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.
The Team
Amy Ruggiero
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Amy is responsible for overall strategic planning and program oversight. Her business acumen has been cultivated over 20 years in both corporate and nonprofit settings. She has a wealth of experience in building and supporting Model UN programs across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Kelly Siegel-Stechler, PhD
Co-Founder and Director Emeritus
Dr. Siegel-Stechler advises on educational content and program strategy. She is a Senior Researcher with CIRCLE at Tufts University where she researches impacts of Social Studies education on civic engagement outcomes.
Liz Rebecca Alarcón
Model UN Facilitator
Liz facilitates our teacher and volunteer workshops. Throughout high school, college and graduate school, Liz was actively involved in the Model UN circuit as a delegate, volunteer and coach. She also served as adjunct Model UN teacher at Archimedean Upper Conservatory in Miami.
Our Advisors
Michael Chirichello EdD
International Consultant, former school superintendent and professor
Jessica Hasle (Ex-Officio)
Social Studies Staff Developer, Pinellas County Schools
Michael J. Lenaghan EdD
Mardee Jenrette Endowed Teaching Chair, Miami Dade College and the Honors College
Mary Morrison MA, EdGID
Education Specialist, Former MUN Lead, Mulberry School for Girls, London
Douglas Rivero, PhD
Academic Chair & Professor of Political Science, St. Petersburg College
Lucia Rodriguez, PhD
Director, Master's in Development Practice (MDP) Program Secretariat, Columbia University
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)-Academy Division
Andrew Roush
Senior Communications Writer, The University of Texas at Austin