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 program development, oversight, and operations. Her business acumen has been cultivated over 20 years in both corporate and nonprofit settings. Prior to establishing FFL, Amy was Director of Education for the United Nations Foundation. She has a wealth of experience in building Model UN programs and youth initiatives across the USA, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Liz Rebecca Alarcón

Model UN Facilitator

Liz facilitates teacher workshops, staff training, and leadership development. She has decades of Model UN experience as a delegate, staff member, and a public school teacher. 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

Hadi Dalao

President, University of Miami Model UN, UM '24

Michael J. Lenaghan, EdD
Mardee Jenrette Endowed Teaching Chair, Professor of Political Science/International Relations, Miami Dade College and the Honors College

Jackie Muni

Chairperson, Department of Social Sciences, Miami Dade College - North Campus

Douglas Rivero PhD

Assistant Dean, College of Social/Behavioral Sciences & Human Services, St. Petersburg College

Lucia Rodriguez, PhD
Director, Global Master's in Development Practice (MDP) Secretariat, Sustainable Development Solutions Network, SDG Academy Division

Andrew Roush
Communications Officer, Office of the President, University of Texas at Austin

Kelly Siegel-Stechler, PhD

Senior Researcher, CIRCLE at Tufts University

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About Us

Our Advisors

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