In New York Working with Mayor Bill de Blasio
It's not so hard for a young Italian to find work in the Big Apple, but at the tender age of 23 landing a permanent job as expert on US health care in mayor de Blasio's Office of Management and Budget (Intergovernmental Relations) is an extremely rare occurrence. Something to be proud of: «In my department I am the only foreigner», says Maria Vittoria Gronchi, from Pontedera in Tuscany. She has an undergraduate degree in Economics and Social Sciences and a graduate degree in Economics and Management of Government and International Organizations, both from Bocconi. "It is more common to see Italian immigrants working in technology or finance; studying US public administration and then becoming an expert on the American health care decision-making process is unusual."
Maria Vittoria nurtured her desire to work abroad at Bocconi, "thanks to the experiences I made first with Campus Abroad, then an exchange program in Chicago, and finally the Double Degree at New York State University, from where I graduated with a Master in Public Management last May." After an experience at the United Nations in Geneva, Maria Vittoria decided her future was in the United States, and in January she joined the staff of a New York State Assembly legislator: "I followed the bills that this representative proposed, about a 100 of them, to make sure they reached voting stage in the Assembly. There I also came across a couple of state laws which dealt with my current employer."
The City of New York offered her a job in June, "and I accepted it immediately. My flight back to Italy was already booked, but this was an opportunity I could not miss." In her current position, she has two main tasks: "To negotiate with city agencies and New York city and state legislators every law that has an impact on the health care budget, and to do budget analysis for federal laws affecting the health care budget." Her job however depends on getting her employment visa renewed or winning the green card lottery. "Without a green card, it will be difficult to remain." Maria Vittoria considers herself a global citizen, but Italy is always in her mind: "I am willing to go anywhere I can learn and give my contribution, but I consider myself a public servant, and so my biggest dream is to serve my own country someday."