Rate My Professor Andrea Papitto

Andrea Papitto serves as Program Director for NYU Africa House and the Center for Technology, Economics, and Development (CTED), maintaining key administrative responsibilities for CTED initiatives at New York University Abu Dhabi, including recruitment for research assistant positions in projects such as blockchain under Professor Yaw Nyarko. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Master’s degree in Tourism Management with a focus on African destinations, both obtained from New York University. Papitto's engagement with African development began in 2005 while studying at NYU’s Accra campus in Ghana, where she volunteered with Habitat for Humanity Ghana. Her work has encompassed a wide array of projects promoting tourism, rural tourism development, community-led development, and ICT education across multiple countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

Prior to her current position, Papitto held the role of Director of Trade Relations and Communications at the Africa Travel Association (ATA), the premier travel trade organization advocating for sustainable tourism development in Africa. In that capacity, she oversaw programming, research initiatives such as the Africa Tourism Monitor developed in collaboration with NYU Africa House and the African Development Bank, as well as communications and media relations. In 2011, she produced the feature-length documentary 'The Last Song Before the War,' which documents the Festival au Desert in Timbuktu, Mali, and its vital roles in sustaining peace, preserving culture, and driving economic development amid regional challenges. The film has been showcased at distinguished venues including Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, alongside various international film festivals. Papitto has received a Service Award from New York University in recognition of her dedicated contributions. Through her leadership, she supports CTED’s interdisciplinary efforts at NYU Abu Dhabi, blending economics, technology, and development to advance global research and capacity-building programs.