Executive Board

Originally from Central Jersey, Ava is a Senior majoring in Political Science and minoring in French and Francophone Studies. She enjoys being very involved on campus, especially with Penn Model Congress! Ava is this year’s PennMC President, but she first started out on the Conference Preparation Committee as a freshman and later served as Executive Director for the 2018 conference. In her free time, Ava enjoys exploring Center City and discovering new ice cream spots (and watching Netflix of course). Please feel free to contact her with any questions at avba@sas.upenn.edu. She is very excited for this upcoming conference and looks forward to seeing you all there!

Celina Lin is the Vice President of Penn Model Congress and currently a Junior in the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School concentrating in statistics and minoring in political science. Originally from North Carolina, Celina went to high school in Connecticut and has interned for Congresswoman Rosa Delauro, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and TNR Campaigns. Celina first started with PENNMC in 2017 as the director for the National Economics Council and was the Administrative Director for PENNMC 2018. Celina currently interns for Senator Casey’s campaign and serves on the board for Penn Democrats. In her free time, you can find Celina trying out new restaurants around Philadelphia, watching too much Netflix, or trying to convince her parents to bring her dog to Philly. Please feel free to contact her with any questions (or just to chat) at celinal@wharton.upenn.edu. She can’t wait to see you all at this conference!

Eva is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, planning to major in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and minor in Latin American and Latino Studies. She hails from San Pedro Sula, Honduras and is very excited to be the Conference Director for PENNMC 2019! Eva has previously served for two years on Penn Model Congress Executive Branch staff in the roles of Special Programs Deputy Director, Special Programs Director and Executive Branch Coordinator! This will be her third PENNMC conference. At Penn, Eva is a member of the the International Affairs Association where she served as Chair for ILMUNC XXXIV, Penn's High School Model UN conference. In her free time, Eva enjoys watching excessive amounts of Netflix, drinking coffee, and wishing she could go back to tropical weather. She is so excited for PENNMC 2019 and can't wait to meet you all!

Graelin Mandel is a Junior at the Wharton School and a Program Director for Penn Model Congress this year. She participated in Model Congress at her high school in Great Neck, Long Island for four years, and was president of her school’s Model Congress Club in her fourth year! In college, she is a Joseph Wharton Scholar, Director of Speakers for the Wharton Undergraduate Real Estate Club, a founding board member and Marketing Director of Wharton’s Fintech Club, a member of Tamid (an Israeli consulting and investment group), and a member of Wharton Women. She would love to hear from you! Reach out to me if you have any questions about bill writing, model congress in general, and anything related to Penn at large at graelin@wharton.upenn.edu! She is excited to meet you this March!

Justin Horn is a Junior at the University of Pennsylvania studying Political Science in the College of Arts and Sciences. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Justin was not ready for Philadelphia winter temperature. When the weather is nice here, he loves to play sports including Water Polo, Volleyball, Football, Basketball, Baseball, real Soccer, and, of course, the video game FIFA. He is fluent in Spanish and loves to travel. Most recently, Justin explored Cuba during the summer of 2016 and, according to his friends, worked in the topic of international politics into seemingly all of their encounters with Native Cubans. He is studying abroad in Hong Kong this fall and looks forward to exploring Asia. Other clubs that Justin participates in include the Penn Democrats, West Philadelphia Tutoring Project, and the Upstander Initiative. Feel free to contact him at jhorn@sas.upenn.edu with any relevant questions.

Alana is from Sarasota, Florida and is currently a Sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, planning on majoring in Cognitive Science with a Cognitive Neuroscience concentration and minoring in both Consumer Psychology and Fine Arts. She is a member of the Collective, Penn Club Swimming, and is Design Editor at The Daily Pennsylvanian. Alana also participated in and won awards at Harvard and Princeton Model Congress throughout high school and is very excited for the upcoming conference. You can reach her at ashuk@sas.upenn.edu for questions, comments, concerns, or anything else you’d like to share.

Tyler Lawson is a Junior at the University of Pennsylvania in the College of Arts and Sciences studying Political Science, Urban Studies, and French. She’s originally from right outside of Philadelphia in a suburbs called Fort Washington. As Program Director for PENNMC 2019, this is her third year on the executive board of Penn Model Congress having previously served on the Conference Preparation Committee and as our Outreach Director. While Model Congress did not exist in her high school, it has been a great college experience for her to be involved with this club. She is excited to be a chair for the 2019 conference and looks forward to seeing you all there! Besides Model Congress, she is involved in the Black Student League, Ase Tutoring Academy, Robeson Cooper Scholars, and the Penn Black Pre-Law Association. If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact her with my email, tylawson@sas.upenn.edu. She looks forward to meeting you all during the conference!

Olivia Mukherjee is a Junior from New Jersey in the College of Arts and Sciences pursuing the study of politics, philosophy and economics. This summer, she’s splitting her time between Philadelphia to remix the current bill book and the Jersey Shore to work on the beach and tear through a self-curated reading list. Apart from academic endeavors, Olivia loves gardening, virgin piña coladas, the Legend of Zelda, and her two cats, Edith and Edgar.

Originally from Franklin High School in El Paso, Texas, Mercedes is a sophomore majoring in Political Science with a minor in History and Legal Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. She enjoys her involvements on campus such as PENNMC, MUSE (Marketing Undergraduate Student Establishment), the Latinx Coalition (as chair of admissions), and PPISG (Public Policy Initiative Student Group). She first began PENNMC as a college freshman when she served on the Conference Preparation Committee; she is now currently the administrative director for PENNMC 2018. In her free time, Mercedes enjoys exercising at the school gym and journaling. Please feel free to contact her with any questions at mchavez@sas.upenn.edu. She is enthusiastic for this upcoming conference and looks forward to meeting y’all there!

Originally from North Jersey, Jason is a junior in Wharton majoring in Finance and Decision Processes and minoring in Political Science. Jason has been involved with Model Congress since his freshman year of high school. He was president of his high school club and went on to serve on the Conference Preparation Committee of PENNMC. Jason is now in his second year as Business Director of PENNMC. You can contact Jason with any questions at cohenjas@wharton.upenn.edu. He is very excited for this upcoming conference and looks forward to seeing you all there!

Originally from Washington, D.C, Paulina is a Sophomore intending to major in Politics, Philosophy & Economics as well was French and Francophone Studies. Paulina began serving on PENNMC last year. She acted as Co-Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee in PENNMC 2018 and currently serves as the Business Director of PENNMC 2019. On Penn’s campus, Paulina is also a writer for the Penn Wharton Public Policy Initiative Student Group, Singer in PennSirens, and design member of the International Affairs Association. Please feel free to contact her with any questions at ppedas@sas.upenn.edu. She looks forward to seeing you all at PENNMC 2019 in the spring!

Dillon is from West Harrison, NY, where he was actively involved in Model Congress as a delegate in high school. A junior in Wharton, he studies Business Analytics and Organizational Effectiveness, with a minor in Computer Science. He joined Penn MC on the Conference Preparation Committee his freshman year, and served as Chief of Staff for the 2018 conference. He is excited for another great conference this year as the Logistics Director! Outside of Model Congress, he is a Teaching Assistant for Wharton 101 and is involved in Greek Life. Please feel free to reach out to him with any and all questions at bogartd@wharton.upenn.edu. He is looking forward to another great conference this year!

Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, Jerry is a Sophomore in Wharton concentrating in Finance and Real Estate. He was the founder of his high school model congress team and later joined Penn Model Congress as Deputy Program Director. He now serves as co-Logistical Director for PennMC2019. In his other time, Jerry develops and gives new tours of the Statue of Liberty in New York. Feel free to reach out at rehill@wharton.upenn.edu.

Jessica is from Brooklyn, New York and went to Ramaz Upper School. As a Junior in the college, she is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Consumer Psychology. She was on the Model Congress team for two years in high school and since her Freshman year at Penn. She started out as a chair, then became the deputy program director, and is now a social director. In addition to Model Congress, she is a photographer for The Walk Magazine's website, a volunteer for West Philadelphia Tutoring Project, President of Hillel's Community Service Committee, and Marketing Co-chair of Own It. She is also part of the Sigma Delta Tau Sorority. She would be happy to answer any questions at saadj@sas.upenn.edu. She can't wait to meet some of you at the conference!

Sam is a junior from Manhattan Beach, Ca. He is enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences and studies Political Economy and Engineering Entrepreneurship. This is Sam's second year with Penn Model Congress and his first year serving as Outreach Director. In his free time, Sam participates in the Jewish Heritage Program and the Theos fraternity. He is also a former member of the University of Pennsylvania's varsity men's soccer team. Sam is always available to answer any questions you have so feel free to email him at shefter@sas.upenn.edu.

Originally from Pittsburgh, Anastasia is a Sophomore in Wharton, concentrating in Legal Studies and Management, and she is also minoring in Russian. She first started PENNMC as a college freshman, when she chaired for the conference; now, she serves as Outreach Director for PENNMC 2018. In her free time, Anastasia enjoys exploring Philly's music scene and finding cool new restaurants. Please feel free to contact her with any questions at anshab@wharton.upenn.edu. Looking forward to this upcoming conference!

From the "Peach State" Georgia, Arik is a freshman looking at a major in Business Analytics and minors in International Affairs and Computer Science. He loves being active on campus and is excited to join the Penn Model Congress. Though he was never involved in Model Congress in high school, he was active in Model UN and politics. He has served as an intern with two U.S. Congressmen and continues to be politically involved. Arik is an avid car enthusiast and has enjoyed fixing cars with his dad for many years. He has also taken his love of international politics and created his own website, internashunalpolitix.blogspot.com. He can't wait for this conference and is looking forward to the best one yet! Please don't hesitate to reach out to him at liarikw@wharton.upenn.edu!

Hailing from the great, middle-of-nowhere state of Delaware, Cyrus is a sophomore in Wharton concentrating in statistics. He first got involved with PennMC as a sophomore in high school and has been attending the conference every year since. Since participating in the executive branch his senior year, Cyrus has served as deputy and now chair of the executive branch committee. In his free time, Cyrus enjoys drumming, rock climbing, and finding new cheap restaurants. Feel free to reach out with any questions about executive committee or model congress in general at cyrussh@wharton.upenn.edu!

Owen is a sophomore in Penn’s College of Arts & Sciences from Nyack, NY studying Politics, Philosophy & Economics.  This is Owen’s second year in the Penn Model Congress program, and last year he served as Deputy Supreme Court Coordinator.  In high school, he participated in the YMCA Youth and Government program on the state and national levels for four years and looks forward to bringing an outside perspective to PennMC programming.  On campus, Owen participates in Penn Democrats, edits the Trade and Foreign Policy blog of the Penn Wharton Public Policy Initiative, and writes for the Penn Undergraduate Law Journal blog.  If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact him at owenvk@sas.upenn.edu.  He looks forward to seeing everyone at the conference!

Zach is a junior majoring in Political Science and minoring in History. He is from Wynnewood, PA (about a 15 minute train ride from Penn's campus) and went to Friends' Central School as a high school student, where he helped coordinate his school's Mock Trial and Moot Court teams, the latter of which sparked his interest in the Supreme Court. He began working with PENNMC as a freshman at Penn, and has helped chair the competition at every opportunity since. If you have any questions about the competition (or any questions about Penn and the college admissions process), feel free to contact him at zjacobs@sas.upenn.edu. He is excited to work with you all and help run the Supreme Court program at the conference!

Pranay is a senior from RVA majoring in Biology. In his free time, his primary hobbies include being a diehard Liverpool fan, as well as playing classical piano. But feel free to ask him about anything, as he is sure to have an opinion on it. As a 4-year veteran of Model Congress, he hopes to bring his experience to the new Department of Health & Human Services Committee at PennMC. As this is a new committee with unlimited potential, Pranay is looking forward to spirited debate, exciting crises, and a thrilling Model Congress experience.

Saxon is a Sophomore from Pueblo West, CO studying Business Economics and Public Policy in Wharton and Political Science in the college. Last year he served as deputy National Security Council director and is excited to be returning to the situation room as NSC Coordinator. On campus Saxon in involved with the Public Policy Initiative Student Group, Penn Undergraduate Law Journal, and the International Affairs Association. Whenever he has the time, Saxon loves trying new food and listening to podcasts. If you have any questions about the conference, NSC, or podcast recommendations, definitely reach out at saxonb@wharton.upenn.edu. He is super thrilled to meet you all at the conference!

A freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, Brahm is super excited to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff for PENNMC this year. A perspective Economics major, Brahm has been involved with Model Congress dating back to his freshman year at Newark Academy, in New Jersey. and attended PENNMC four times. He's really enjoying exploring what the campus has to offer, from joining clubs that peak his academic interests, to playing intramural flag football. Feel free to contact him with any questions at brahmw@sas.upenn.edu.

Harrison is a College freshman from Los Angeles, California studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Harrison is involved in many things across campus including Penn Leads the Vote and the Penn Public Policy Consultants. This is Harrison's first time participating in PENNMC and he is very excited to work alongside the Chief of Staff to make PENNMC 2019 the most successful conference yet. You can contact him for any questions regarding the conference or Penn in general at hfeinman@sas.upenn.edu.

Jon is a first-year student in the College of Arts and Sciences planning on studying Economics and potentially minoring in Computer Science. He was born and raised in Great Neck, New York and went to Great Neck North High School. Jon began doing Model Congress in his Sophomore year of high school, and he was the President of his delegation in his Senior year, when he won "Best in Committee" in Appropriations. He is now this year's Deputy Programs Director and is striving to maximize the PENNMC experience. When he's not studying in the basement of Van Pelt library or unsuccessfully trying to find Persian food in Philadelphia, you’ll find him listening to rap music with his roommate, laughing at memes or working out in the gym. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, just contact him at jdsasson@sas.upenn.edu. He cannot wait for this year's conference. Don't be afraid to say hello to him and shake his hand if you see him walking across campus!

"Originally from Dhaka, Bangladesh, Amira is a freshman (C'22) at the University of Pennsylvania double majoring in Philosophy and Political Science, with a minor in Urban Education. As an immigrant of seven years in the United States, Amira found her calling in public service. Incredibly passionate about grassroots political activism and community education, Amira has actively volunteered and served as a campaign manager, head staffer and organizer in over 13 major election campaigns at the city, state and national level. In addition, Amira served as the student board member of the Glendale Unified School District Board of Education, where she represented the educational concerns facing 26,000 students in the 31 public schools of the school district. By the end of her senior year in high school, Amira had earned over $108,000 in outside and independent college scholarships. Amira has previously interned for Congressman Adam B. Schiff, ranking Democrat of the House of intelligence committee and currently serves as a full-time intern for Congressman Dwight Evans of Pennsylvania's 2nd Congressional district where she assists with casework. Amira is highly passionate about education, health, labor, and social welfare policies, and hopes to pursue a career in law to best put her passions into practice. During her free time, Amira loves to catch up with friends and help underclassman navigate the college process. Amira is very involved with civic oriented organizations at Penn, and excited to serve as the Deputy Program Director. Please feel free to contact her with any questions at amirach@sas.upenn.edu. She looks forward to helping you make the most out of your conference experience! "

James is a freshman majoring in English and minoring in Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. He is originally from Connecticut and graduated from the Horace Mann School. He became involved in Model Congress in his sophomore year of high school, and was President in his senior year. In his free time, James is an editor for the Penn Review, and debates on the Penn Debate Society. He is very excited to see you all at this upcoming conference, and you can contact him with any questions at jamesyc@sas.upenn.edu.

Hailing from Hershey, Pennsylvania, Jack is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences studying History and Political Science. This is his first year with PENNMC and he’ll serve on the Conference Preparation Committee. Other than PENNMC, Jack is an active member in Penn Dems and runs in the volunteer organization Back on Your Feet. In his free time, Jack likes to relax in his hammock with a nice book or explore Philly for new foods. Feel free to reach out with any questions at jrclark@sas.upenn.edu. He’s looking forward to making his first conference a great one, and hopes you’ll help make it happen!

Jonathan is a freshman in Wharton concentrating in finance and real estate. Before coming to Penn, he attended PSJA North Early College HS in Pharr, Texas. This is his first year getting involved with PENNMC; he is currently serving on the Conference Preparation Committee. Jonathan spends his free time reading just about anything relating to politics and business. Don't hesitate to contact him with any questions at Garzaj@wharton.upenn.edu. He is eager for his first conference!

Eva Gonzalez is a freshman originally from Ardmore, Pennsylvania and planning on majoring in Political Science. She participated in Model Congress throughout high school and is excited to be involved with it at Penn! In her free time, Eva likes being politically active and watching movies. Contact Eva at evagonz@sas.upenn.edu with any questions about the conference. She is looking forward to Penn Model Congress this year and hopes you all are too!

Chase is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences pursuing a double major in Political Science and Communications. Chase participated in Penn Model Congress throughout his time at Jericho High School in Long Island and served as a Chair of the Homeland Security Committee for PENNMC 2018. Outside of Model Congress, Chase serves on Penn Student Government as a School of Arts and Sciences Representative on the Undergraduate Assembly. He is also brother of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity. Chase has worked as a Lead Event Organizer for the Long Island based group Students Against Gun Violence, which was formed after the Parkland shootings, and is an outspoken advocate for common sense gun reform. When not discussing politics, Chase enjoys runs along the Schuylkill, producing documentaries, and exploring Philly. Please feel free to reach out and share ideas/suggestions with him at cserota4@sas.upenn.edu. He is looking forward to meeting you at the conference!

Originally from North Dakota (and proud of it),Kaylee is a Sophmore majoring in Nursing. She loves being involved on campus and began her Model Congress career last year as a Chair. When she is not working for Model Congress or studying for class, Kaylee is working at the Annenberg Center as a Student Manager, debating forign policy in the John Quincy Adams Society, playing mafia and planning escape rooms for Social Deduction Club, or having banana bread bake-offs with her friends (and baking/cooking in general). Please feel free to contact her with any questions (or just to say hello) at karndt@nursing.upenn.edu. She looks forward to meeting you all at the upcoming conference!

The son of a US army officer, John has grown up around the world, attending high school in Germany, middle school in Italy, and elementary school in Hawaii. He is currently a sophomore at the Wharton School studying public policy and finance with a specific focus on economic development. On campus, he is a member of Penn's Undergraduate Assembly and writes for the Penn Political Review. In his free time, he enjoys running, reading, and watching Netflix. Please reach out to him if you have any questions or concerns at jocasey@wharton.upenn.edu. He looks forward to meeting you all!

Hailing from South Florida, Grant is a Freshman in the College who will major in either Political Science or Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). While he never competed in High School Model Congress, he did compete in several related activities at the national level, such as Speech and Debate and Model United Nations. In addition to serving as Deputy Business Director of Penn Model Congress, Grant is a reporter at the Daily Pennsylvanian and a member of the PIPAC (Penn Israel Public Affairs Committee) Education Committee. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with friends, going to the gym, and binge watching The West Wing. If you have any sponsorship related questions or just any general inquiries about the conference and/or Penn, feel free to reach him at gbianco@sas.upenn.edu. He is looking forward to his first true Model Congress experience!

Tess is a sophomore in the School of Nursing originally from Northern Virginia. She joined PENNMC as a freshman where she served as the chair of the Environmental Conference Committee. Currently, she holds the position of Deputy Social Director for PENNMC 2018. Outside of Model Congress, Tess is an associate member of the Undergraduate Assembly, on the advocacy board for Timmy Global Health, a nursing peer advisor, and a member of Student Nurses At Penn (SNAP). In her free time, she enjoys swimming, going to concerts, and finding the best coffee shops in Philadelphia. She is very excited to meet the delegates of the 2018 conference and is available to answer any questions at tdoran@nursing.upenn.edu.