Estonia

1993
Degree in Economics and Management University of Messina, Messina (Italy)
Thesis in "Equal opportunities between men and women in the working environment".

1996 Summer Workshop
University of Toronto, CANADA, Toronto (Canada)
“Trade Off Investiment Decisions in the Emerging Economies”.

1997 EU Project Management
Province of Florence, Florence (Italy)
Training programme organised by a company called "Kiosco" and the Province of Florence, Italy.

2001 Workshop
Formez (ISVOR-FIAT), Roma (Italy)
Training programme in Business Process Reengineering.

2004 EU InSpire Programme
Centre for Advanced Land Mapping Services - Italy, Lametia Terme (Italy) Course for Web Gis Developer.

Government Training Programme for Managers
Italian Department for Public Administration, Rome (Italy)
Forum of Italian Municipalities "Strategies for Local Development”.

International Conference
Center of Canadian Heritage and Cultural Studies, Taormina (Italy)
Coordinator of the summer workshops on economy and heritage identity
between Canada and the European Union.

Working Position
Finance & EGovernment & ICT Department Public Manager
City Hall of Rizziconi, Reggio Calabria (Italy)

Working Experience
EU DG NEAR Expert
European Commission, Bruxelles (Belgium)
Joseph Caristena has been selected as DG NEAR Expert.

EU DG NEAR Expert
European Commission, Bruxelles (Belgium)
Tirana - Albania
EU Expert Mission at the National Agency for Information Society.

EU DG NEAR Expert
European Commission, Bruxelles (Belgium)
Podgorica - Montenegro
EU Expert Mission at the Ministry of Innovation & Information Society

EU DG NEAR Expert
European Commission, Bruxelles (Belgium)
Keynote Speaker at the MCI Management Center (MCI) Innsbruck - Austria in Media & Information Society in the Emergings Economies.

EU DG NEAR Expert
European Commission, Bruxelles (Belgium)
Toronto - Canada
Meeting at Venice Palace with the member of Canadian Parliament Frank Sorbara.

EU DG NEAR Expert
European Commission, Bruxelles (Belgium)
Podgorica - Montenegro
Mission on Cybersecurity - “Designing a Predictive Model Framework”.

Cultural Diplomacy
2013 - US Yale University
Joseph Caristena as "Heritage Cultural Broker" leaded the group of Prof. John R. Hale of the Yale University and the "Big Five" universities like Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Columbia and Yale, during the cruise ship stop at the Port of Vibo Marina Calabria - Italy.

2013 BMTA "Heritage Cultural Broker "
An Archaeological Italian Trade Fair in the City of Capaccio - Paestum (Campania). Joseph Caristena promoted as “Heritage Cultural Broker” many archaeological sites of Calabria - Italy.

2015
Theatre production at the Politeana theatre of Catanzaro - Calabria (Italy) -
Twinning Programmes with the Municipality of Bethlehem - Palestine with the Mayor Vera Baboun .

Awards & Recognitions
Albania - Tirana
Official recognition from the Agency of the Information Society.

Honours and awards 2004 Italian EGovernment Award Winner 5th Edition
"Top Projects for Digital Citizens - Innovation that creates Value".

I'm a dedicated programme manager that wants to make a difference for a better world.
My experiences include:
- Advisory and training services for small CSO's,
- Grantmaking and project management for small CSO's,
- Improving; housing safety, energy preservation, health conditions in households,
- Introducing quality management in public services,
- Auditing sustainable development in local authorities,
- Developing sustainable development strategies for local authorities,
- Developing environmental information service centres,
- Environmental-friendly methods for flood prevention.

Experienced Project Manager for international development, capacity building, and humanitarian projects with more than 12 years of experience implementing technical assistance projects in Ukraine, with proven expertise in project management, strategic planning, concept and proposal drafting, reporting, budgeting, government liaison, stakeholder management, training and development, and risk management.

I am an Ethiopian filmmaker, theatre artist, and media professional passionate about using storytelling as a tool for cultural preservation, social dialogue, and community empowerment. With a BA in Cinema and Theatre Arts and ongoing graduate studies in Media and Communication, I bridge artistic creativity with strategic communication to create impactful narratives.

Currently serving as Assistant Director of Stage and Studio Production at Amhara Media Corporation, I coordinate television, cultural, and studio productions, ensuring quality storytelling and audience engagement. My creative portfolio includes the feature film ውጥን (“Wutin”), short films such as Whispered Fractures, and theatre productions like Titon (children’s theatre) and Homa-Mir (indigenous marriage traditions of Gojjam).

Beyond the stage and screen, I have organized and hosted major cultural events including ንባበ ሕይወት and ንቂ ኢትዮጵያ book festivals, both covered by Amhara Television. I have participated in international festivals such as SmartPhilm, and received training from Canon Academy, Reuters, and American University.

My work focuses on amplifying underrepresented voices, integrating indigenous knowledge into modern media, and leveraging digital platforms to extend the reach of Ethiopian visual storytelling. I aim to foster cross-cultural dialogue, inspire youth, and use media as a catalyst for positive social change.