Meet Our Team
A globally aware team drives BabyBrains®.
BabyBrains® is an international multi-disciplinary community of parents, neuroscientists, psychologists, midwives, perinatal professionals, students, and individuals passionate about beneficial, simple tools for supporting parents.
Straightforward communication helps disseminate science effectively and make it real in daily (often sleep-deprived) life.
Meet our team behind this mission.
THE TEAM BEHIND BABYBRAINS
BabyBrains® is an international multi-disciplinary community of neuroscientists, psychologists, midwives, perinatal professionals, students, and individuals passionate about beneficial, simple tools for supporting parents.
Straightforward communication helps disseminate science effectively and to make it work for us in daily (often sleep-deprived) life.
Neuroscientist Silvia Dalvit Menabe (Ph.D. Experimental Psychology) and Perinatal Wellbeing Advocate Cecilia Antolini Brenna (Ph.D. Philosophy) lead our team.
Our advisory board includes senior Neuroscientists based at prestigious institutions such as the Universities of Cambridge, Essex, London, Padoua and many more.
Our common commitment is to raise awareness on the importance of brain development on mental and physical wellbeing, from conception onwards.
BabyBrains Trainers conduct workshops in local communities across Europe the UK and beyond.
They're psychologists, midwives, early-year educators and other professionals who’ve attended BabyBrains®️ Trainings and are part of the growing BabyBrains International Network.
DIRECTORS
SILVIA DALVIT
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
PhD Neuroscience
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Created the BabyBrains®️ concept and workshops.
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Has co-written two books supporting perinatal wellbeing in Italian (“Becoming a Mother with Science and Love” and “My Four Trimesters”).
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Since 2017 has collaborated with the Essex Babylab to help engage and exchange with the general public.
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Believes that insights from neuroscience can help us out of ‘industrial parenting’ and into a more balanced, fulfilling and fun experience of growing up together.
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Based in Paris (FR), where she lives with her husband and four children.
CECILIA ANTOLINI
DIRECTOR
PhD Philosophy
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Post-Graduate Diploma Infant Mental Health, Tavistock and Portman, London
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Has co-written two books supporting perinatal wellbeing in Italian (“Becoming a Mother with Science and Love” and “My Four Trimesters”).
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Member of the editorial board for the international magazine Archimetra, directed by Anna Maria Rossetti.
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Believes that a generation of science-empowered parents having fun with their babies would truly impact the next generation and with that the world.
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Based on Lake Como (IT), where she lives with her husband and two children.
ADVISORY TEAM
Our advisory board has the mission to ensure that our offerings are in line with current scientific standards.
Prof. Mark Johnson
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Head, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge. One of the leading scientists in the field of developmental cognitive neuroscience. His endorsement means the world to us and we love working at so many projects together!
Prof. Derek Moore
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Professor and Head of School at Surrey University. Focuses are longitudinal studies of Typical and Atypical Development. We are exploring ways of testing the BabyBrains®️ app in collaboration with Derek’s research team.
Dr Silvia Rigato
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PhD, Lecturer at the University of Essex. Focus is in the study of face processing and tactile localisation. Following the birth and development of BabyBrains®️ from the start, Silvia collaborates with us at the Essex-based project 'It All Starts In the Womb'.
Dr Evelyne Mercure
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PhD, UCL research fellow. Focuses are Brain and Cognitive Development in infancy and the impact of communicative experience in shaping this development. Evelyne has reviewed the BabyBrains®️ App and is working together with us to make BabyBrains®️ more accessible to the deaf community.
Dr. Maria Laura Filippetti
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PhD, Lecturer at the University of Essex. Focuses is in the study of interoception and tactile interactions. Has been an active partner in developing BabyBrains Body workshops.
Prof. Teresa Farroni
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Full Professor in Developmental Psychology at University of Padua (Italy) with over twenty years of research experience. She is a passionate advocate for public engagement and dissemination of scientific finidings.
GLOBAL TEAM
Tessel Bazelmanns, Community Management - International
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Tessel Bazelmans is a research associate in early child development at King’s College and the mother of two wonderful girls. With BabyBrains, she hopes to bring more of her science work to parents. She manages the international community and this website.
Virginia Bosio, Community Management - Italy
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A neuropsychomotrist with an exquisite taste for beauty and communication. She, together with Ilaria, is behind internal communications in our Trainer Community.
Ilaria Cattani, Community Management - Italy
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One of our Trainers pioneers, with a great deal of professional experience and a wonderfully geeky understanding of technology. She, together with Virginia, coordinates and empowers our community of Trainers.
Federica Cultraro, Administration Assistance & Social Media - Italy
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A midwife who trained and work between the UK and Italy, as well as a mother. She contribute to our work with her professional and personal knowledge on perinatal wellbeing, as well as with her passion for graphic design and for connection through social media.
Giulia Terranova, Administration Assistance & Social Media - Italy
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With a background in International Relations, Giulia has successfully transferred her skills to nurture personal relationships around herself, not only to raise her son but also to help grow the BabyBrains brand online and on the ground.
Monica Riggio, Head of Translations
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With a great passion for educating children and great expertise as a BB Trainer, she oversees all translations we need to get across internally or to serve the public at best.
