Staff
 |
Chair, United States of America: Ryan GaylordHey all, my name’s Ryan Gaylord. I’m working on a double major in Public Policy and Middle Eastern Studies. I travel with Duke’s competitive Model UN team, and currently serve as the Secretary-General of our annual high school conference, DUMUNC. In my free time, I compose and produce music ranging all the way from string quartet minuets to Arabic hip-hop. I spent this past summer in northern Africa, where I interviewed rappers and researched emerging artistic communities in the region. I’m looking forward to meeting you in November – it’s going to be an outstanding weekend, and I’m confident the USA will be just as dominant in cybersecurity as it is everywhere else. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at ryan.gaylord@duke.edu if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.
|
 |
Chair, China: Jessica SunJessica is a senior from Raleigh, North Carolina majoring in Political Science with a minor in History. She is thrilled to kick off her tenth and final year of Model UN and security simulations by charing the China committee at this year’s DISCon. In addition to a long career of MUN, she has pursued her IR interests through working with the Housing Rights Task Force of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, and most recently, the Center for Complex Operations at the Institute for National Security Studies. She currently serves as the President of the Duke International Relations association, is involved in the Student Advisory Board of the Duke Human Rights Center and is a founder of a selective living group, Cooper House. She is very much looking forward to examining the future of cyber-security and is excited to see how delegates approach the issue through what is sure to be lively debate.
|
 |
Chair, Russia: Charles JonesCharles Jones is a sophomore most keenly interested in the confluence of business and U.S. foreign policy. With a focus on international law and the politics of wealth, Jones has studied the privatization craze that brought to prominence the oligarch class in post-Soviet Eastern Europe and the oil politics of the Middle East. Jones is a dual Georgia and New York City resident, member of the Duke Debate Team and the Council on American Grand Strategy, a licensed pilot, and a graduate of Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts.
|
 |
Chair, Israel: Jacob ZionceAloha! My name is Jacob Zionce. I am from Toronto, which is a city in Canada, and I will be chairing the delegation of Israel for DISCon 2013. I am a junior double majoring in Political Science and Public Policy and minoring in Classical Archaeology. I serve as Vice President of Residential Life for Duke Student Government, and I am also the Crisis Director for Duke’s high school Model United Nations conference. I enjoy Yahtzee!, sailboats (not sailing– just the boats!), and exploring all the yummy foods that Durham, NC has to offer. Email me at jacob.zionce@duke.edu if you have questions, comments, or just want to chat!
|
 |
Chair, Iran: Max CastilloHey everyone, I’m Max and am a senior at Duke majoring in political science. I was born in Durham and despite having an international family, I have lived in the area my entire life. In my spare time I enjoy Patrick O’Brian novels, video games, and recreational shooting, though I am still very much a novice with regards to the latter. Although I have only chaired once for DISCon prior to this year, getting involved with this Conference and DIRA has been one of the highlights of my college experience.
|
 |
Chair, United Kingdom: Colin ScottHello! My name is Colin Scott and I am a senior majoring in Political Science and History. I’m a San Diego native and have enjoyed studying international relations in my time at Duke. This is my first time serving as a conference chair and I look forward to engaging with delegates about the important issues posed by cyber security.
|
 |
Chair, India: Chandni DasChandni Sinha Das is a junior majoring in Economics and minoring in Political Science. Last year, she served as the Deputy Crisis Director for DISCon, and is currently the Deputy Crisis Director for the Duke University Model United Nations Conference. She is particularly interested in pursuing a career in economic development and international politics, and looks forward to serving as Chair for the India delegation.
|
 |
Chair, Pakistan: Immanuel MahmoudHi! My name is Immanuel Mahmoud and I will be the chair for the Pakistani Committee this year. I am a fourth year student at Duke, double majoring in Political Science and French and well as pursuing a certificate in Markets and Management Studies. I was born in California but I have also had the unique privilege of living in five different countries; Senegal, Ethiopia, Cote D’Ivoire, Tunisia and Ghana. This is the seventh year I have been involved in MUN and marks my third year as a staff member for DISCon and I look forward to helping and working with each and every one of you. Please feel free to send me any and all questions you may have concerning the conference.
|
 |
Chair, Kaspersky Lab: Anand RaghuramanAnand Raghuraman is a junior double majoring in political science and economics. His research interests include American policy towards India and the history of American nuclear nonproliferation policy. Upon graduating from Duke, he hopes to attend law school or work in the national security field. He enjoys playing racquetball and watching movies.
|
 |
Chair, Endgame Inc.: Autri ChattopadhyayHey all! My name is Autri and I’m a senior here at Duke double majoring in Biology and History. I’ve been doing Model UN for 8 years now and this will be my fourth DISCon. In addition to DISCon, I’m also involved in DIRA’s other branches DUMUNC and of course our travel team. When I’m not chairing DISCon, you can find me doing research, working (hardly) on my senior honors thesis, volunteering at Duke Hospital or just hanging out on the plaza. I’m excited to once again be chairing a non-state actor committee and cannot wait for another dynamic, action-packed DISCon experience. Cheers!
|
If you are a Duke student with an interest in international relations and a desire to become involved in DISCon 2013, please email sofia.manfredi@duke.edu to join us as a staff member.