Graduated in Agricultural Sciences, “summa cum laude”, at University of Bari in 1993, in 1994 she obtained a MA in European Property Development and Planning at Polytechnic University of Turin, and in 1997 a PhD in Agricultural Engineers at University of Basilicata (1997).

In 2000 she became Assistant professor of Agricultural Economics at Faculty of Economics (University of Foggia) where from 1997 she is Associate professor of Agricultural economics and rural appraisal.

She currently teaches “Agricultural Economics and Rural Development Policy” at the Bachelor Degree in Economics, and “Internationalization and competitiveness of the agri-food system” at the Master Degree in Marketing Management, Department of Economics, University of Foggia.

Her research interests range from Organizational models in the agro-food sector and Food quality to Social capital and Rural development, with a special focus on LEADER approach and Social Network Analysis. Recently, she is investigating Participatory Approaches to outline rural development strategies.

She has published on several international journals such as Ecological Economics, Journal of Cleaner Production, Futures, Journal of Rural Studies, Land Use Policy, European Countryside, New Medit and so on.

She is member of the Editorial Board of European Countryside, Open Agriculture, Problems of Agricultural Economics and Research Journal of Environmental Sciences.