After a long career in the fields of IT and corporate organization, where she held roles as Program Manager and Head of Human Resources, Fiorella Ferrandino decided to devote herself fully to the welfare and protection of animals, bringing to the Foundation the professional skills she developed throughout her career.

She began a volunteer journey within the Foundation, during which she had the opportunity to deepen her understanding and appreciation of its mission, projects, and future goals. This experience led her to pursue a more structured and wide-ranging collaboration.

Her extensive background in managing complex projects, both in Italian and international contexts, enables her to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams characterized by strong cultural diversity.

​Always passionate about nature and animals, with a special interest in ethology and botany, Barbara has made her passion a profession.

After a stint as a volunteer in kennels and shelters in Italy and abroad, she has been working in the field of equine welfare and protection internationally since 2007. In 2009 she trained in the field of Animal Assisted Interventions, later specializing as a donkey coadjutor and managing targeted projects for people with special needs and children.

For 12 years she was head of the Italy office of the British association The Donkey Sanctuary, later becoming Director of all offices in Europe.

Graduated in International Economics and Finance at the University of Milan, she has been registered with the Chartered Accountants’ Register since 2018 and with the Statutory Auditors’ Register since 2019.

Specialized in management control, international reporting, and consultancy in international taxation, as well as in the Third Sector.

She initially gained experience in business consulting and financial planning (budgeting) at major companies in Luxembourg and Switzerland, before starting her career as a chartered accountant for important firms in Milan and Varese.

She holds positions as Statutory Auditor and Auditor in joint-stock companies, cooperatives, social enterprises, and foundations.

A dog trainer with 20 years’ experience in professional training for dog educators/instructors, AAA and TAA handlers and kennel operators; he has been a lecturer for major Italian dog schools with a cognitive zoo-anthropological approach and, for several years, for the training masters of the Faculties of Veterinary Medicine of Pisa and Parma. He is author of several essays and organiser of events at national level (Canile 3.0 – Il Cane a 360° – SOdiCANE).

She started working as a volunteer with the association Mondo Gatto Milano in 2010. From 2012 to 2018 she was a member of the Board of Directors and in 2020 she decided to become involved in the behavioural rehabilitation of cats considered problematic. She took part in numerous courses from international organisations such as International Cat Care, Battersea Academy, Cats Protection and Fear Free Shelters on feline behaviour and welfare, and she attended lectures at Mondogatto cattery run by a behaviourist with 20 years’ experience.