STAFF
EXECUTIVE STAFF
Liliane Ventrone
Secretary General
Liliane Ventrone is a junior at UMBC, majoring in Biological Sciences and minoring in Chemistry. She has been president of the team for two years. She does research in the Chemistry department here at UMBC and eventually wants to get her PhD in biology or genetics. In her free time, you can catch her at the campus Starbucks with her friends or binge-watching Gossip Girl.
Under-Secretary General
Rahul Ramnath is a junior mechanical engineering major at UMBC. He has been doing MUN since high school, starting with JHUMUNC, and has now been doing MUN at UMBC for 3 years. He is also the Vice President of UMBC's Model UN team.
Rahul Ramnath
Under-Secretary General
Sahiba Babra is a junior at UMBC, majoring in Economics, minoring in Political Science, and obtaining a certificate in Media and Communications. Subsequent to declaring her minor in Political Science she decided to join the Model UN team and has partaken in two collegiate conferences. In addition to being the Executive Director for GRITMUN, she is a member of Phi Mu’s Phi Gamma Chapter and a Sports Sponsorship and Marketing Intern at the UMBC Event Center. After graduation, Sahiba has yet to figure out what her true passion is, but like a lot of college students, she’s just figuring it out. When she isn’t involved with Model UN or Phi Mu, she’s most likely planning her next big project.
Sahiba Babra
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High School Outreach Director
bio here
Sakina Esterberg
CHAIRS
Co-Chair, UNHRC
Swati Singh is a junior at UMBC, majoring in Psychology, minoring in Economics, and obtaining a certificate in Psychology at the Workplace. After her brother participated in Model UN in his high school days, as a middle schooler Swati always wanted to experience the same. She got a chance in Fall 2018. Apart from being the Chair of UNHRC, she is an IHU peer mentor, a research lab assistant, and a desk staffer. After graduation, Swati hopes on to being a successful Organizational Developer. When she is not getting crazy with her busy schedule you catch her around campus mingling and giggling around with her friends.
Swati Singh
Co-Chair, WHO
Hello, my name is Ryan Gaines, I’m currently a freshman at UMBC
and haven’t decided a major yet but hope to one day become
either a lawyer or teacher. This will be my second year doing
Model UN after I began doing so at Walt Whitman High School in
my senior year. I spend most of my free time either hanging out
with friends or working on my photography.
Ryan Gaines
Co-Chair, UNHRC
Zane Poffenberger is a junior political science and history double-major here at UMBC. He has been doing Model UN since Fall 2018. He is the Vice President for Student Organizations in UMBC's Student Government.
Zane Poffenberger
Co-Chair, ICJ
Hi, I’m Viviana Angelini! I’m a Global Studies major with minors in Russian language, International Politics and Piano Performance. After college, I plan on getting a Masters’ degree and working in national security. I’ve been doing Model UN for two years now and am excited to work with GRITMUN! Fun fact: I’ve played the piano for 14 years!
Viviana Angelini
Co-Chair, Security Council
I am a current History major at UMBC, and hope to add on a economics major as well. My plan after college is either to attend law school, or attend a masters programs in economics/public policy. My model U.N history began in junior year of High School when I co-founded a local Model U.N chapter in my high school. From then as Vice-President of Model U.N of Perry Hall High School, I was able to grow the club into 20+ members, and aide in being a consistent member of the Towson Model U.N conference. I am a current member of the UMBC Model U.N team, and hope to continue to develop the organization throughout the university. While my schedule is fairly business with both work and school, during my free time I enjoy reading and/or watching the news.
Alex Xhane
Co-Chair, Security Council
Hey guys! My name is Elijah Sharp, and I'm super excited to be co-chairing the SC committee! I'm a freshman Honors College student in the Sondheim program at UMBC, and I'm double majoring in Political Science and Theatre. I'm a Catonsville native, and I'm a nerd for weird things like card magic and pancakes. I participated in MUN during my last 2 years at Towson High School, and grew to love it, so I'm glad I get to continue participating in such a valuable experience in college. Please reach out to me if you have any MUN-related questions, or if you just wanna get to know me! Can't wait to see you guys in the spring! TGOD!
Elijah Sharp
Co-Chair, WHO
Versana Kataria is a sophomore at UMBC, majoring in Biology, minoring in Psychology, studying to become a doctor. She started Model UN as a junior in high school, and became the vice president of Walt Whitman High School’s club in her senior year and a member of UMBC’s Model UN club, her sophomore year. In her free time you can catch her at the library with her friends or binge-watching Bollywood movies on netflix.
Versana Kataria
Co-Chair, ICJ
Ghina Ammar
My name is Ghina Ammar and I am a senior at UMBC majoring in History and Political Science with a minor in Psychology. I work as a research assistant for the SODHI lab on campus, and I serve as the Social Science Editor for the UMBC Review, our academic journal. I participated in Model UN in high school, and I am excited to revisit the Model UN experience by serving as the ICJ Co-Chair!
Co-Chair, UNESCO
My name is Kelly Mathews and I was a member of UMBC’s Model UN Team for three years while studying history and political science. I currently work at the Johns Hopkins Homewood Life Design Lab, but I try to stay as involved with MUN as I possibly can. I tend to spend the majority of my free time watching Netflix with my dog or talking politics with anyone who will listen.
Kelly Mathews
Co-Chair, UNESCO
I am a senior pursuing a financial economics major with certificates in financial and managerial accounting. I love playing the guitar, going to the gym, swimming, and video games.
Evan Lewis
