Our Staff

AFRICAN UNION

Tomi Siyanbade

Tomi Siyanbade is an undergraduate at Harvard studying Chemical and Physical Biology with a secondary in Global Health and Health Policy. She is broadly interested in global health at all levels-- from wet-lab research to health policy and equity -- and loves to mentor high school students seeking to make an impact. Outside of STEM, she listens to all types of music (except for country and EDM), and she is involved in several music ensembles on campus. In her free time, you can find her playing the piano, watching movies, or finding more ways to get involved in the Cambridge community.

ARAB LEAGUE

Nia Burch

Nia is a senior at Harvard from Houston, Texas studying Government and Economics. Outside of her academics, she directs an afterschool program for elementary school students, advises first-year students through their transition to college, and conducts outreach to prospective Harvard students. For fun, she likes to spend time with her friends exploring the city and trying different types of sushi. Nia is very excited to spend a second year with HMCME helping students explore their passions for politics in a fun and enriching conference environment.

HOUSE JUDICIARY

Andy Wang

Andy is a senior at Harvard studying Social Studies and Philosophy. This will be his third HMC Middle East and his 13th overall HMC conference! Originally from Chicagoland, Illinois, Andy has lived in Germany and China but now calls Cambridge home. When he's not staffing HMC conferences or doing schoolwork, you can find Andy travelling and working on his (very bad) photography.

HOUSE SPACE,
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY

Mohammed Maarouf

Mohammed Maarouf is a HMC Senior Staffer and a second-year at Harvard College studying Applied Math in Economics and Computer Science. This will be his third HMC conference. Besides HMC, he has been involved with the Harvard Financial Analysts Club, Harvard Real Estate Investment Group, and Harvard Futsal Club. He has family in the UAE, and it’s his favorite travel destination of all. A resident of Southern California himself, he is a huge fan of the beach, playing soccer, and riding all types of roller coasters – he’s even been on Formula Rossa!

SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS

Laila Nasher

Laila Nasher is a sophomore at Harvard studying History and Social Anthropology with a focus on gender and the Middle East. As a Yemeni immigrant, she is so excited to connect with other young Arabs on some of the most pressing issues of our region. Laila is Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for HMCME. Outside of HMCME, Laila conducts human rights research and is involved in support first generation college students.

SENATE HOMELAND SECURITY

Sharon Tang

Sharon is a senior from Connecticut concentrating in Economics and receiving a secondary in Government. On campus, she spends her time working on the Harvard Crimson business board and of course Model Congress. This will be her third HMCME and her seventh HMC. In her free time, she loves to watch movies with her friends, try out new restaurants, and plan new travel itineraries.

Kaitlyn Tran

Kaitlyn is a sophomore at Harvard studying Government and English. She calls St. Louis, Missouri home and will proudly rep the Midwest any day. Beyond HMC, Kaitlyn is passionate about refugee rights, intersectional activism, and foreign policy and would love to grab a cup of coffee and discuss any of these topics. Kaitlyn is beyond excited to be senior staffing for HMCME!

Georgia Steigerwald

Georgia is a senior at the college living in Winthrop House. She studies Psychology and Economics, with a focus on Moral and Political Psychology. She is a proud cat-loving caffeine addict often found traveling with Harvard's Intercollegiate Model UN team and staffing conferences far from her hometown of Philadelphia. When she’s not working for the U.S. Congress, conducting research for Harvard's Moral Psychology Research Lab, or writing for one of Harvard's student publications, she likes to think she can finally catch up on sleep. This will be her 14th HMC and she could not be more excited to welcome you all to this year's HMCME!

Sebastian Juarez

Sebastian Juarez is a first-year student at Harvard studying Government. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, but his family is from the Philippines, Mexico, and El Salvador. When Sebastian is not studying or competing in debates, you can find him watching Netflix, swimming at the beach, or drinking boba. This will be his first HMCME, and he’s so excited to meet everyone and explore Dubai!

Caleb Thompson

Caleb Thompson is from a small town called New Castle in Western Colorado. Growing up, he had the opportunity to embark on several impactful trips with his family, including month-long visits in Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Taiwan, which sparked a passion for learning more about the world. For his senior year of high school, Caleb expanded his knowledge further by living in Adana, Turkey as an exchange student. In his free time, Caleb enjoys playing the piano, learning new languages, and spending time outside. Whether he is hiking or discussing foreign policy, exploration and curiosity unite his passions.

Mukta Dharmapurikar

Mukta Dharmapurikar is a sophomore at Harvard studying Environmental Science & Engineering and Economics. She is passionate about combining technological and policy solutions to climate change, especially in food systems! She enjoys public speaking and is fascinated by international relations and is so excited to be staffing HMC this year! On campus, she is involved in climate groups, research, and journalism. In her free time, she loves to bike around Boston, read, and write.

Salma Boukouj

Salma Boukouj is a first year at Harvard College planning to study Government with a citation in Arabic. She is Moroccan-American, born and raised in Cambridge, MA. On campus, Salma is part of the Institute of Politics, Harvard Model Congress, the Palestine Solidarity Committee, and plans to further her involvement in other organizations. She is passionate about advocacy for marginalized groups, educational equity, and political representation. Salma intends to explore her academic interests and strengthen advocacy at the College and beyond. She enjoys music and uses it as a tool to engage and learn about other communities.

GROUP OF 20

John Lively

John is a member of the class of 2024 and is studying History of Art and Architecture with a secondary in Economics. Originally from Massachusetts, he currently lives in Eliot house. Outside of HMC, John is involved in business organizations on campus and enjoys spending time with friends. He has staffed and been on the board of 4 HMC conferences over the past two years, including as Business Manager of HMCME 2024, and is excited to meet all of you in 2024!

UNITED NATIONS
SECURITY COUNCIL

Kevin Ray

Kevin is a senior at the College studying Computer Science and Government with a secondary in Folklore and Mythology. He has staffed four HMC conferences, including two HMC Middle East Conferences. Outside of HMC, Kevin is involved with Tech For Social Good, an organization that performs free software development projects for non-profits. In his free time, Kevin enjoys cooking, watching Netflix, and going for hikes!

World Bank

Stephen Norris

Stephen is a Junior from Nashua, New Hampshire, a small city just north of Boston. He is a member of the Class of 2025 at Harvard, studying Applied Math and Economics. He has been a part of 8 previous HMC conferences and this year he is so excited to be participating in HMCME. Outside of HMC, Stephen is a part of the Harvard financial analysts club as well as multiple club and intramural sports. During his free time, he enjoys skiing, surfing, and eating.

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Elizabeth Ogolo

Elizabeth is a Senior at Harvard College majoring in Neuroscience on the Mind, Brain, and Behavior Track with a citation in Spanish. Although her passion for pursuing a career as an Orthopedic Surgeon was realized at a young age, after growing up in a family full of educators, she also discovered her interest in teaching and mentoring. In HMC, she is Director of Outreach for HMC Middle East. In addition to HMC Middle East, she is the Vice President for the Phillips Brooks House Association. She is also a part of the Harvard Society of Black Scientists and Engineers, MEDLIFE Harvard chapter, and the Psychological Association for Underrepresented Students. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys playing her ukulele, learning new languages, and taking walks along the Charles River on campus.

Da’Vion Tatum

Da'Vion Tatum is an author, EMT, and current student at Harvard University studying Biomedical Engineering. He is very passionate about health equity, social justice, and education. He is from Houston, TX and has been involved in many organizations and initiatives that revolve around his passion to help others. He is very passionate about the work that he does and hopes to continue doing work that helps make the world a better place.

Ava Silva

Ava Silva is a first-year student at Harvard pursuing a joint degree in linguistics and government. She was born and raised in a rural, small town in Texas called San Augustine. Outside of classes, Ava enjoys taking long walks around Cambridge and trying new food. This is her first HMCME conference and she can’t wait to make amazing memories with everyone!

Arsema Aklog

Arsema Aklog is a sophomore at Harvard College studying Sociology and Global Health & Health Policy with a citation in Amharic. She is originally from San Diego, California. Outside of HMCME, she works with the United Nations Development Programme, the Harvard Global Health Institute, and the Harvard Eritrean & Ethiopian Student Association. In her free time, she loves to cook Ethiopian food, go to the beach, and listen to jazz.

Hayden Fredrickson

Hayden Fredrickson is a first-year in Canaday studying economics and government. Originally from North Dakota, he is passionate about democratic preservation, economic development, and constitutional law. He is looking forward to teaching about America’s most important institution and learning even more from the delegates at the conference. Outside of class, Hayden is involved in the Small Claims Advisory Service, Harvard Undergraduate Law Committee, Pets as Therapy, Harvard Undergraduates for Bipartisan Solutions, and the Harvard Institute of Politics Campaigns and Advisory Program. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, listening to music, exploring campus, and doing origami.