Julia Khodos – Secretary General

Julia is a recent graduate of the Masters of Arts in European, Russian, and Eurasian studies from Carleton University, focusing on Arctic Security policies. While Julia has previously participated in Model NATO for several years as a committee chair, she is looking forward to the her new role this year. Julia currently works at Public Services and Procurement Canada in the trade agreement unit within the policy sector. She is looking forward to meeting the delegates and watching the conference unfold.

Ben Lalancette – Committee Chair: NAC

Ben Lalancette is a first year student at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University, specializing in Security and Defense Policy. He previously holds a Bachelors in Engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada. Born and raised in the National Capital Region, Ben has more than 15 years of active military service, where he participated in a multitude of NATO courses and exercises. Ben is also interested in ways to use new and emerging technology to solve political and military issues. He is looking forward to apply and share his practical experience with this years conference participants.

Jessica Stewart – Committee Chair: NAC

Jessica is currently studying International Public Policy at the Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA). She is specializing in International Economics and a member of the human security research cluster. At BSIA she completed a Technology Governance certificate, where she discussed important security concerns relating to technology, specifically within the topic of AI. Jessica obtained her Bachelors at University of Guelph in Criminal Justice and Public Policy, with a minor in sociology and a certificate of Business Administration. She participated in Model United Nations at the New York City conference where her delegation was awarded Honourable Mention. She is excited to participate within Model NATO and learn more about diplomacy and security.

Jonathan Reep – Committee Chair: MC

Jonathan is a first-year Master’s student of European and Russian Studies at EURUS at Carleton, holding a Bachelor’s in the same discipline. His research interests fall primarily on the hypocrisies and behaviors of right wing authoritarianism and religious extremism as well as counterstrategies against both. Jonathan has completed Simon Fraser University’s NATO Field School, a program touring many important NATO sites in Europe (including SHAPE, JFC Naples, the Defense College, Camp Adaži and others) and conducting negotiation and crisis management simulations. He is willing and eager to answer questions for those looking to attend. He represented the Field School at the 2022 William and Mary Global Innovation Challenge (WMGIC) where the 2022 cohort of the Field School took first place in the competition. Jonathan is also an aspiring aviator with a passion for aircraft and travel. He has remained close to the military world after having graduated from four years with Cadets Canada and has had the privilege of meeting many senior officers from countries around the globe.

Nilton Romero – Committee Chair: MC

Nilton Romero is a second-year Political Science graduate student at Carleton University. He is based in Edmonton, Alberta, and has been taking his program remotely. Currently, Nilton works with the Advanced Education Ministry in the Government of Alberta; he is researching immigration pathways and country comparisons for foreign trade credential recognition in Alberta. However, he has a diversified portfolio as he has worked in the non-profit sector supporting ethnocultural communities in Edmonton and as a campaign organizer in multiple elections. During Nilton’s undergraduate degree, his interest was in Political Theory; moreover, now, in his graduate studies, his interests have evolved to international affairs and the processes of immigration, from migratory movements to integration methods in Canada.

Jared Gagne – Committee Chair: NATO-Ukraine Council 

Jared Gagne is a first-year Master’s student at Carleton’s Political Science program studying political theory and international relations. His research interests include Liberal Political Thought, Canadian Politics, Canadian Foreign policy, 19th-century Politics and International Relations. Jared comes from North Bay, where he worked actively in academia, holding a director position at Nipissing’s student union alongside a position as undergraduate student senator on Nipissing’s Academic Senate. Jared looks forward to engaging with everyone at this year’s conference.

Cameron Cadogan – Committee Chair: NATO-Ukraine Council

Cameron (he/him) is a fifth year Honours Political Science CO-OP student at the University of Ottawa. Growing up in Toronto, Ontario, he learned about Model UN in high school, and continued to participate in university. Active since 2017, Model UN helped to develop his interest in politics and international affairs, along with greatly aiding the refinement of his public speaking abilities. Cameron has attended more than twenty-six conferences as a delegate and has chaired along with being a crisis staff. He is currently serving as the Under-Secretary General of Committees for Capital Model United Nations. He previously held the positions of Vice President of Delegate Coordination and Vice President of Training for the University of Ottawa Model United Nations Association. Cameron likes to go on walks, consume media relating to cars, play video games, and follow political news

Francis Obeso – Crisis Director

Francis Obeso is a first year Master’s student at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University. Francis hails from Edmonton and completed a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Computer Science, at MacEwan University. Francis is passionate about technology and would like to undertake research that relates Political Science to technology. During his undergrad he was the Vice President of Finance for MacEwan’s Model UN club. Francis is looking forward to applying this past experience to this year’s Secretariat. Aside from academics, Francis likes to play a multitude of sports, including basketball, golf and soccer. 

Aimee Tymkin – Director of Media and Public Relations 

Aimee is a first-year Master’s student in International Affairs at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, with a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Winnipeg. Her research interests include women and migrants in armed conflict, peacebuilding, disarmament, and the empowerment of women in political spaces. She has a strong background in non-governmental organizing around women’s rights, namely with the Institute for International Women’s Rights – Manitoba on the International Initiatives Committee. Aimee is also involved with the Canadian Federation of Students – Manitoba, where she serves on the Provincial Executive Committee as Women’s Commissioner. In March of 2023, Aimee was chosen as a national delegate for Canada at the United Nations 67th Commission on the Status of Women, led by Women and Gender Equality Canada. She is also involved with Plan International Canada, where she was a Youth Panelist for the 2023 Youth Summit and is currently a member of the 2023-2024 Girls Belong Here program. In addition, Aimee is part of the Asia-Pacific Foundation’s Canada-Asia Young Professionals Fellowship. In November 2023, she will represent Canada as a youth delegate with the Council of Europe at the World Forum for Democracy in Strasbourg.

Erica Joy Bergardo – Director of Social Media 

Erica-Joy Bergado is a first year MA Candidate at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, specializing in Security and Defense Policy. She holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences in International Development and Globalization from the University of Ottawa and most recently served as National Assistant Coordinator of the JET Programme Canada. Previous to this, she taught English on the JET Programme for 3 years, worked as a Nunavut Land and Resource Management Researcher for CIRNAC, worked for the L’Arche International Community for people with developmental disabilities, shadowed court cases and social work conferences for female domestic violence victims in the Philippines, and sometimes volunteers as an ESL Teacher for Canadian Newcomers. She looks forward to promoting this year’s Model NATO participants through social media.

Ashton Mathias – Project Consultant

Ashton is a recent graduate of the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA) and the Institute of European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (EURUS). Ashton is currently an economist with Finance Canada, and was previously a co-op student at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), specifically the Trade Unit, which co-leads Canada’s negotiations on the environment chapters in Canada’s free trade agreements (FTAs). Prior to CMNATO, he was also a Young Diplomats of Canada (YDC) delegate to the WTO Public Forum and a policy intern at the Canadian Permanent Mission to the International Organizations in Vienna. Ashton has been involved in Model United Nations for over 8 years, including working on McGill’s SSUNS and McMUN conferences.

Vladimir Gorodkov – Project Manager

Vladimir is a 2nd year MA candidate at the Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at Carleton University. His research focuses on international sanctions imposed upon Russian aggression against Ukraine. He is also interested in the topics of cybersecurity and AI. Vladimir came back to academia after a long and successful career in International marketing and event management. His academic background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Economy from the St. Petersburg State University, Russia, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.