ABOUT US
Established in 2013, Foundations for Leadership Inc. is a non-profit, education organization dedicated to equipping young people for success in education, career, and civic life. With Model UN as a cornerstone, we promote experiential learning that develops a collaborative approach to solving problems.
Supporting educators is core to our work. We offer professional development and classroom resources to help schools and districts build Model UN programs or professionalize existing ones. Our team has more than 30 years combined experience in program design and implementation. Thanks to generous partnerships with higher education institutions and community leaders, we provide year-round support and learning opportunities to both teachers and students.
Amy E. Ruggiero
Founding Executive Director
Amy is responsible for overall program development, oversight, and operations. Her business acumen has been cultivated over 20 years in both corporate and nonprofit settings. Prior to establishing Foundations for Leadership, Amy was Director of Education Programs for the United Nations Foundation. Under her leadership, the Global Classrooms Model UN program grew substantially and engaged more than one million participants from 25 countries at conferences and across a variety of platforms. She has a wealth of experience in building and supporting Model UN programs across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Liz Rebecca Alarcón
Model UN Facilitator
Liz facilitates Foundations for Leadership teacher workshops, staff training, and leadership development. A communicator and social entrepreneur, Liz established Pulso, a digital organizing platform working to increase the political power of the 32 million Latinx voters across the United States. A former Fulbright Scholar to Costa Rica Liz holds a B.A. in International Studies and Sociology from the University of Miami and a Master's in Democracy and Governance in Latin America from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.
Our Advisors
Michael Chirichello, EdD
Visiting Professor, Educational Leadership, Northern Kentucky University; Former School Superintendent and Principal, NJ/NYC public schools
Hadi Dalao
University of Miami Model UN, 2023 MDMUN Secretary-General
Michael J. Lenaghan, EdD
Mardee Jenrette Endowed Teaching Chair & Professor, Miami Dade College and the Honors College
Mary Morrison MA, EdGID
Education Specialist, Former MUN Lead, Mulberry School for Girls, London, UK
Felix Nickel
St. Petersburg College Model UN, 2023 PCMUN Secretary-General
Lucia Rodriguez, PhD
Director, Global Master's in Development Practice (MDP) Secretariat, Sustainable Development Solutions Network, SDG Academy Division
Kelly Siegel-Stechler, PhD
Senior Researcher, CIRCLE at Tufts University
Partners
