Mara Pitaccolo, Senior Project Manager at R&D Project Unit, Strategic Planning and Development Dept. of the Northern Adriatic Sea Port Authority, has 20+ yrs experience of monitoring EU policies, developing and managing EU funded projects, particularly for the promotion of sustainable and intermodal transport. From 2012 to 2017 she was Head of Cabinet of former President and former Ministry of Transport, Prof. Paolo Costa, where she has been responsible for negotiating supporting him in lobbying activities for the Port of Venice to be included in the main national and European Operative Programmes and scouting infrastructure projects with investments funds.

She was in charge for coordination of activities of the North Adriatic Ports Association and Assistant to Prof. Costa on Trilateral High Level Group on Energy and Transport in liason with Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Ministries of Transport  of Italy, Slovenia and Croatia in 2014.

She holds a Degree in development and cooperation from Trieste University (2005), a MSc in Public Management, Bocconi University in Milan (2006), a Master in Supply Chain management from IUAV University, Faculty of Spatial Planning, Venice (2012).