Joining Betsy and Christopher in Italy are four outstanding professionals, whose dedication and exuberance fuel this project daily.  Learn more about them at the Meet the Alpha Team.

Father Martin Claes  Den Haag, The Netherlands

Dutch Catholic priest, theologian, and musicologist currently finishing a doctoral dissertation on the relationship between St. Augustine and psychotherapy

Terri Cohn  San Francisco

American writer, curator, and art historian.  She is the author of hundreds of essays, interviews, reviews, and catalog essays, and has written for numerous journals over the years, including Sculpture, Places, Camerawork: A Journal of Photographic Arts, and Art Papers.  She has been a Contributing Editor to Artweek for almost two decades. Terri is visiting faculty at the San Francisco Art Institute. 

John Doffing  San Francisco

Art & technology entrepreneur. Founder of START SOMA, the CEO of START MOBILE, curator of the ART HOTEL in San Francisco. John firmly believes that ‘art should be for everyone,’ and his iconoclastic approach to curation has resulted in opportunities for emerging artists worldwide.  

Professor Eugeen Liven d'Abelardo   

Hilversum, The Netherlands & Auroville, India

Belgian composer & conductor, professor of Gregorian Chant at the University of Graz, Austria

Dr. Cecilia Mazzetti di Pietralata  Rome, Italy

Professor of Art History at the University of Rome La Sapienza, specializing in 17th Century artistic exchange between Italy and Northern Europe

Eric Mentzel   Eugene, United States

American tenor and music director, specializing in Medieval and Renaissance music. After many years in Köln, Germany, performing and recording internationally, he is currently professor of voice at the University of Oregon

Hans Nie Antwerpen, Belgium & Comino, Malta

Indonesian engineer and executive, retired from ExxonMobil where he was a Director of the Benelux organization.  He has held a number of senior positions in Europe and Asia Pacific.  Since retirement he has spearheaded and realized the major restoration of a Crusaders fort in Malta, built in 1618 by the Knights.

Adam Pollock Grosseto, Italy & London, England

British designer who founded and directed the Batignano Opera Festival for thirty years in a renovated convent in Tuscany.  Recently retired to resume concert production activities in London, his festival is an inspiring model of unpaid British opera professionals working together in an inspiring Italian location, to create innovative productions that toured internationally and began the careers of many stars of the British opera world.

Mel Prest San Francisco

American painter known for her exploration of color and geometric relationships, professor of painting, drawing, and color theory at California College of Art, San Francisco State University, and Mills College

Luca Racanicchi Calvi dell’Umbria

Native Calvese Italian geologist, Medieval musician, and Vice Mayor of Calvi dell’Umbria

Rebecca Spitzmiller Rome & Spoleto, Italy

American professor of international law at the University of Rome, visual artist, and longtime resident of Italy, she is active in Italian arts and cultural institutions and has generously taken on the role of legal advisor for our project.

Adam Wolfensohn  New York

American filmmaker, composer, and fund manager.   Recently produced climate-change film, Everything’s Cool and directs green investment for Wolfensohn & Co.  Accomplished flm and theatre composer, he serves as president of the board of directors of Bang on a Can, the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s trendsetting New Music series.

OPERATIONS

          Director of Programming:  Christopher Fülling

          Italian Liaison:   Rosaria Russo

          Business Plan & IT Manager:  Harald Kerres

          Business Consultants:  Nadine Kano & Hans Nie

          Accounting Consultants:  Luigi Zamorra & Edie Heller

PUBLICATIONS & PR

            Editor of Publications:  Betsy McCall

          Public Relations: Flavia Sabina Molea

          Graphic & Web Design: Peter Mühlfriedel

          PR Associate:  Achille Nicosia

          Webmaster:  Mitch Bechtell

          IT Consultant:  Aaron Davis

BUDGET & FUNDRAISING

           Director of Fundraising: Benjamin Baker

          Online Fundraising: Stephanie Selig

          Development Consultants:  Leah Hofkin, Dr. Pierre Theodore, G.Scott Clemons

          Italian Public Liaison: Daniela Falconi

          Marketing & Tour Manager: Mia Martin

          Marketing Consultant:  Matthew Acuff

           Grantwriting: Eric Martin

LEGAL

           Legal Entity Coordinator: Marije Nie

          Lawyers:  Michele Casimiro & Alessandro de Rosa, Spadafora & de Rosa

          International Law Consultant: Rebecca Spitzmiller

 

CALVI  RENOVATIONS

           Architect:  Martin Stubenrauch

          Calvi Liaison: Francesca Ausenda

          Consultants:  Kerstin Lullman, Stephen Simsic & Andrew Davis

          Sculpture: Pepe Ozan

          Fresco Painting: Kasi Kubiak

GARDEN

          Design: Tobias Bücher

          Historical Design Consultant: Dr. Cecilia Mazetti di Pietralata

          Organic Consultant: Paulo Lamicela

Nadine Kano , President

Seattle, United States

American computer scientist, director in marketing at Microsoft, and advisor on corporate retreats

Christopher Fülling, Vice-President 

Benjamin L. C. Baker, Secretary 

Dr. Pierre Theodore, Treasurer

San Francisco

Van Auken Chair in Thoracic Oncology and Assistant Professor of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery at University of California at San Francisco Medical Hospital, as well as Chief Exective Officer of Osler Properties Real Estate Consulting

Gavin Scott Clemons 

New York City

American investment banker, classicist, and book collector specializing in early Italian printing

Leah A. Hofkin

San Francisco

American Arts Administrator, Non-Profit Fundraiser, and Attorney.  Currently, Director of  Development, Magic Theatre, San Francisco.

Betsy McCall

  Contact:    Info (at) ArtMonastery (dot) org