ST Foundation talks: meet Claudia Angelini, our Country Manager in Italy
Welcome to the sixth edition of ST Foundation Talks, a series connecting you with the inspiring individuals leading ST Foundation initiatives around the world. In this series, we interview our dedicated Country Managers to learn more about their journeys, challenges, and the positive impact they are making in their communities.
Today, Claudia Angelini, our Country Manager for Italy shares her story.
Can you tell us a little about yourself? Where are you from, and what’s your background?
I was born in Rome but have spent most of my life in Lombardy. I’ve always been drawn to science and especially to how mathematics can help us understand the physical world, so I chose to study Electronic Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Milan.
I started my career at Siemens TLC, working on digital electronic circuits for radio link modems and becoming specialized in modulation algorithms. After that, I joined STMicroelectronics, where I’ve been for 27 years, holding various technical and managerial roles, including over 15 years in product program management for the automotive sector. In 2012, I also obtained the PMP® certification from the Project Management Institute.
Outside of work, I volunteer with the Civil Protection Department in Cavenago di Brianza (Italy) and with the ST Foundation. Since 2022, I’ve had the privilege of serving as the ST Foundation Country Leader for Italy, working to promote and grow the Foundation’s activities across the country.
What brought you to the ST Foundation? Was there a specific moment or experience that inspired you to join?
During the pandemic, I started volunteering for the ST Foundation because I wanted to support teachers struggling with distance learning. I created an Italian tutorial for an application called LiveWorksheets, which helped them assign homework remotely with automatic self-correction.
When the Foundation later opened a position for an Italian Country Manager, I applied right away. I already had many ideas on how to better organize and expand volunteer activities in Italy, and this role felt like the ideal opportunity to turn those ideas into concrete actions.
What does your role as a country manager involve? What does a typical day look like for you?
As Country Manager, I help facilitate and coordinate employee volunteering, proposing local initiatives that can really make a difference. A key part of my role is building and managing partnerships with institutions, schools, universities, NGOs and other foundations, making sure there is trust, good collaboration and smooth day‑to‑day coordination.
I also try to use innovative technologies to amplify the Foundation’s impact. I work on recruiting, engaging and retaining ST volunteers, using different communication channels, surveys, meetings and constant dialogue with our coordinators.
Another important aspect is promoting the ST Foundation’s activities as a real added value for all stakeholders, in close synergy with the Italian ST sites, to strengthen our reputation locally. I regularly report on actions, results and challenges, and I actively communicate our projects through ST’s social and internal channels to increase visibility and reinforce employees’ sense of belonging.
All this makes the role very rich in content: the variety of activities and responsibilities is exactly what makes it both challenging and fascinating.
What’s the most rewarding part of your work with the ST Foundation?
This year we took part in – and won – the prestigious Terzjus Award 2025 Volontari@Work (read the full story about the Award here) with our project dedicated to digital education in Italian penitentiary institutions (read a recent story here)
This Italian award is promoted by the Terzjus Foundation, with the support of the Ministry of Labour and UnionCamere. I was very proud to present the ST Foundation project during the award ceremony, which took place in April at the Italian House of Parliament in Rome. Among the other winning companies, in different categories, were Edison, Unicredit, KPMG, Avio Aero, and Lavazza.
Winning first prize for qualified volunteering is an exceptional recognition of our commitment. It also helps us broaden our network with key players in the third sector and with institutions. For us, it’s truly an extraordinary achievement.
What are some of the unique challenges you face in your country, and how do you approach them?
One of the first challenges I faced was launching the Foundation’s activities in Campania, where we had no active partnerships and no volunteers. I started by contacting the Volunteer Service Center (CSV) for the Naples metropolitan area, introducing the ST Foundation and agreeing on a joint call for proposals. Thanks to their extensive network of third sector organizations (ETS), we were able to identify partners interested in our basic IT courses.
At the same time, I met with ST’s top management at the Marcianise and Arzano sites to present my strategy for developing corporate volunteering in the region and to ask for their support in engaging volunteers. Their response was extremely positive: since then, the number of volunteers has steadily grown to 33, along with the range of activities and partnerships in Campania (read about a recent project in Campania here).
How do you connect with local communities and partners to make an impact?
To build connections with external organizations, I decided to adopt multiple approaches. We communicate and promote our work through our website, newsletters, social media, word of mouth from volunteers, and by sharing our initiatives through articles and storytelling.
We also take part in third-sector events, speak at CSR webinars, and submit our projects for corporate volunteering awards. Thanks to all this, many organizations have discovered the ST Foundation and shown interest in our activities in Italy.
Of course, every contact then needs to be followed up and nurtured to keep the collaboration alive. This is one of the reasons why a country manager’s day truly never ends!
What keeps you motivated in challenging moments?
Despite the many commitments that come with running the Foundation in Italy, what really keeps me going with enthusiasm are the more entrepreneurial aspects of the role: the freedom to take initiative, to shape strategies, to enrich our offer and improve the quality of our courses, and the variety of topics we deal with.
I also feel very close to a quote from Steve Jobs that sums up my approach:
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
How do you see the ST Foundation’s work evolving in Italy in the coming years?
Ours is an operational foundation, and through the Digital Unify program, we address the digital divide with a wide range of courses and tools (computer courses, tablet courses, programming courses, etc.).
Our goal was, and remains, to combat digital illiteracy in the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.
I believe artificial intelligence is the next frontier we need to address. It risks creating an even bigger gap between those who know how to use it and those who don’t. For this reason, it’s essential for the Foundation to step in: we already have the skills, we just need to channel them into initiatives that make AI understandable and truly useful for people with limited IT skills.
Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing? How do you recharge and stay balanced?
I love playing sports with my family; especially skiing in winter and trekking whenever we can escape to the mountains.
