Mariangela Zappia

Mariangela Zappia studied political science and international relations in Florence before a diplomatic career that included Dakar, New York, Brussels, and Geneva. She represented the European Union at the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, then became Italy’s first woman permanent representative to NATO. From 2016 to 2018 she served as diplomatic adviser to the prime minister and G7/G20 sherpa; she subsequently headed Italy’s UN mission in New York. ¹

In 2021 Zappia became the first woman to serve as Italy’s ambassador to the United States. In October 2023 she introduced Villa Firenze Contemporanea, placing Italian art and design from the postwar period onward in the ambassador’s residence. Curator Renata Cristina Mazzantini selected the works; the embassy used the installation to bring artists, designers, companies, and American audiences into contact. ^{1, 2}

Zappia also participated in the International Gender Champions network and received the Bellisario Foundation’s 2019 Golden Apple award for advancing women in public institutions. After her Washington assignment ended in 2025, the Italian Institute for International Political Studies appointed her president, with the appointment taking effect in January 2026. ^{1, 3}