Dr. Maria Michela Morese is Natural Resources Officer at FAO and Executive Secretary of the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP), which is based at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy, since 2006. She is also Project Coordinator of projects related to GBEP and to the implementation of its tools. Previously she worked for five years at the Italian Ministry for the Environment Land and Sea, where she was Assistant to the Director General in the D.G. International Relations Office and Italian focal point, as well as negotiator in various international environmental processes. Michela’s earlier assignments included acting as the Executive Assistant to the Italian Sous-Sherpa of the G8 at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the 2001 G8 Italian Presidency. She also gained experience working at WFP and IFAD focusing on human rights, food aid, sustainable development, disaster mitigation and security awareness. Michela holds a degree in Political Science, International Relations, a post graduate certificate in “International protection of fundamental human rights” from “La Sapienza” University in Rome, a Master in “Environmental Governance” from “La Tuscia” University in Viterbo and a PhD in Forest Ecology at “La Tuscia” University in Viterbo. Michela speaks Italian, English, French and Spanish.