky provides program assistance to the Academic Office and is the lead staff member for program-related publications.
Bob Vallier
Curriculum and Pedagogy Specialist
Email: rvallier@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39-055-5031-386
Bob Vallier has a D.E.A. from the Université de Paris and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from DePaul University, where he also served as the Assistant Director of the Honors Program. He previously worked with international programs in Paris, where he taught courses in Philosophy and the Humanities at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences-Po), the Sorbonne, and Columbia University in Paris. At Syracuse University Florence, he is responsible for curricular development and pedagogy and teaches the CAS200 Mapping Italy course.
Alessandro Verri
Front Desk and Logistics Support
Email: averri@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39-055-5031-320
Alessandro Verri works at the front desk of Villa Rossa providing logistical information and assistance to students and visitors. He oversees the SU Florence soccer team and keeps the student 24/7 emergency phone team on an occasional rotating basis.
Jessica Volpe
Assistant Director for Student Life
Email: jbvolpe@syr.edu
Work Phone: +39-055-5031-327
Jessica oversees staff and operations within the Student Life team, including the Student Life Office, Health and Wellness, Community Engagement, and Housing. She is responsible for semester planning, budgeting, and housing protocols in collaboration with the business, risk management, and SUAbroad offices. She coordinates arrivals and orientation and serves as backup to Emergency Team staff outside of office hours. She also keeps the student 24/7 emergency phone on an occasional rotating basis during the semester.