Lia Quartapelle (UWC Atlantic College, 1999-2001) is an Italian MP of the Democratic Party (PD) since 2013 and the Party Leader of the Commission of Foreign and European Affairs of the House of Representatives. Her constituency is the City of Milan, where she won the primary elections in December 2012.

Her interest in foreign politics, cooperation and development permeated her academic and professional paths from the beginning, and her years at UWC Atlantic College were crucial in shaping her political ideals.

“The UWC Atlantic College experience is what defines me the most, even today in my role as member of the Italian Parliament for the city of Milan. At UWC AC I learnt that change is possible, that each one of us can make things happen” she said. “That is what makes me passionate about politics, that is the very place where you get a mandate from others to improve the ‘res publica’.

UWC AC also taught me how to get the best from people in a group: in order to change things, you need the energy of many others, and this is what I learnt at UWC AC and this is what I hope that the people working or volunteering with me learn day by day.”

Later on, Lia completed a Master’s degree in Economics at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London (2005) a PhD in Development Economics at the University of Pavia (2012). In 2007, she moved to Mozambique to work as an economist for the Italian Government. She then became a Research Associate at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) and taught Development Politics at the University of Pavia.