Leonella Castellano Thiébaud

As Director, Leonella Castellano Thiébaud oversees all aspects of Boston University’s study abroad programming delivered in Geneva, Switzerland. Leonella has been with BU Geneva since 2014, during which time she placed students in internships in the public health and international relations fields and guided students in exploring international careers. She also served as interim site director for a year to help ensure the continuity of Geneva operations and was appointed director in August 2021.

Prior to joining BU Geneva, Leonella worked for a decade at an international bank managing commodities trading portfolios across Europe and the Middle East. Earlier in her career, she spent six years at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), where her role involved legal and operational responsibilities in various duty stations such as in Russia, Central Asia, and the MENA region, among others.

Leonella completed a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Law/Administration at the Université Grenoble-Alpes in France, and a second Master of Arts degree in International Law at the Graduate Institute of International & Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. Later, she earned a Diploma of Advanced Studies in Corporate Responsibility from the University of Geneva to complement her interests in sustainable development, international security, and non-state actors in global politics. She speaks Italian, French, English, and Russian.