Board of Directors 2009/2010
President
Barbara Cornell
I was born in the United States but
moved to France when I was 13 and
stayed there until I returned for
college. It was my introduction to
the magic of living internationally,
and I have been fortunate to repeat
that magic again and again. I received a degree in journalism
and political science and worked for nine years as a daily
newspaper reporter, covering everything from T-shirt fashions
to nuclear power plant construction. Eventually I became an
investigative reporter and was nominated twice for the Pulitzer
Prize, the country's most prestigious journalism award. With
my two boys, Jacob and Paul, almost ready for college, I've
started to write again. My husband, Ian Simpson, is also a
journalist who works as a correspondent for the Thomson
Reuters news agency. Because of his work, we have lived in
Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Brazil, New York City, Lisbon,
and now here. When I found out we were moving to Milan in
2006, one of the first things I did was contact the Benvenuto
Club. It was a great decision. I have met so many fun and
dynamic women and learned many ways to love my new city
and country. I became our club's Federation of American
Women's Clubs (FAWCO) representative in 2008 and am
honored and excited to serve as the incoming president for
2009-2010.
Vice President
Ida Gnecchi
I was brought up abroad; I have lived in
Switzerland, Eritrea, Morocco, Algeria and
Ethiopia. I was an Administrator and volunteer
in the educational system for 5 years before
getting married in 1982. My husband Tomaso, a
Milanese, is a cardiologist and researcher. We
have 4 children living in Milan and in England.
I am a Lawyer with a European and international
law degree and with a specialization in the tourism economy. I
joined the Benvenuto Club in the early nineties to take part of the
Moms and Tots group and in 2001 I served as the Membership
Director for the club. I served and reported a warrant from the
Guides Association in London in 1998, I have a certificate for the
Montessori E.T.S.L.(teaching English as a second language), and
I also took up studies in the music business. Now I am an active
member for the Board of an Institution of the Universita Statale
Law school and for a non-profit legal Association of Solicitors
and Barristers in Milan.
I love music and I avidly attend the concerts held during the day
during the winter and spring seasons with my friends from the
Club which we have formed the “Morning Concerts” since 2002.
I also like to write when the emotions strike. I plan to serve as an
active member as the Vice-President for the Benvenuto Club with
all of my love and commitment.
Secretary
Rebecca (Becky) Frey
I am American with an American husband. I
have been living in Milan for over 3 years and
living out of the USA for 12 years, previously located in
Moscow, Russia and Barcelona, Spain. My husband’s
employment with Hines, an international real estate
developer, has been the source of our relocations. Our
family is complete with our daughter Audra, age 25 years,
currently living and working in Houston, Texas. I am a
registered nurse with work experiences in hospitals,
physician offices, and university settings in my previous
life before starting our overseas adventure. The past 12
years has been a wonderful composite of living history,
traveling, and meeting wonderful people from many
countries around the world. Being involved with
Benvenuto has been special in assisting me to integrate into
the Italian lifestyle. Volunteering to be Secretary is my
way of giving back to Benvenuto.
Newcomers Director
Monika Golan
I am German and was born in Colon in
1962. I graduated from the University in
Pharmacy but I must confess that my path
of my university days was not so straight
forward and it took me a while to actually
realize that I really wanted to study. So,
before actually getting into the
pharmaceutical industry, I studied and worked in other fields.
Once there, I worked 15 years as an export manager, product
manager, key account manager and as medical representative for
companies like Bayer (Germany) and Pfizer (USA).
With my experiences outside of Germany; living in Switzerland
and Hungary helped me to understand the problems of being a
foreigner in another country. I have now followed my husband to
Italy and have become a "long term" foreigner. My husband is
Jewish, born in Bolivia and grew up in Israel and Switzerland.
I am studying the Italian language very hard now and am enjoying
very much the language exchange opportunities I am receiving
from the Benvenuto Club. I am totally dedicated to take up the
opportunity to become the Newcomers Director and am looking
forward to helping our new members warm up to Italy and to our
club.
Special Activities Director
Maria Pia Dolci
I am Maria Pia Dolci, wife of one, mother
of three, grandmother of four and I hope
and wish to be a friend of all the Benvenuto
Club members.
I was born in Egypt and spent the first
eighteen years of my life in different
countries, my father being a bank
manager often transferred abroad; the longest stay was five
years in Istanbul. Even if I am “100 percent Piedmontese“, I
spent long times far from that region: Now I have been living in
Milan for many years.
I graduated in sociology at the University of Turin and also
studied with a Fulbright scholarship at the Western Reserve
University of Cleveland (Ohio). My studies made me work in the
adoption field, both for Italian and international adoptions.
Since I left my job and my children were self-reliant I had more
time for myself and for my hobbies: bridge, trips, etc.
Being a newcomer at Benvenuto – I belong to the Club since last
October- I feel very proud to have been asked to serve as
Special Activities Director and I hope with your suggestions to
find interesting opportunities for us all.
Membership Director
Annagiulia Tranchini
I was born in Toscana where I still go
from time to time. As many of you
know, it is a place one can not easily
blot out. Now I have been living in Milan
for many years. I have four daughters
and seven grandchildren and I am now a very proud greatgrandmother
of Arianna. As soon as my daughters were at school, I
started to study again to get a university degree in lingue letterature
straniere, and the proficiency certificate of Cambridge. I also lived
for a short while in Somerset at the University of Bath, and
Cambridge. I have been a professional teacher of English literature
in a school of regione Lombardia dedicated to the young with family
or social/ penal problems.
My family and I often spend the weekends in our house in
Monferrato, near Asti, where we have the occasion to share the
richness of such a large family. I owe a lot to Benvenuto club
which has a special meaning for all of us especially for the occasions
it offers in terms of friendship, sharing personal experience
and culture. I have been member of the Benvenuto club board
as special activities director in the past and I am here again trying
to be of some help to Benvenuto club. I just hope to handle the job
adequately and ask for collaboration and assistance.
Public Relations Director Events
Carla Cases
I am pleased to accept the position of PR DIR Events and will
do my job faithfully and with responsibility. My name is Carla
Cases, I'm Italian, my husband is also Italian: We have two
grown up children. I've a degree in French (lettere e filosofia). I
speak French, English and Spanish. My interests are playing
golf, horses, travels, computer and films made by myself. I
was vice President and treasurer for Orientals Abroad.
Community Services Director
Gianna Campo
I was born in a very small village near Syracuse, Sicily. I am Italian although I consider myself a citizen
of the world. I left Italy at 9 months old, destination, USA, South Africa, Germany, Iran, Spain, Portugal
and then back to the USA. I’ve always attended British and American schools. I graduated from Regis
College in Boston with a degree in English Literature, and I got married there too. My childhood dream
was to marry a “Romano de Roma” so I could finally settle down, which I did, but, alas! He was a bank
manager and so off I went again with my suitcases. I have much knowledge of Italy and Italians but the
funny part of all of this is, is that I’ve always been considered a foreigner here. I first joined the
Benvenuto Club in 1975, and then I rejoined in 2003 – this time for good. I feel like a real Milanese now
since this is the city where I’ve lived the longest. I am interested in art, history and theology. I love cooking, dancing, singing, having
fun and last but not least, meeting friends from all over the world! I am now also a proud grandmother. I was the Community Services
Director in 2005-06 and also served as President in 2006/07. I’m looking forward to continuing serving the Club, and hope to
give my very best.
Editor
Anna Rowsell
I was born in Holland and lived in
Italy, Germany and England too. I
got a degree in French and Italian at
Sussex University and stayed on in
England to gain my post-graduate
certificate in Marketing. I worked for
a financial firm in London till my
marriage, at which point I became a full-time mother with 3
step-children. We moved to Milan in August 2006 as we
wanted our two girls, Isabella & Venetia, to get to know
Italy, my mother is Italian. The girls go to a Montessori
school at present, though my eldest starts a scuola Media
in September. In August 2008 the family increased with the
birth of Arianna, many of you will have met her at Main
Coffee. I am looking forward to my third year of editing
the Benvenuto Magazine and to come up with new
ideas for it!
Treasurer
Mari-Louise Hedbys
I was born in south of Sweden 44 years ago.
I’m a new member of Benvenuto Club and
have lived with my family in Milano only for 7
months now. I moved here with my husband
(also Swedish) and our two teenage children,
both attending the American School of Milan.
We lived some years ago in Czech Republic,
Prague so this is our second experience of
living abroad.
I studied economics at the University of Sweden and after graduation,
I have been working in several different fields such as; currency
trading, controlling and accounting. I have also had positions as CFO
in a few companies in Sweden. When moving to Italy, I left my latest
position as a Business Controller in a shipping company which
actually has some Italian connections.
At the moment I’m studying Italian twice a week and am really
enjoying learning a new language again. Besides English, I have
studied German. I have also learned some French and Czech
although it would be too much to say that I could speak any of them.
I love spending time outdoors and Italy has got the perfect location for
me with the Alps and the sea nearby. I try to stay active and enjoy
skiing, biking, swimming and going to the gym.
I think that I can contribute the most to Benvenuto Club by offering my
services as Treasurer. As you can understand from my profile, this is
something that I have spent my entire professional life with and also
something that I enjoy doing very much.
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