Lorenzo is a researcher and cultural practitioner working at the intersection of cultural policy, creative industries, and youth engagement. He holds a PhD in Economic Geography and Regional Science with visiting experience at King’s College London, and is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Chieti-Pescara. Alongside his academic work, Lorenzo is Founder and President of Quindici19, a youth-driven cultural association that curates Duemila30, an international film festival and residency on social impact storytelling. He also collaborates with KEA European Affairs. His work combines hands-on cultural management with research on inclusion, innovation, and transnational collaboration, with a strong focus on empowering young people and fostering dialogue across borders.

Aline, a curious passionate about art and culture. Currently donning the hat of a consultant at KEA, she supports research, project management and communication roles. Armed with a background in cultural economics and management, her journey weaves through the creative sector. Before the KEA chapter, Aline delved into the worlds of creative start-ups, artists’ studios, and research on cultural policy, specifically exploring avenues to nurture creative entrepreneurship and forge public-private partnerships for cultural heritage.

María is a PhD candidate in Archaeology at the University of Cambridge, specialising in heritage studies, memory politics, and cultural diplomacy. Her doctoral thesis will examine how state actors make use of heritage restitutions to actively recontextualise contested historical figures and reshape collective memory. Through this project, she aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of why state actors engage in acts of atonement beyond cultural diplomacy. Her OOC AHRC DTP studentship is co-funded by Jesus College. María received her MA in Cultural Heritage Studies from Central European University (Vienna) in 2024. Alongside her academic studies, she has gained practical experience as a staff member of the restitution department at Christie's, and the international department at the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, as well as a researcher on European cultural policies at KEA European Affairs. María is originally from Bilbao, Spain, and speaks Spanish, German, English and French. 

Federica, Post-doc at Iuav Venice is a researcher and consultant at KEA European Affairs. She is contributing to studies on culture, innovation, new media, and the impact of cultural and creative industries. Federica has an economic background and quantitative competencies in research methodologies. 

Rhian is a junior researcher and consultant at KEA, where she supports the team’s work in cultural policy and EU research projects. She holds an MA in Arts Management and a BA in European Studies and Politics from University College Cork. Her research interests focus on the interplay between cultural policy, equality, and spatial planning, and she has professional experience across the contemporary art, museum, and heritage sectors in Ireland and abroad.