First name: Laura Surname: Todaro

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Laura Todaro

Education
2010-2014: MPhil/PhD student in European Studies – European Institute - LondonSchool of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Thesis Topic
Determining variation and effects in the implementation of European Cohesion Policy Additionality Principle
Supervisors: Dr. Vassilis Monastiriotis. Dr Joan Costa – i – Font
2006-2008: Masters Degree in "Public policies and local development, governability and integration processes”. Grade 110/110 – Centre for Political Studies Pedro Arrupe (Palermo – Italy) University of Palermo (Italy), University of Deusto ( Bilbao - Spain).
2000 – 2006: Degree: Science of Communication. Grade 110/110 cum laude
University of Palermo (Italy)
Work experience
September 2007 – present
Researcher / Policy Consultant atLondonSchool of Economics - LSE Enterprise
Specialist Areas
European Regional and Cohesion policy, Multilevel Governance, Lisbon Strategy EU 2020, European Policy and Decision making, Local Development Policies, Territorial Marketing and Foreign Direct Investment.
Responsibilities
  • Desk work research and Fieldwork research activities
  • Developing research design and research qualitative tools for academic and consultancy purposes
  • Drafting application projects in response to EU/other donors calls for proposal
  • Cooperating to manage a number of innovative projects involving planning, organising, budgeting, and applying for EU funds.
  • Building new alliances with other research centres and public institutions through conference, public events and project consortia
  • Liaising between institute and network members in Italy and abroad, maintaining and building new relationships on a daily basis.
Evaluation of the main achievements of Cohesion Policy programmes and projects over
the longer term in 15 selected regions (from 1989-1993 programming period to the present)
2011 –2012
Name of role: Researcher and fieldwork activity coordinator. (Basilicata Region)
  • Carrying out a literature review on Cohesion Policy and Basilicataregion
  • Analysis of Cohesion Policy programming and evaluation report documents
  • Support to collect data on region profiling
  • Collecting and analyzing data on Structural funds expenditure and level of absorption
  • Field work activity in Basilicataanalyzing the support of European Cohesion Policy (identifying and interviewing key actors at Community, national and regional levels)
  • Reporting evidence and conclusion
European Commission, DG Regio
Social and Cohesion Policy Unit - LSE Enterprise
Study on Sustainable Regeneration in Suburbs- promoting social integration in deprived
neighbourhoods through housing interventions by the European Regional Development
Fund.
2011 –2012
Name of role: Researcher and fieldwork activity coordinator. (Piedmont Region)
European Commission, DG Regio
Social and Cohesion Policy Unit - LSE Enterprise
“The perverse Effects of Multi-Level Governance and Partnership Principle. Evidence from the Italian experience” edited by Simona Milio- paper presentation.
Workshop on MLG and partnership in EU Cohesion Policy. Vienna.
October 2011 – November 2011
Name of role: Researcher
Workshop on MLG and partnership in EU Cohesion Policy. Vienna.
Educational training course for Civil Servant on the management of the European Cohesion policy and Structural Funds - Elaboration of the syllabus and course contents
March 2011- May 2011
Name of role: Researcher and class assistant
Palermo, Sicilian Region Department of Public Function
The Impact of the Single Market on Cohesion: Implications for Cohesion Policy. Growth and Competitiveness.
  • Carried out a literature review of the impact of the Single Market and economic and monetary integration on convergence
  • Field work activity in Spainanalyzing the support of European Cohesion Policy on Lisbon Strategy and EU2020.
  • Contributed to a report addressing policy linkage between European Cohesion Policy and Lisbonstrategy
  • Content analysis of Cohesion Policy programming documents
June 2010 – November 2011
Name of role: Researcher and Coordination of the Spanish case studies
Brussels, European Commission. DG Regio
LSE Enterprise
Ex - post evaluation of the European Social Fund 2000- 2006
  • Elaboration of the methodological and evaluation approach
  • Desk analysis of programming documents, analysis of resources and expenditure, individuation of best practices on gender issues in different regions of the European Union, results’ analysis and elaboration of reports.
  • Management and coordination of the on-field work group, participation in the Steering Committee meetings at DG Employment.
December 2008- December 2010
Name of role: Co- Coordinator and Researcher
Brussels European Commission. DG Employment
Esoc – Lab.LondonSchool of Economics/ LSE Enterprise
CORI – International Collaborative Project with University of Palermo.
  • Researcherin a academic project: “Business venture, human and social capital: empirical profiles, trends and experiences in Sicily”.,
February 2009 – December 2011.
Name of role: Researcher
University of Palermo
Analysis and evaluation of development policies and public interventions.
Research title: “Capacity building processes for the governance of development policies. Analysis and Impact of institutional performance”. Elaboration and development the methodological and evaluation approach, participation at fieldwork case studies and report elaboration.
  • Elaboration of research design and research tool
  • Fieldwork activity in Puglia and Sardiniaregions
  • Analysis of findings
  • Writing of report and conclusions
January-December 2009.
Name of role: Researcher and Coordinator of fieldwork activities
Department of Development and Cohesion Policies
Italian Ministry of Economic Development,
KARMA@PA: Knowledge, Accompagnamento, Ricerca, Monitoraggio, Assistenza per la Pubblica Amministrazione.
  • Organization and evaluation of educational courses relating to research, development and innovation for Italian civil servants.
  • Coordination of activities for the evaluation work group.
  • Monitoring, evaluating and auditing activities.
  • Development of context analysis for the regional work project.
September 2007 – June 2009
Name of role: Researcher and co – coordinator of training and fieldwork activities.
Italian Ministry of Research and University.
Esoc – Lab.LondonSchool of Economics
The FDI and the economic development: the role of the investment Promotion Agencies.
Analyses of current international trends of foreign direct investments. Study on the variables which determine enterprises’ investments. Analysis of FDI impacts in the hosting and investor countries.
February 2008
Name of role: Researcher
Effetto regione in Basilicata: Le sinergie dello Sviluppo.
Analysis and comparative study of the Regional Operative Programmes 2000-2006 within the Italian Obj.1 Regions to understand the relation between SF implementation capacity and regional development. Basilicata Region February 2008.
February 2008
Name of role: Research Assistant – Data Collection
Esoc – Lab.LondonSchool of Economics
Territorial Marketing Programme for the Province of Messina
Programma di marketing e animazione territoriale della Provincia di Messina
Territorial and dynamic benchmark analysis for the Messina Development Agency aimed at identifying the best model of governance for the Agency through the study of European good practices.
September 2007 – December 2008.
Name of role: Research Assistant
Province of Messina
Language Skills
  • Italian: Mother tongue
  • English: proficient. CambridgeUniversity: IELTS International English Language Test. Punctuation: 7 - CambridgeUniversity, ESOL - English for Speakers of the Other Languages Certificate. Level II
  • Spanish: proficient –Cervantes Institute, Diploma DELE - Diplomas Español come Lengua Extranjera. Advanced Level.
Computer Skills
  • Excellent Knowledge of operative systems Microsoft, Mac Os X – Panther and Leopard
  • Applications: Word - Excel - Power Point.
  • Good Knowledge of media content analysis software (i.e. Atlas.ti)