Francesca Barco joined the Pacific Institute as a communication intern in July 2018. At the Institute, she helps with social media monitoring and web editing, and provides general support for the Pacific Institute communication team.
Francesca received a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from the University of Westminster and a Master’s in Crisis and Security Management from the University of Leiden, where she researched the practical aspects of resilience in the realm of crisis management. She says this research made her curious about water-related resilience issues. “I’m particularly interested in the relationship between water and poverty and water and conflict,” she explains. “Ensuring clean water access for all communities is fundamental to building resilience to climate change.”
Francesca currently assists the Institute remotely from China, where she teaches ESL to kindergarteners, as well as from her home town of Sandrigo, in Italy. In her free time, she says you’ll find her “overcoming endless jet lag and planning my next adventure — which must always include a stint at a karaoke bar.”