Board of directors

Born in 1968 in Cassino (province of Frosinone), Alfonso Cantone earned his Law degree from the University of Campobasso in 1998 and qualified as a lawyer in 2002, registering with the Bar Association of Isernia.

He has collaborated with the Faculty of Law in Cassino (FR) as a subject expert and currently serves as a subject expert and examination board member in Ecclesiastical Law at the Faculty of Law of "Unicusano" University.

A long-time practicing lawyer specializing in civil law, he has held numerous legal consultancy positions over the years.

He previously served as a legal consultant for the Neuromed I.R.C.C.S., focusing on European laws and directives related to Public Veterinary Health, animal welfare, and animal experimentation, and for Innomed s.r.l., where he provided expertise on regulations for the housing of small animals.

In 2010, he was appointed Independent Member of the Board of Directors of ARENA SPA, a company listed on the Italian Stock Exchange.

In 2008, he was elected Municipal Councilor in his hometown of Venafro (IS), serving as Deputy Mayor from 2009 to 2012 with responsibility for the Municipal Police and Agriculture. Re-elected in 2013 as Councilor in Venafro, he served until June 2018. Re-elected once again in 2018, he was later elected Provincial Councilor of the Province of Isernia in March 2019. He resigned from both roles in mid-October 2020.

On October 16, 2020, he was appointed Member of the Board of Directors of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale”. He was reconfirmed in this role by Decree of the President of the Abruzzo Region No. 17 of March 17, 2021, and has served as President of the Institute since March 30, 2021.

Pietro Enzo Di Giulio was born in Giulianova (province of Teramo) in 1959. After earning his degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Perugia, he completed a one-year postgraduate course in Public Veterinary Health and Health Legislation at the same university.

Since 1992, he has worked as a freelance veterinary practitioner, primarily in the livestock sector, while also providing care for companion animals. After completing the specialist training course “Development of Self-Control Systems in Food Companies” at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise (IZSAM), he also began providing consultancy to agri-food businesses in the implementation of HACCP self-control systems.

Over the years, he has collaborated with the local health authorities (ASL), the Provincial Farmers’ Association (APA), the University of Teramo (UNITE), and with IZSAM itself. He has also gained experience in public administration and in the management of public and private institutions through a wide range of roles: COBAR (Base Representation Council) representative at the Military Health School in Florence and COIR (Intermediate Representation Council) representative for the Emilia Romagna and Tuscany Military Regions; President of the Provincial Union of Freelance Professionals; Treasurer of the Veterinary Medical Council of the Province of Teramo; Provincial Councilor in Teramo; Municipal Councilor in Roseto degli Abruzzi (TE); Vice President of the Provincial and Regional Breeders’ Associations; and Member of both the Steering Council and Executive Committee of the Higher Technical Institute for New Technologies in the Agri-Food Sector “Made in Italy” in Teramo.

He served as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale” from 27 March 2017 to 4 December 2019, appointed by the Italian Ministry of Health. On 17 March 2021, he was appointed again to the new Board of Directors of the Institute, by decree of the President of the Abruzzo Region (No. 17 of 17 March 2021), and has served as Board Member since 30 March 2021.

Always deeply committed to social causes, he has held several leadership positions within AISM, the Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association, from Provincial President to member of the National Executive Board. He remains an active member of the association.

Born in Rieti in 1955, Gaetana Ferri earned her degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Perugia in 1979, graduating with top marks (110/110 cum laude). She went on to specialize in Inspection of Food of Animal Origin at the University “Federico II” of Naples in 1982, and in Microbiology at “La Sapienza” University of Rome in 1986.

Her training includes numerous courses and internships in veterinary public health and food safety, both in Italy and abroad, as well as a Master's degree in Health Economics and Management from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Tor Vergata in Rome.

Her professional career began in 1980 with veterinary work in the Lazio Region, where she assisted in state-mandated disease prevention and served as a substitute veterinary officer at the public abattoirs of Rieti and Rome. In March 1981, she entered the Ministry of Health’s Directorate-General for Veterinary Services after winning a public competition, initially focusing on animal experimentation, control of infectious animal diseases, and the protection of companion animals. In 1986, she became Acting Head of Division II – International Relations within the Directorate.

From 1987 to 1993, she served as a veterinary researcher at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Lazio and Tuscany, following another public competition. In 1993, she returned to the Ministry of Health as a Veterinary Officer, where she directed several departments dealing with infectious diseases, animal identification and registration, animal welfare, and veterinary pharmaceuticals.

In 2006, she was appointed Director General for Animal Health and Veterinary Medicines, a position she held until 2014. In this role, she developed veterinary epidemiological surveillance systems and laid the groundwork for the digital veterinary prescription system. In September 2014, she became Head of the Ministry’s Collegial Bodies Office, also serving as Secretary General of the Italian Higher Health Council until 2016. In 2017, she was Head of the Directorate for Communication and International Relations, and from 2018 until her retirement in 2020, she led the Directorate General for Food Hygiene and Safety.

Over the years, she has participated as an expert and representative of the Italian Ministry of Health in numerous national, European, and international activities and missions—most notably at the annual General Sessions of the OIE (now WOAH), chairing meetings during Italy's EU Presidency terms and, most recently, leading preparatory working groups for the 2017 G7 Health Ministerial Meeting in Milan.

She has also lectured at the University of Padua, the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome, and the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, and has authored and co-authored several scientific and regulatory publications in the veterinary field.

She has served as an expert and project leader in several EU Twinning projects in Slovenia, Poland, Lithuania, Israel, Algeria, and North Macedonia. She chaired the Accreditation Committee for Food Safety Testing Laboratories at ACCREDIA and currently represents the Ministry of Health on the Board of Directors of that same body.

On October 16, 2020, she was appointed Board Member (in a non-remunerated role) of the Board of Directors of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale” by the Ministry of Health. She was reconfirmed in this role by Decree No. 17 of March 17, 2021, issued by the President of the Abruzzo Region, and has served as Board Member since March 30, 2021.