About NMUN

NMUN Board of Directors

Clarissa Estep
Clarissa Estep
Co-President
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Crissy is an Associate Professor of Political Science at West Virginia University where she directs the Model United Nations program. She received her doctorate in Political Science with a focus in International Relations and International Political Economy. A West Virginia University (WVU) faculty member since 2006, she served as the assistant director of the Multidisciplinary Studies Program, currently serves as the director of the International Studies Program (an interdisciplinary major with approximately 200 students), and serves as a WVU faculty senator. In addition to her Model United Nations course, she often teaches Introduction to International Relations, Global Political Issues, and Capstone courses. Her current research focuses on experiential education and innovative teaching techniques and their link to bridging social capital. Crissy is engaged in her community as a Rotarian and a Scout leader.
Richard Murgo
Richard Murgo
Co-President
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Richard Murgo became Dean Emeritus of Behavioral, Social Sciences and Education at Tallahassee Community College, retiring in 2021. Dr. Murgo joined the faculty of TCC in 1994 as an assistant professor, later becoming professor of political science. He subsequently became the college’s Director of Academic Enrichment, latterly promoted to Associate Dean of Social Sciences. Dr. Murgo was selected as the Dean of the College of Social Sciences in 2017.  He holds master’s degrees in political science from Florida State University and in Applied Economics from the University of Central Florida. He received his Ph.D. from Florida State University. Dr. Murgo served as faculty Senate President 2005-2006, has served as the dual enrollment education coordinator of the statewide Florida Boys State and Girls State programs, and was advisor and co-founder for the TCC Model United Nations program at Tallahassee Community College. He founded and developed a faculty exchange program with Tianjin Foreign Studies University, as well as developed partnerships with other colleges for students study abroad programs in China and the Czech Republic. Dr. Murgo has also served on the United Nations Association of American Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Community Colleges Committee. Dr. Murgo served has served as president, treasurer, and currently vice president of the National Model United Nations Board of Directors.  He is a current member of the Executive Board of Directors of the Florida Political Science Association, a former board member for the Florida College System Activities Association, a current member of the Holocaust Education Resource Council board of directors, well as a member of the Board of Directors for Tallahassee Southern Model United Nations Association. He is the political contributor for WXTL, ABC News affiliate for Tallahassee and Southern Georgia. Dr. Murgo has presented numerous papers including, “United Nations Human Rights Treaties: Obligations and Compliance” and most recently, “EU-China Relations: Balancing Economic Opportunities with Political Challenges”. Richard Murgo is the recipient of the 2012 NICSOD Excellence in Teaching award, as well as the 2011 recipient of the Tallahassee Community College Club Advisor of the Year award.

Patrick Parsons
Patrick Parsons
Vice President
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Patrick is currently the manager of government affairs for The American Waterways Operators, a maritime trade association headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metro area. He earned bachelors degrees in International Relations and Animal & Nutritional Sciences from West Virginia University and his juris doctor from American University's Washington College of Law.

Patrick's involvement with NMUN has spanned a decade of involvement in every type of NMUN conference as a delegate and member of the volunteer staff at conferences in New York, Washington DC, Quito, Rome, and Xi'an. During his time on staff, Patrick served in several roles from Assistant Director to Secretary-General of NMUN•DC in 2015 and NMUN•NY in 2017, and Deputy Secretary-General of NMUN • China in 2018. 
Eric Cox
Eric Cox
Treasurer
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Eric is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Texas Christian University, where he also directs the Model United Nations program. He received his Ph.D. and M.A. at the University of Virginia, and his B.A. at Austin College where he participated in Model United Nations as a student. He teaches Introduction to International Politics, Game Theory in International Relations, United Nations Institutions and Processes, and International Organizations Research. His first book, Why Enduring Rivalries Do---or Don't---End, examines the factors that lead rival states to the negotiating table through a comparison of rivalry relationships in the Middle East and Latin America. His current research focuses on the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Francine J. D'Amico
Francine J. D'Amico
Secretary
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Francine is Teaching Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in International Relations at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs of Syracuse University. She received her PhD and MA from Cornell University (Ithaca NY) and BA from William Smith College (Geneva NY). She teaches courses on international law and organizations, global governance and the United Nations system, international security and diplomacy, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Her research projects include analysis of the 2016 UN Secretary-General election process and human rights/SOGIE issues. Recent publications include “LGBTQ and (Dis)United Nations: Sexual and Gender Minorities, International Law, and UN Politics,” in Sexualities in World Politics: How LGBTQ Claims Shape International Relations, eds. Picq and Thiel (New York: Routledge, 2015: Chapter 3: 54-74) and “Critical Feminism: Gender-at-Work in Waging War,” in Making Sense of International Relations Theory 2E (Iraq), ed. Sterling-Folker (Boulder, CO: Rienner, 2013: 283-299).

She serves as faculty advisor for the Syracuse University-Maxwell School Model UN Club and Team, OXFAM@SU, UNICEF@SU, Alpha Chi chapter of Sigma Iota Rho Honor Society for International Studies, and International Relations Learning Community.

S. Rashid Naim
S. Rashid Naim
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Dr. S. Rashid Naim is a Principal Senior Lecturer in the Political Science Department at Georgia State University

Dr. Naim was born and brought up in India. He earned his undergraduate degree in history with honors from the Aligarh Muslim University in India, a Master’s degree in International Studies from the Jawaharlal Nehru University in India. He also earned another Masters in International Relations from the Australian National University and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Dr. Naim has taught and held research positions at the Centre for Islamic Studies at Oxford University in the UK, at the University of California Santa Cruz, and Union College in upstate New York. He has been with the Department of Political Science at Georgia State University since 1993.

Dr. Naim’s areas of research and teaching are International Relations, religion and politics, Middle East politics, international relations of the Middle East, South Asian politics and Nuclear Proliferation. He is also a consultant on matters pertaining to Islam, the Middle East and South Asia.

Dr. Naim founded the Model United Nations and the Model Arab League Programs at Georgia State University and has run them for the past 16 years.

In 2017 Dr. Naim won the Georgia State University Faculty Award for Global Engagement and the Georgia State University College of Arts and Science Outstanding Teaching Award.

Thera J. Watson
Thera J. Watson
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Thera earned her Bachelor's Degree in International Studies, minor Japanese Studies, and her Masters in Political Science from Georgia Southern University. Thera has 14 years of NMUN conference experience. She participated as a delegate, as well as served as a member of the NMUN volunteer staff for 8 years at our conference in New York. During her time on staff, she served in several roles from Director to Secretary-General. Thera also served as the Deputy Secretary-General at our conference in the Czech Republic. Thera joined the NMUN Board of Directors in 2016. Outside of her involvement with NMUN, Thera currently works as an analyst within the Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.

Tina M. Zappile
Tina M. Zappile
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Tina is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Stockton University in New Jersey where she teaches undergraduate courses in international relations, international political economy, global governance, quantitative research methods, and an interdisciplinary first-year course on global challenges. Tina holds an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and an M.A. in Economics and PhD in Political Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is the founding advisor of Stockton’s Model UN program, campus liaison for the State Department’s Diplomacy Lab program, and co-facilitator for the Stockton Critical Thinking Institute (SCTI). Her research on international financial institutions and scholarship on teaching and learning has appeared in World Development, International Studies Perspectives, and Routledge’s RIPE Series in Global Political Economy. She is the lead author of " Global Challenges: Promise & Peril in the 21st Century", a digital textbook/course published in Smart Sparrow’s adaptive learning platform (blendedcourses.org). Tina is the recipient of Stockton’s 2016 Faculty of the Year Award.
Dominika Ziemczonek
Dominika Ziemczonek
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Dominika is currently working as an Allard Prize Manager with the Allard Prize for International Integrity. She has been involved with NMUN since 2012 and has served on the New York volunteer staff for 8 years, most recently as Deputy Secretary-General for NMUN•NY 2019. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Political Science from the University of British Columbia and a Master of International Affairs from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Switzerland.

Michael Eaton
Michael Eaton
Executive Director (Ex-Officio)
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Michael has served as full-time Executive Director of NMUN since 2004 and has helped expand its annual programming to include more than 5,000 college participants. Prior to his current position, he was the Director of Enrollment Services and Marketing for the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (www.hecua.org), an educational nonprofit offering social justice-based off-campus study programs.

He began his undergraduate studies at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and attended NMUN as a student delegate. He ultimately received his B.A. in Economics, summa cum laude, from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and his M.A. in Nonprofit Management and the scholar award from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. Additional honors include being named a Truman Scholar. He is (slowly) completing a doctorate in International Education at the University of Minnesota (ABD).

Michael has served as an adjunct faculty member at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota; a Trustee of the Center for UN Reform Education, a board member and past-President of the United Nations Association of Minnesota, as well as multiple terms on the National Council of UNA-USA. He resides in Minnesota.

Chaldeans Mensah
Chaldeans Mensah
Past President (Ex-Officio)
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Chaldeans is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He received his doctorate in Political Science from the University of Alberta in 1990. A faculty member with MacEwan University since 1991, he has served on the university's board of governors. He is also a graduate of the Academy for Leadership Training and Development (Chair Academy, 2001) and Academy for Advanced Leadership (Chair Academy, 2010).

In 1996, Chaldeans was awarded the Canadian Immigration Award in recognition of his teaching excellence and promotion of lifelong learning. In the same year he was recognized at the University with a distinguished instructor award. In 2005, Chaldeans received the MacEwan Medallion, the highest recognition awarded to a MacEwan University employee. In the following year, he was conferred one of the Alberta Centennial Medals in the category of education in recognition of his outstanding service to the people and province of Alberta.

In 2007, Chaldeans received the Award of Distinction for Internationalizing Teaching and Learning Practice from the Department of Advanced Education and Technology to recognize his efforts in assisting Albertans to acquire the international and intercultural knowledge, especially for his work in promoting UN simulation through the MacEwan University Model UN. He has served on the board of the United Nations Association in Canada (Edmonton branch) in different capacities for over twenty years. Chaldeans is a keen observer of politics at all levels, and is periodically called upon by the provincial and national media to offer reflections on political developments.

Staff

Michael Eaton
Michael Eaton
Executive Director
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Michael has served as full-time Executive Director of NMUN since 2004 and has helped expand its annual programming to include more than 5,000 college participants. Prior to his current position, he was the Director of Enrollment Services and Marketing for the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (www.hecua.org), an educational nonprofit offering social justice-based off-campus study programs.

He began his undergraduate studies at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and attended NMUN as a student delegate. He ultimately received his B.A. in Economics, summa cum laude, from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and his M.A. in Nonprofit Management and the scholar award from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. Additional honors include being named a Truman Scholar. He is (slowly) completing a doctorate in International Education at the University of Minnesota (ABD).

Michael has served as an adjunct faculty member at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota; a Trustee of the Center for UN Reform Education, a board member and past-President of the United Nations Association of Minnesota, as well as multiple terms on the National Council of UNA-USA. He resides in Minnesota.

Paul VanCura
Paul VanCura
Director of Programs
Jess Hopeman
Jess Hopeman
Program Associate
Jeri Lu Mattson
Jeri Lu Mattson
Financial Manager

NMUN Advisory Council

Pamela Falk
Pamela Falk
UN Resident Correspondent, CBS News TV & Radio
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Pamela Falk is a UN Resident Correspondent & Foreign Affairs analyst for CBS News TV & Radio and writes columns for various publications. She is on the Board of Directors of the Dag Hammarskjöld Fund for Journalists and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She received her J.D. from Columbia University School of Law and her Ph.D. from New York University. She has taught at Columbia Law School and Columbia SIPA and was a staff director on Capitol Hill.
Qazi Shaukat Fareed
Qazi Shaukat Fareed
Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean Ambassador to the UN
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Qazi Shaukat Fareed, became the Permanent Observer of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean to the United Nations in 2015.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Fareed was an adjunct professor at Long Island University, since 2010, following a 40-year career as a diplomat and an international civil servant.  From 2006 to 2011, he was Special Adviser to the Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and from 1998 to 2006 he served as Director of the Secretariat of the United Nations Systems Chief Executives Board.

He was Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator for Chernobyl at the United Nations Department for Humanitarian Affairs between 1992 and 1998.  Prior to that position, from 1987 to 1992, he served at the office of the Director General for Development and International Economic Cooperation as Senior Adviser to the Director-General and as member and then Director of the Special Commission on Review of Intergovernmental Structures in the Economic and Social Sector.

Two decades of diplomatic service saw Mr. Fareed serving as Director-General of Pakistan’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 1987 after holding several positions in the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations between 1980 and 1987, including Deputy Permanent Representative and Ambassador.

He also held various positions at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.  Between 1975 and 1980, he was Chef de Cabinet in the Office of the Secretary-General and in the Office of the Foreign Secretary.  During that time, he also served as Director for Africa and for External Publicity.  Between 1968 and 1975, he served in Pakistan’s missions in Mexico, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and Spain.  He was Section Chief of Economic Coordination and United Nations Affairs between 1966 and 1968.

Mr. Fareed holds master’s degrees in economics from Cambridge University in the United Kingdom and from the University of Karachi in Pakistan.  He also holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Government College in Karachi.

He is married and has two children.

Source: https://www.un.org/press/en/2015/bio4742.doc.htm

Linda Fasulo
Linda Fasulo
NPR - UN Bureau, Independent Correspondent Author, "An Insider's Guide to the UN" (Yale University Press)
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Linda Fasulo is a journalist and author specializing in the UN and US foreign policy. Based at the United Nations, she is a long-time independent correspondent for NPR News. Linda has worked as UN Correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC and as Special UN Correspondent for US News and World Report magazine. A frequent speaker on international issues, she has a Master’s in Public Administration and has also done graduate study in international affairs at Columbia University. Her popular book, "An Insider's Guide to the UN," published by Yale University Press, is in its third edition. Linda serves on the Executive Committee of the UN Correspondents Association (UNCA).
Bonian Golmohammadi
Bonian Golmohammadi
Secretary-General, World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA)
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Bonian Golmohammadi was elected Secretary-General of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) in August 2009. Since then, WFUNA has substantially grown in its programmatic activities, organizational structure - including the establishment of new offices in Seoul, Korea, Brussels, Belgium and New Delhi, India - and partnerships.

Previously, Mr. Golmohammadi served as Secretary-General of the United Nations Association (UNA) of Sweden for eight years. Under his leadership, UNA-Sweden increased its budget from $1 million to $5 million, and expanded its staff from 10 to 30 full-time employees. During his tenure, Mr. Golmohammadi introduced several new programmatic initiatives, such as a bilateral international project in more than ten countries including China, Georgia, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The projects ranged on issues from the Millennium Development Goals, conflict prevention, human rights and organizational capacity building.

In addition to programmatic initiatives, Mr. Golmohammadi guided UNA-Sweden to increase its marketing and public relations capacity. As a result, UNA-Sweden was awarded a Gold Medal at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival 2009 for True Evidence of War, a media campaign to support war victims of Georgia. UNA Sweden won a gold medal at the EuroBest Advertising Awards in 2009 as well as several PR, advertising and marketing awards in Sweden. UNA Sweden now has over 110 local chapters all over Sweden and more than 100 national organizations as members.

Since 2015, he serves as Co-Chair on the Steering Committee of the Transparency, Accountability and Participation Network (TAP Network), a broad network of CSOs that works to ensure that open, inclusive, accountable and effective governance is at the heart of the UN's Post-2015 Development Agenda. Since 2005, Mr. Golmohammadi has served as President of the UNA Europe Network, coordinating United Nations Associations from all over Europe. He has served or is serving on various advisory boards for Swedish Ministers for Development, international development corporations, UN entities, and civil society organizations. Prior to joining UNA-Sweden, Mr. Golmohammadi worked with consultancy and private businesses in Sweden and the Czech Republic, including developing a national globalization project for high schools, working with publishing as well as project management.

Mr. Golmohammadi earned a degree in Political Science, and has studied International Law, Human Rights and Philosophy, from Stockholm and Uppsala Universities.

Source: https://wfuna.org/people/bonian-golmohammadi

H. Stephen Halloway
H. Stephen Halloway
Director, Center for Comparative Legislative Management, International Law Institute
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H. Stephen Halloway is Director, Center for Comparative Legislative Management at the International Law Institute and Course Advisor for Governance and Anti-Corruption. He also serves as a Senior Advisor to the World Bank. He was Head of Mission, United Nations Industrial Development Organization at United Nations Headquarters in New York. He was formerly Senior Advisor in the Inter-American Development Bank’s Office of External Relations where he had responsibility for Congressional Affairs and Private Sector Outreach related to the IDB Group. He served as Senior Advisor, North-South Trade and Investment, Ltd. Edmonton, Canada as well as Senior Advisor to the President, Andrade Gutierrez Environmental Group (Brazil). He also served as the Chief Regulatory Officer of the U.S. Department of Commerce and Chief Counsel of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison; MA in Political Science (Ford Fellow at the Eagleton Institute of Politics) from Rutgers University and a J. D. from the Boston University School of Law.

Source: https://international.wisc.edu/staff/halloway-h-stephen/#:~:text=Washington%2C%20DC%20USA-,H.,Advisor%20to%20the%20World%20Bank.

Amierah Ismail
Amierah Ismail
Humanitarian Affairs Officer, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
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Amierah is currently a humanitarian affairs officer in the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. She has served as a Professional Officer to the Permanent Observer Mission of the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) to the United Nations. In that
capacity, she participated in meetings, programmes and events related to the United Nations General Assembly Third Committee (Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs), ECOSOC funds and programmes, issues related to climate change and other UN issues. Amierah has extensive experience in negotiating resolutions, working bilaterally and fostering relationships with member states, other intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations. Prior to her time at the OIC Observer Mission, Amierah managed Alumni Events for hundreds of Law School Alumni at the New York University School of Law. Additionally, Amierah served as the Global Classrooms Coordinator for the Global Classrooms programme at the United Nations Association of the United States of America in New York. Amierah's NMUN experience spans more than 10 years, from delegate to Assistant Director to Chief of Staff to Secretary-General in 2007. Amierah graduated with a degree in Political Science from The American University and a Masters in Global Affairs from New York University.
Millie Meyers
Millie Meyers
Retired Outreach Coordinator, United States Mission to the UN
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Millie Meyers served as the Outreach Coordinator through several administrations at the United States Mission to the UN.
Rachel Bowen Pittman
Rachel Bowen Pittman
Executive Director, United Nations Association-USA
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Rachel Bowen Pittman serves as Executive Director of UNA-USA, a grassroots movement of more than 20,000 Americans in over 200 chapters across the U.S. who are dedicated to supporting the work of the United Nations in communities, on campuses, and on Capitol Hill. Rachel works to maximize UNA-USA’s advocacy impact by guiding the strategic vision for the organization, overseeing membership expansion, and managing partnerships. Rachel works closely with UNA-USA’s National Council and Affinity Group leadership to spearhead new initiatives that support a strong U.S.-UN partnership.

Before she was appointed Executive Director in June 2019, Rachel served as UNA-USA’s Senior Director of Membership and Programs. In this role, she managed UNA-USA’s national programs and events, including the annual Global Engagement Summit at UN Headquarters, Global Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., and UN Day events across the country. She also led a nationwide fundraising campaign to provide education to youth in refugee camps.

Prior to joining UNA-USA, Rachel served on multiple leadership teams for several professional associations that represented lawyers, surgeons, regulators and engineers. In her many accomplishments, Rachel strengthened membership programs, directed rebranding initiatives and secured agreements with national associations representing China, Korea, Argentina, India, Peru, Egypt and Mexico. While Rachel has worked with inspiring professionals across a diverse range of industries and cultures throughout her career, supporting UNA-USA staff and members in their efforts to make the future brighter is her greatest inspiration.

Rachel holds a B.S.B.A in International Business from American University and an MBA in Marketing from Johns Hopkins University.

Source: https://unausa.org/team/rachelpittman/

Kilaparti Ramakrishna
Kilaparti Ramakrishna
Former Senior Advisor to the Executive Director, Green Climate Fund
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Kilaparti is currently serving as Senior Advisor to the President on Ocean and Climate Policy at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (www.whoi.edu). He was the Senior Advisor to the Executive Director at the Green Climate Fund until the end of 2020. Prior to this over a period of eight and half years he lived in South Korea serving the United Nations and the Green Climate Fund. At GCF he was the Head of Strategic Planning, at the UN, he was Director of United Nations Office for East and North-east Asia of UNESCAP. Other experience with UN includes five years with the UNEP. He came to these UN and intergovernmental organization positions from the Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC) where he served as its Vice President and Director of Policy. At UNEP he served for five years s its Senior Advisor of Environmental Law and Conventions, Principal Policy Advisor to the Executive Director of UNEP, and Chief of Cross-sectoral Environmental Issues. Ramakrishna’s prior experience with the United Nations system was when he worked as the Special Advisor in drafting the Framework Convention on Climate Change. He assisted with work on Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and subsequently worked as the Principal Officer for Implementation and Communication with the secretariat for the Biological Diversity Convention in Montreal.

Ramakrishna was a Visiting Professor of International Law at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He taught at Harvard Law School and at Boston University, Yale University, Brandeis University and Boston College Law Schools. He was an elected Life Member of the US Council on Foreign Relations and served on a number of Boards. Ramakrishna is part of number of scientific assessments and was one of the Lead Authors of IPCC, Fifth Assessment.

In his role as the Director and Head of UN Subregional Office for East and North-East Asia, he is responsible for implementing UN activities in the subregion comprising China, Mongolia, South Korea, North Korea, Russia and Japan and also provided secretariat services to the North East Asia Subregional Programme for Environmental Cooperation.
Prof. Richard Reitano
Prof. Richard Reitano
President Emeritus, NMUN Board
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Richard Reitano, professor emeritus, led his first delegation of Dutchess Community College students to National Model United Nations (NMUN) in 1968 and stayed involved in the program for over 50 years. He began his service on the NMUN Board in the early 1990s. 
The Hon. Douglas Roche
The Hon. Douglas Roche
Former Canadian Parliamentarian and Diplomat
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Douglas James Roche, OC, KCSG (born June 14, 1929) is a Canadian author, parliamentarian, diplomat and peace activist. Roche served as Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Edmonton—Strathcona from 1972 to 1979 and for Edmonton South 1979–1984.[1] In 1984, he was appointed Canada's Ambassador for Disarmament, a position he held until 1989. He was appointed to the Senate of Canada on September 17, 1998, where he served until June 13, 2004. Currently he resides in Edmonton, Alberta.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Roche

Hina Shamsi
Hina Shamsi
American Civil Liberties Union
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Hina Shamsi (@HinaShamsi) is the director of the ACLU National Security Project, which is dedicated to ensuring that U.S. national security policies and practices are consistent with the Constitution, civil liberties, and human rights. She has litigated cases upholding the freedoms of speech and association, and challenging targeted killing, torture, unlawful detention, and post-9/11 discrimination against racial and religious minorities. Her work includes a focus on the intersection of national security and counterterrorism policies with international human rights and humanitarian law. She previously worked as a staff attorney in the ACLU National Security Project and was the acting director of Human Rights First’s Law & Security Program. She also served as senior advisor to the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions. Hina appears regularly in the media and has been quoted as a national security expert by numerous outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Associated Press, and Reuters, and has appeared on MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, NPR, ABC News, and the BBC. She is the author and coauthor of publications on targeted killing, torture, and extraordinary rendition, and has monitored and reported on the military commissions at Guantánamo Bay. She is also a lecturer-in-law at Columbia Law School, where she teaches a course in international human rights. Hina is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and Northwestern University School of Law. 

Source: https://www.aclu.org/news/by/hina-shamsi

Chris Whatley
Chris Whatley
Executive Director, HALO-USA
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Chris Whatley joined HALO in June 2019. Prior to HALO, Chris served as Executive Director of the United Nations Association of the United States. Chris previously served as Deputy Executive Director of The Council of State Governments (CSG) and began his career as a field-based officer for the International Republican Institute (IRI), leading programs in Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

Source: https://www.halotrust.org/about-us/who-we-are/our-people/

Robert Windrem
Robert Windrem
NBC News
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Robert is an award-winning investigative reporter focusing on national security at NBC News and a writer at NBCNews.com. He has been a member of the National Model United Nations Advisory Council since 2009. 

He has covered international relations and national security at NBC News for more than three decades. During that time, he’s reported on the rise of Al Qaeda, having produced the first network TV report on the group in January 1997. He was also the first network TV producer to bring TV cameras inside CIA HQ in 1993. He’s reported from more than 50 countries, winning more than 40 national and international journalism awards.

In 1994, he and William E. Burrows co-authored Critical Mass: The Dangerous Race for Superweapons in a Fragmenting World, all or significant excerpts of which were translated into seven languages. He taught Television Writing at NYU for 17 years.

He is also a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a Fellow at the Center on National Security at Fordham Law School and a member of the President’s Advisory Group at Seton Hall University, his alma mater where he received a B.A.
in Communication Arts.

NMUN•NY Advisory Group

Prof. Pam Chasek
Prof. Pam Chasek
Manhattan College, New York, USA
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Pam is the co-founder and Executive Editor of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin and Professor of Political Science at Manhattan College in New York. She has published numerous articles and book chapters on developing country capacity building for environmental negotiations, scientific uncertainty in negotiations, professional cultures in negotiations, land degradation and the UNCCD, and various environmental treaties and negotiating processes. Her most recent books are: Global Environmental Politics, 8th edition (Routledge 2021); Transforming Multilateral Diplomacy: The Inside Story of the Sustainable Development Goals (Routledge 2018); and The Roads from Rio: Lessons Learned from Twenty Years of Multilateral Environmental Negotiation (Routledge, 2012). 
Eugene B. Chen
Eugene B. Chen
Visiting Scholar, Center on International Cooperation, New York University
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Eugene is an expert on the inner workings of the United Nations and its intergovernmental bodies. He is currently a visiting scholar with the Center on International Cooperation at New York University. He previously worked in various roles within the United Nations Secretariat, most recently in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, where was responsible for coordinating the implementation of the Secretary-General's reform initiatives. Prior to joining the Secretariat, he served as lead negotiator for the U.S. Government at the United Nations General Assembly on subjects including peacekeeping operations, administrative and budgetary questions, and institutional reform. For his achievements in multilateral negotiations at the United Nations, he was awarded the Superior Honor Award as well as multiple Meritorious Honor Awards from the U.S. Department of State. Eugene holds a BA in Government and MPA from Cornell University.
Alfred 'Alfie' Jones
Alfred 'Alfie' Jones
SG, NMUN•NY 2021
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Alfie is originally from the UK, and has been living in Berlin, Germany since 2013. He studied Modern History & Politics as an undergraduate at Royal Holloway, University of London, before completing an MA in History at the University of Bristol. He now works as a Product Manager at Airsiders, a travel technology firm. Alfie joined NMUN volunteer staff in 2012. His most recent position at NMUN • New York was Secretary-General for the 2021 conference.

Natalie Keller
Natalie Keller
SG, NMUN•NY 2022
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Natalie is originally from Germany and lives in Vienna, Austria at the moment. She attended the University of Bonn and the University of Vienna and finished her law degree (with a focus on international and business law) in 2021. She has published a chapter on commercial law in a book on applied and comparative law and language. She speaks four languages and is registered as an authorized translator with the court. Natalie joined NMUN•NY volunteer staff in 2012 and served as Secretary-General at NMUN•NY 2022.
Prof. Alynna J. Lyon
Prof. Alynna J. Lyon
University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire, USA
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Alynna is a Professor of Political Science at the University of New Hampshire. Her research focus includes the United Nations, U.S. Foreign Policy, multilateralism, and moral authority at the global level. She is past chair of the International Organization section of the International Studies Association (2016–2018). In her teaching, Professor Lyon is an advocate of experiential learning and has served as a Faculty Advisor for Model United Nations since 2000.

She is currently co-Editor-in-Chief for the journal Global Governance and serves on the Editorial Board of International Studies Quarterly. She is a co-author of The United Nations in the 21 Century, 6th ed. (Westview, 2022) with Karen Mingst and Margaret Karns, and of The United Nations: 75 Years of Promoting Peace (ABC-CLIO 2020) with Kent Kille. She also wrote US Politics and the United Nations: A Tale of Dysfunctional Dynamics (Lynne Rienner, 2016).

Clarissa Manning Iliff
Clarissa Manning Iliff
DSG, NMUN•NY 2020; SG, NMUN•NY 2021
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Clarissa is originally from Apple Valley, California where she attended Victor Valley College and participated as a delegate at NMUN•NY for two years. She then transferred to UCLA where she studied political science and public policy, earning her BA in Political Science and her Master’s in Public Policy. She now co-operates BOTEC Analysis, a consulting firm providing policy analysis and implementation advisory services. Clarissa joined the NMUN•NY volunteer staff in 2011. Her most recent position at NMUN • New York was Secretary-General for the 2021 conference.

Estefani Morales Zanoletti
Estefani Morales Zanoletti
DSG, NMUN•NY 2022
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Estefani is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area in California and now lives in Washington, D.C. She has a B.A. in International Relations from San Francisco State University where she attended a year abroad in Florence, Italy to study Italian language and European politics. Estefani received her M.Sc. in Environment, Politics, and Globalization at King’s College London, in London, U.K. She currently works as a Government Affairs Specialist at a large tech company, where she conducts policy analysis and external government relations. Estefani was a delegate for two years and began her service on NMUN volunteer staff in 2014. She served as Deputy Secretary-General for NMUN•NY 2022. She is a proud daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, a first generation college student, environmentalist, avid comic book reader, cyclist, and feminist.
Prof. Dr. Andreas Müglich
Prof. Dr. Andreas Müglich
Westfälische Hochschule, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
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Andreas passed his University Law Exam and Bar Exam in Germany, and has worked as a University Assistant, and a Civil Servant with the Federal Ministry of Transport before joining the Westfälische Hochschule a University of Applied Sciences in the very heart of the Ruhr Region, the most dense populated area in Germany. Since 1997 he has served as a Law Professor at the Law Faculty and since 2003 as Faculty Adviser for the NMUN classes. He is an expert in Intellectual Property Rights, International Trade Law, and International Law. He is a  long-term member of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation scholarship advisory board and is engaged as a coach in didactics of higher education for newly appointed professors.
He is of German nationality and studied in Würzburg and Giessen (both in Germany). As an expert he contributed to projects for the German Academic Exchange Service in Kenya and the Federal Ministry of Justice in Uzbekistan and Bulgaria. He earned his doctoral dissertation at Justus Liebig University Giessen, analyzing new contract concepts for software licenses agreements comparing German and US Contract Law.
Prof. Roni Kay M. O’Dell
Prof. Roni Kay M. O’Dell
Seton Hill University, Pennsylvania, USA
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Roni Kay is an Associate Professor of Political Science which involves teaching and publications in International Relations, Development/Comparative Politics, and Human Rights. She holds a PhD and MA from the University of Denver, Josef Korbel School of International Studies, and MA in International Policy Studies from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Her professional background includes posts as Assistant and Associate Professor, and several posts in non-profit organizations. She has filled leadership roles in Amnesty International committees and the International Studies Association, Global Development Section. She has been involved in leading MUN teams at two universities, with six years of experience as advisor/faculty of MUN clubs and field study. Further, she has experience in organizing/leading teams as the Seton Hill University Program Coordinator for the Political Science/Global Studies Department, and as Chair of several Seton Hill University committees.
Prof. Narges Rabii-Rakin
Prof. Narges Rabii-Rakin
Santiago Canyon College, California, USA
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Narges is an educator with 20 years of experience, who lives by the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion which she uses to enrich the student environment and provide rich and dynamic learning. Emphasizing collaboration, she incorporates diversity to engage students in the classroom and challenge them outside the classroom so that they can learn to think critically, be responsible citizens, realize their own goals and learn social responsibility because they will be the leaders of tomorrow. She plans and develops instructional programs and curricula; coordinates the faculty, staff and facilities to implement; and evaluate the results to create a cycle of continuous improvement. As an educator, she is committed to putting students first, guiding them to successful completion of programs and projects that enhance their educational experience. As a leader, she is committed to social justice and equality. She founded the Model United Nations program at Santiago Canyon College where she empowered and motivated a diverse group of students to thrive academically and professionally. She created new departments as well as new courses and programs within the Social Sciences when she saw the need without being asked to do so. She believes taking the initiative is key to good leadership and essential in developing and implementing a strategic vision.

Prof. Marc Scarcelli
Prof. Marc Scarcelli
California State Polytechnic University Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona), California, USA
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Marc is an Associate Professor of Political Science, specializing in International Relations. He teaches courses on a range of global topics, including International War, Ethnic Conflict, Terrorism, Transnational Crime, and Environmental Security. He also maintains a strong personal interest in matters of extreme poverty, stemming from his previous experience with development work in Haiti. 
Leah Schmidt
Leah Schmidt
DSG, NMUN•NY 2022
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Leah has a Master of Philosophy in Gender Studies from the University of Cambridge, which she earned as the Canadian Chevening Scholar and Rotary Trust Global Grant Recipient. She previously earned a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) in Women’s Studies from the University of Calgary; a Bachelor of Arts (with Distinction and a Minor in Anthropology) in International Relations from the University of Calgary; and a graduate certificate from the London School of Economics and Politics in Law, War, and Human Rights. Originally from Calgary but now based in Ottawa, Canada, she is currently the Gender Lead for the Canadian G7/G20 diplomatic team, and credits Model UN as her impetus for pursuing a career in multilateralism. A former Killam Fellow with Fulbright Canada and Alberta Top 30 Under 30, Leah joined NMUN volunteer staff in 2012, and has served on Senior Staff of both NMUN•NY and NMUN•DC. She served as Deputy Secretary-General for NMUN•NY 2022. In her spare time, she's an award-winning poet, LGBTQ+ community organizer, mediocre runner, and cat mom.
Marleen Schreier
Marleen Schreier
DSG, NMUN•NY 2021
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Marleen currently works as a Senior Livelihoods Officer at the International Rescue Committee, where she manages employment, financial inclusion, and integration initiatives for refugees and asylum seekers in Germany. She previously worked for the Tent Partnership for Refugees, Doctors without Borders, and the United Nations System Staff College as a research fellow. She holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and a Master of Public Policy from the Hertie School of Governance. She joined the NMUN•NY volunteer staff in 2014 and served as Deputy Secretary-General for NMUN • Germany 2019 and NMUN • New York 2021.
Jeffrey A. Thorpe II
Jeffrey A. Thorpe II
SG, NMUN•NY 2022
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Jeffrey is originally from Brunswick, Georgia, and currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from Georgia Southern University in 2011 with a B.A. in Political Science and International Studies and again in 2013 with a Master of Public Administration. Professionally, Jeffrey is the Judicial Caseload Data Manager of the Office of Research and Data Analysis for the Judicial Council of Georgia/Administrative Office of the Courts, where he oversees judicial statistics, data management, circuit analyses, and assists with international visitors. He is the President and player for the Atlanta Bucks Rugby Football Club, LLC in his spare time. Jeffrey began his service on NMUN•NY volunteer staff in 2014 and has also volunteered for NMUN•DC and NMUN • Germany 2019. He served as Secretary-General at NMUN•NY 2022.

Stéphanie Toschi
Stéphanie Toschi
DSG, NMUN•NY 2020 and 2021
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Stéphanie, originally from Luxembourg, holds a BA in political science from the University of Bonn, an MA in international relations from Université Libre de Bruxelles, and an Advanced MA in EU Diplomacy from the College of Europe, Bruges Campus. She recently joined the Luxembourgish Foreign Service as a desk officer in the Political Affairs Directorate. She has been on NMUN•NY Volunteer Staff since 2015. Her most recent position at NMUN • New York was Deputy Secretary-General for the 2021 conference.
Prof. Karen Vogel
Prof. Karen Vogel
Professor Emerita, Hamline University, Minnesota, USA
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Professor Vogel completed her Bachelor’s degree in Political Studies and English from Pitzer College, Claremont, CA in 1980. She finished her M.A. in Political Science in 1982 and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Oregon, in 1986.  She was an assistant professor at the University of Vermont and Washington State University before coming to Hamline University in St. Paul, MN in 1989 where she taught a variety of courses in comparative politics, gender politics, and international organizations. Professor Vogel received tenure at Hamline University in 1995 and was promoted to full professor in 2001. Retiring in 2016, she was honored as Professor Emerita in 2017.  During her career, she was recognized for her teaching, receiving the Hamline University Burton and Ruth Grimes Teaching Award, the Hamline University Student Congress Faculty Member of the Year Award, and the Hamline University First Year Seminar Academic Advising Award. Professor Vogel served as Director of Hamline University’s Model United Nations for several years, building the team from an ad hoc student group to a full academic program including a class and annual lecture/panel series.  She advised and brought teams every year to National Model UN from about 1991 to 2015.  In 2010, she was a Delegate for the United Nations Association of the USA to the 54th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and Review of Beijing+15, United Nations, New York.  In 2012, Professor Vogel was elected to the National Model UN Faculty Advisory Board, and in 2015 became a permanent member of the NMUN Faculty Advisory Group. She also authored the first NMUN Faculty/Delegation Leader Preparation Guide in 2014. After her retirement from Hamline University, she continue to volunteer regularly with National Model UN.

NMUN•DC Advisory Group

Prof. Pam Chasek
Prof. Pam Chasek
Manhattan College, New York
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Pam is the co-founder and Executive Editor of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin and Professor of Political Science at Manhattan College in New York. She has published numerous articles and book chapters on sustainable development, developing country capacity building for environmental negotiations, land degradation and the UNCCD, and various environmental treaties and negotiating processes. Her most recent books are: Global Environmental Politics, 8th edition (Routledge 2021); Transforming Multilateral Diplomacy: The Inside Story of the Sustainable Development Goals (Routledge 2018);  and The Roads from Rio: Lessons Learned from Twenty Years of Multilateral Environmental Negotiation (Routledge, 2012).
Prof. Jennifer De Maio
Prof. Jennifer De Maio
California State University, Northridge
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Jennifer De Maio (Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles, 2005) is Professor of Political Science at California State University, Northridge.  She holds a MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and a BA in English and History from Georgetown University. Professor De Maio’s research focuses on African Politics, specifically on ethnic civil wars and conflict management. Before beginning a career in academia, Professor De Maio worked as a journalist for ABC News and NHK Japan Broadcasting Corporation. She has been the advisor for CSUN's Model United Nations team since 2013.

Professor De Maio is the author of Confronting Ethnic Conflict: The Role of Third Parties in Managing Africa's Civil Wars and co-author of the textbook This Land Is Your Land: Introduction to American Government and Politics. She is also the co-editor of the book Sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa: Problems, Perspectives, and Prospects. Professor De Maio has published and presented papers on ethnic politics, civil wars and peacebuildng in Africa, including an article on the relationship between urban space and conflict management for the journal “Urbana,” a piece on the problem of exclusivity in peace processes which appeared in the journal "Civil Wars," a chapter on the role of youth people in African Politics in the book Civic Youth Work: Co-Creating Democratic Youth Spaces, an article on the transnationalization of conflict in Darfur for African Studies Quarterly, and a manuscript on preventive diplomacy published in World Affairs. In addition, she co-authored an article on the long-term learning benefits of participating in Model United Nation programs which appeared in the Journal of Political Science Education. 

Courtney Indart
Courtney Indart
SG, NMUN•DC 2021
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Courtney has a Master's Degree in International Affairs from The George Washington University and earned her BA from The College of Idaho in International Political Economy. Originally from Idaho, she now lives in Washington, DC and works as an Information Officer on the International Visitor Leadership Program for Meridian International Center. Courtney served on NMUN•DC staff for 6 years and is a volunteer staff member at NMUN•NY. 
Prof. Jeffrey S. Morton
Prof. Jeffrey S. Morton
Florida Atlantic University
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Jeffrey S. Morton is the Pierrepont Comfort Chair in Political Science at Florida Atlantic University and a Fellow at the Foreign Policy Association. He received his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina, specializing in International Law. Professor Morton is the founding Director of the Leon Charney Diplomacy Program and directs the Morton Research Forum in the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College.

Daniel Sweeney
Daniel Sweeney
SG, NMUN•DC 2020
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Daniel is a Sr. Coordinator, Program Operations in Save the Children's Department of Global Health. He completed his M.A. in International Development Studies from the George Washington University in December 2019. Daniel was born and currently lives in Arlington, VA and
has been a volunteer staffer with NMUN from 2015-2021.
Adam Wolf
Adam Wolf
SG, NMUN•DC 2022
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Adam works as a Communications Officer for The HALO Trust, the world's largest humanitarian landmine clearance NGO. A native of Wisconsin, Adam earned his Bachelors in International Studies at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. He currently lives in Washington, DC, where he is an active member of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area. Adam spent seven years volunteering with NMUN•DC and five years at NMUN•NY.