About
Zella International was founded by Marcella Zoccoli on the 11th of January 2022 (co-founders Kirill Anton and Chiara Gentile) and consists of Zella Specialists bringing their expertise and competencies from various backgrounds. Just like the diverse people who make it, Zella shines in many different names of its own: a community of practice, a network of professionals, the destination for educational training and coaching, home of transformative leadership, and a world-traversing spiritual turtle. In its very essence and practical form Zella’s Educational & Edutaining Project, rooted on a ground of more than 30 years of experience in international business offers a new perspective on international education conceived as an evolutionary path.
Started in 2016 and developed during seven years of academic research-based work in the Leadership & Global Competence discipline applied at the School of Business at JAMK University of Applied Sciences in Jyväskylä, Finland and further expanded through the doctoral research at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Helsinki – supervisor Prof. Krista Lagus.
Zella’s course into the world is charted by Marcella Zoccoli, a Senior Lecturer & Teacher at JAMK University of Applied Sciences in the area of Leadership and Global Competence, where she has her own R&D experiential learning laboratory (teaching and training) at JAMK School of Business and ProCESS Project (European Erasmus+ Project where she works as SESS Trainer).
Most of Zella’s Specialists joining Marcella have been collaborating with her since the beginning as guest speakers or facilitators and some of her courses have been the setting of her PhD research along with EspressoSkillsLAB© activities. Our educational approach, methods, and pedagogical tools are based on the practices of awareness that allow us to meet the demands of the time while maintaining space for evolutionary development.
Embrace the many ways applied leadership knowledge can shape the lives around you and embark on the journey to your true potential destination Mondo. You will learn how to become a purpose-driven leader ready to engage in collaborative endeavors with social actors. Zella will support you on this journey by delivering actionable and empowering learning experiences.
Zella invites you to become a part of transformative global development. Welcome onboard the Zella!
Zella Specialists
Italy/Finland/India, Gen X
Founder, CVO & Project Leader at Zellainternational.org
100% Human Being, Lifelong curious learner, and seeker.
35+ years of working experience in international business & international education; MBA (entrepreneurship and business competence); certified Teacher & professional Coach, Senior Lecturer at the School of Business of JAMK University of Applied Sciences (Finland); Founder & CVO at moveandcoach.com. Sensorial, Emotional, and Spiritual (SESS) Trainer at ProCESS project (Erasmus+ Knowledge Alliances project); Isha Upa-Yoga & Meditation practitioner and facilitator & EspressoSkillsLAB© creator.
Doctoral candidate in Finland at the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Social Sciences: intertwining Leadership discipline with spirituality, business, and technology is my specialty.
I am Tommaso and Edoardo’s grandma. Human transformative leadership and meditation are my choices as attitude to and quality of LIFE.
Russia/Finland, Gen Z
Co-founder, Business Designer & Project Facilitator at Zellainternational.org
The intersection of human, business and technology inspires me on a daily basis. Throughout my studies and career, I have been amazed by the diverse opportunities which those spheres bring when combined under the light of leadership.
After completing my degree in International Business in JAMK in 2020, I have been working as an international business coordinator in a business design agency in Jyväskylä where I have helped purpose-driven companies discover new market opportunities.
Argentina/Italy, Millennial
Co- founder, Visual Communicator & Project Facilitator at Zellainternational.org
From a very young age I have had a passion for design and creativity, then it has become my profession and what I do today. I have obtained my Communication Sciences diploma in UADE (Argentina) and an International Business program in Jamk (Finland). Since 2020 I am working as a Visual Communicator & Content Creator in Italy.
Italy/UK, Gen X
Voice & Emotive Voice Coach
I have always been passionate about the Human Voice and this passion led me to train as an Opera Singer @ Conservatorio di Musica B.Marcello & Conservatorio di Musica F. Venezze (Italy -2004-2009) where I obtained my Diploma in Classical Singing and Melodramatics. Since then, I have deepened my research on the Voice and have become a Language Coach for Opera singers with a special interest in the “Power of the words” and the “Emotive voice”.
Italy, Gen X
Travel Coach (Spirituality and Wellbeing)
I have been working for 25 years in a Telecommunication Company in Sales Consumer, Business and Trade Marketing. I’m a spiritual seeker questing for self-knowledge. I have been learning with various teachers and different approaches.
About 13 years after an inner call to volunteer In India at Mother Teresa Houses, I discovered my passion for traveling alone (Solo Travel) to experience how to flow in life and events.
Travel areas: Asia & South America.
Italy, Millennial
Entrepreneurial Leadership, Self-Image & Self-Branding
I am a stylist and image architect. For over 12 years I have been dedicated to the care and enhancement of products such as Stylist, Visual Merchandiser and Closet Organizer. Over time, my goal of adding aesthetic value to the image of the products has evolved, addressing people, brands, and companies… www.eleonoravarotti.com
Finland, Gen X
Corporate Business Facilitator for Youth
A manager at a large multinational company with over 20 years of versatile work experience. An enthusiastic MBA student at JAMK University of Applied Sciences. Areas of interest include leadership, communication, development, and managing complex situations where business meets human beings. Solid experience has made me internationally comfortable. Striving to maintain a balance, learn something new every day, give back to the universe, and be grateful for my superpowers: family, nature, humor, and arts.
Finland/Russia, Gen X
Psychological Safety & Wellness, Cognitive Agency & Mental Wellbeing.
Psy. M., Psychology Educator, MSc in Information Systems in Economics, Certified Teacher in Finland, Qualified Teacher Status in the UK. Guest Speaker at the School of Business of JAMK University of Applied Sciences (Jyväskylä, Finland), Child Care Specialist at Norlandia Kindergartens. My fields of interest: Cognitive Agency, Biopsychology, Wellbeing, Psychological Safety, Childhood Trauma, Special Needs Children, Ethnopsychology, Multiculturalism, Languages, Spiritual Awareness.
Past experiences: bank teller, church worker, translator. Author of the article “Cognitive Agency: Why?” in the e-book The Apple & The Candle edited by M. Zoccoli in 2020.
I am a wife, a mother. My perspective: Living in the moment, Being curious, Unceasingly reframing.
Brazil/Finland, Millennial
Digital Enterprise Transformation & Leadership
An enthusiast for making things simpler and more enjoyable. As a professional, my goal is to always look for ways to allow people to thrive, and through that add value to their jobs.
I am an Agile Coach, Change Manager, Design Thinker, and an enthusiast of continuous improvement. That is to say, I believe people come first and we must listen before we execute. I have been leading teams and projects, both virtually and co-located, in a multinational enterprise for the past 16 years, leading companies through their digital and organizational transformation journeys.
India, Gen X
Education, Social Equity and Environmental Awareness Facilitator
Lawyer. Founder and CEO at G.M. School – Mothuka – India.
Spiritual and professional tour leader guide for INDIA, BHUTAN, and NEPAL, schoolteacher and alternative medicine practitioner, volunteer for a human cause, social entrepreneur. I apply a human approach to life (learner, thinker, practitioner, and observer of life journey sharing through personal evolution).
Finland, Millennial
Inclusive Leadership, Self-Leadership, Silence & Yin Yoga practices
Thank you for showing your curiousity on me. Currently – and until further notice – I am on my journey in my creativity. Find me when the time is right and always – stay kind.
Italy, Baby Boomer
Arts & Food Creative Laboratories designer
After 50 years of working experience, I am now retired. My main functions and roles in education and volunteering: professional teacher, admin school staff member, and professional nurse for the Red Cross. I have worked in high schools and private institutes in the field of arts and personal development. Over my life, I have been involved in numerous cultural and educational activities; events and associations in the artistic field of history of art, theater, painting, sculpture, music, and food-and-wine.
Arts & Food creative laboratories design is my passion and specialty.
Italy, Gen Z
Philosophy, Environment, and Nomadic Leadership
I was born curious, and I have always nourished my curiosity in all ways, choosing to travel and literature as the privileged ways to do it. After graduating in theoretical philosophy between Italy and Belgium, I worked as a freelance copywriter, taking advantage of every useful opportunity to explore as much as possible. Today I try to put what I continue to learn at the service of the environment, with the aim of rebalancing the relationship between man and nature from a perspective of ecological responsibility.
Brazil/Finland, Millennial
Agile Mindset & Servant Leadership
I have been making my career in IT since when I started working as an IBM intern in 2007. I have worked with Agile, Waterfall, Scrumfall, Kanban, Scrumban. I have helped teams throughout different transformations in different positions (from developer ages ago to product owner) and today I am an Agile enthusiast because I believe Agile is not an option anymore, it is a reality. After so many years in IT, I have realized that my passion lies in culture, transformation, and people. I like being part of challenging projects, as long as the people and the environment appreciate diversity and inclusion, and the company embraces a psychological safety approach, where ideas, especially crazy ones, are welcomed at least for discussion!
I was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and have been living in Finland since 2016. I love cats, really heavy music (but also Latin rhythms), cooking, and martial arts, being a proud holder of a brown belt in karate Goju-Ryu style.
Italy/Finland, Millennial/Gen Z
Leadership, Financial Transparency, and Sustainable Money
I’m just a friendly flower child with a knack for business and finance.
Working as a Manager in a tech company, my heartfelt goal is to bring sustainability, fun, and a true love for connecting with people in a competitive, fast-paced environment. While my work baggage in finance (and my passion for it!) has honed my analytical and accounting skills, I grew to understand more and more how financial transparency and know-how tie with personal freedom and overall corporate growth and happiness. That’s why I’m passionate about spreading the word on how sustainable money talk can become a sustained happy lifestyle!
India/Finland, Millennial
Historical Leadership, Modern Leadership Dynamics
MBA in Marketing and Sales Management – Sales manager in a Real Estate Company with a total of 6+ years of mixed experience in sales and marketing in different sectors. I have also had experience in entrepreneurship. I lean into change and take opportunities to grow. Creative thinker who likes to be challenged by diverse thinking and varied work and wants to share personal experience and learning with people. Mixing independent work with collective activity attitude to take the lead when required. The goal is to bring and merge historical leadership with modern leadership dynamics and Zella‘s vision.
Iran/Finland, Gen X
Responsible leadership, and sustainable management toward nature and humans
International Business Management at JAMK University of Applied Sciences (2022). Master’s degree in Agricultural Engineering (Iran), 4 years of experience in producing different crops (self-employed), from organic vegetables to medicinal plants, and 6 years of experience in the sales and marketing section. I’m a mother. I’m fond of swimming, mount climbing, and cooking. I also work on my personal progress, making the best of myself; I read as much as I can and try to find and communicate with people who are in the same way. My field of interest is responsible leadership, and sustainable management toward nature and humans.
India/Finland, Millennial
Education Facilitator – Born Artist – Leadership
A primary facilitator with 16 years of experience in the field of education. A creative and enthusiastic person who often spices the class with excitement, enjoyment, and anticipation engages students to participate and stimulates them to explore. I worked with esteemed convent schools St. Thomas’ and Mount St. Mary’s School in India. I completed my bachelor’s degree from Delhi University and my Bachelor’s in Education (B.Ed.) from Allahabad University. A nursery-trained teacher. Pursuing Business Management from JAMK University of Applied Sciences, Jyväskylä, Finland. Currently working as a teacher substitute at PILKE School, Jyväskylä. My areas of interest are leadership, strong communication, and creativity. I believe teacher leaders lead both within and beyond their classrooms.
India/Finland, Millennial
Positive Leadership, Industrial Health & Safety
I am a Mechanical engineer with a postgraduation in Industrial safety and have 10 years of experience as a Project management consultant (occupational health and safety) at some of India’s biggest construction projects. I also served as a guest lecturer in reputed colleges in the field of industrial safety. I am currently Pursuing a diploma in International Business Management from JAMK University of Applied Sciences, Jyväskylä, Finland.
I am a professional experienced in cultivating safe and positive work environments at the worksite through positive leadership to reduce risk, increase morale and promote overall commitment to health and safety in the construction industry.
The people, the industry, and the working culture fascinate me the most. Dealing with different working cultures and making them align with industrial standards is my speciality. My area of interest is leadership through a positive approach.
Italy/UK, Millennial
Human/nonhuman use and evolution of nonverbal communication
A biologist by training, a musician for a while, and now a comparative psychologist (Ph.D. candidate at Portsmouth University, UK), I have always considered myself a rather curious individual with perhaps too many passions. Since I can remember, I have spent hours and hours observing Nature and asking “why?” and “how?” at a pace almost unsustainable for my interlocutors. And this could be one of the reasons why I now find myself studying nonverbal expressions in nonhuman animals. I am rather convinced that an improved ability to see the world through somebody else’s eyes would spare us a huge amount of problems eventually rooted in some sort of misunderstanding, either between humans-animals or within-humans interactions. I am therefore trying to deepen my knowledge of what constitutes the greater part of our daily exchange of information: nonverbal communication. And to do that I am looking at other species in order to better understand where it comes from, why they emerged and how are being used, with a special focus on the facial expressions of apes. I am the author of the article “What can we learn about our own use of nonverbal communication: a “Lectio Magistralis” from apes” in the e-book published by JAMK University of Applied Sciences titled “The Apple & The Candle” edited by M. Zoccoli in 2020.
Hungary, Millennial
Self-Leadership in Extreme Sports
India/Finland, Millennial
Conscious Leadership and Personal Development
International Business Management studies at JAMK University of Applied Sciences (2022) and graduated in Public Administration (B.A) in India with 20 + years of experience as a leader in multiple careers including Indian Naval services, Banking, Insurance, Operations Manager, and recently Digital marketing and now moving towards Entrepreneurship. I have also trained college students in developing leadership qualities, discipline & social service in India. Being a student for life I have undergone 50+ Quest Programs for Mind, Body, Soul, Entrepreneurship, etc. through Mindvalley Inc. and Inner Engineering meditation program through Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation. I believe human potential is limitless and I want to inspire everyone towards conscious leadership to be leaders with infinite inspiration, joy, peace, and positivity.
Iran/Finland, Gen X
Responsible leadership, and sustainable management toward nature and humans
International Business Management at JAMK University of Applied Sciences (2022). Master’s degree in Agricultural Engineering (Iran), 4 years of experience in producing different crops (self-employed), from organic vegetables to medicinal plants, and 6 years of experience in the sales and marketing section. I’m a mother. I’m fond of swimming, mount climbing, and cooking. I also work on my personal progress, making the best of myself; I read as much as I can and try to find and communicate with people who are in the same way. My field of interest is responsible leadership, and sustainable management toward nature and humans.
India/Finland, Millennial
Education Facilitator – Born Artist – Leadership
A primary facilitator with 16 years of experience in the field of education. A creative and enthusiastic person who often spices the class with excitement, enjoyment, and anticipation engages students to participate and stimulates them to explore. I worked with esteemed convent schools St. Thomas’ and Mount St. Mary’s School in India. I completed my bachelor’s degree from Delhi University and my Bachelor’s in Education (B.Ed.) from Allahabad University. A nursery-trained teacher. Pursuing Business Management from JAMK University of Applied Sciences, Jyväskylä, Finland. Currently working as a teacher substitute at PILKE School, Jyväskylä. My areas of interest are leadership, strong communication, and creativity. I believe teacher leaders lead both within and beyond their classrooms.