Massimo Sassi is currently a first-year PhD candidate in Italian Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, beginning in August 2024. Previously, Sassi served as an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Resident Teaching Artist from August 2023 to June 2024. Experience also includes hosting and producing a jazz show for Public Radio 90 from September 2022 to July 2023, where Sassi produced 37 original hour-long episodes and broadcast local news. Sassi worked as an adjunct instructor at Northern Michigan University, teaching an upper-level course on world music, and was involved in judging at the annual Jazz Festival. Contributions as a staff member at the Upper Peninsula Arts and Culture Alliance included facilitating a nationwide survey on the economic impacts of cultural organizations. As a staff writer for Sound of Boston, Sassi focused on reviewing albums from independent artists. Earlier roles include kitchen assistance at American Flatbread and teaching assistance at Middlebury College. Sassi holds a bachelor's degree in Anthropology and Music from Middlebury College, completed in 2022.