ABOUT US
The Global NGO Executive Committee is comprised of eighteen representatives elected by organizations officially associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications (UNDGC).
The Executive Committee was founded to promote a closer working relationship between the United Nations and the NGOs associated with UNDGC. GNEC acts as a liaison between the NGO/CSO community and UN, and help them make more effective use of their affiliation with the UNDGC.
In partnership with the UNDGC, the Executive Committee organizes the Communication Workshops, Town Hall Meetings, Briefings and the annual UN Civil Society Conference (formerly known as the UN DPI NGO Conference), at the UN Headquarters or abroad. These events aim to facilitate collaboration among NGOs, empowers civil society, and increases public understanding of the United Nations’ critical efforts on issues of economic and social development, climate justice, human rights, the rule of law, peace-building, and other SDGs. This event is an important opportunity for NGOs/CSOs from all around the world to network and promote the efforts of their organizations.
The Executive Committee also provides civil society with abundant opportunities to become more knowledgeable about the UN and the NGO/CSO sector through its popular Communications Workshops and other activities throughout the year.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
OFFICERS
Mr. Uwem Robert OTU, International President
African Youth Movement
Mr. Uwem Robert OTU is of Nigerian nationality. He holds an International Diploma in Environmental Pollution Control from the Institute of Science, Research and Technology in Tunisia and a Diploma in Water Information Management from UNESCO-IHE University in Delft, Netherlands. He has a Master’s degree in Industrial Biochemistry from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. He is the founding President of African Youth Movement and currently serves as a Senior Advisor/Trustee. He is active on United Nations issues having addressed the United Nations twice at the 58th Annual UNDPINGO Conference in New York and at the 65th Annual UNDPINGO Conference in New York in 2014. He has also spoken at the Civil Society Townhall with the President of the General Assembly in 2021 and 2023. He is the pioneer Speaker of the Students’ Union Government, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
Ms. Ediola Pashollari, New York President
World Assembly of Youth (WAY)
Ms. Ediola Pashollari is of Albanian nationality and currently resides in New York, USA. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration (UK), a Masters of Arts in Political Science (UK), a Masters in Entreprenology (USA), and also a Bachelor’s Degree in LLB (UK). She is presently the interim President of the Global NGO Executive Committee (GNEC), the Secretary General of the World Assembly of Youth (WAY), the Director of the World Youth Institute (WYI), and many more. She has organized various programmes and activities on youth issues at international, regional and local level. She also has delivered a variety of keynote addresses, papers, presentations, and speeches globally on various youth related issues. She has also contributed to the drafting of numerous youth strategies at regional and international level. She believes in empowering youth and with that passion she was greatly involved in writing books and booklets to help young people be aware of the dangers of drug abuse, HIV/AIDS Pandemic, unemployment, etc.
Mr. Dileepkumar Thankappan, International Vice President
World Yoga Community
Guruji H.H. Dileepkumar Thankappan is residing in New York, USA and is the Founder, Global Chairman, and CEO of the World Yoga Community. Additionally, Guruji is the Secretary of the Committee of Religious NGOs at the UN, the Vice President of the UNSRC Salus Well-Being Network at the UN, Chair of the NGO Committee of Yoga at the UN, and the Main NGO Representative of the World Yoga Community to the United Nations. Guruji is a Trustee of the All Faiths Seminary International, New Light temple, and an advisor for many international organizations. Guruji is a Hindu Monk, an ordained Interfaith Minister, Yoga Teacher Trainer, Humanitarian, Spiritual Guru, Artist, Dancer, Bhajan Singer, Musician, Martial Artist, Traditional Healer, Global Culture of Peace Activist, and much more! Guruji is an honorable guest speaker, religious leader, musician, singer, and event organizer at the United Nations, New York City and Borough Halls in New York City, international conferences, and judges in global yogasana competitions and festivals. Guruji received numerous titles and awards for his humanitarian activities including yoga, the global culture of peace, and Interfaith harmony.
Dr. Constance Sobon Sensor, New York Vice President
League of Women Voters of the United States
Dr. Connie Sobon Sensor, PhD, RN, is of American nationality. Dr. Sensor holds a PhD from Seton Hall University and is a recently retired as a Professor from Rutgers University. She is the main representative for the League of Women Voters of the United States at the United Nations (LWVUS). Dr. Sensor has presented and published widely on the power of nursing and her role at the UN in advancing population health based on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, Global Citizenship Education and the Climate Crisis. She was a planning partner for several UN NGO Conferences and on behalf of the LWVUS, she organized and facilitated their webinars and parallel events for CSW in collaboration with the UN Department of Global Communications. She served as Secretary on the Board of Directors for Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She is the past-President of the Northeast Chapter of the Transcultural Nursing Society and was a national Public Policy Advisor for the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, and past Secretary for Region 3 of the New Jersey State Nurses Association.
Dr. Brian Muzás, Treasurer
School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University
Rev. Brian Keenan Muzás, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at the School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University, where he also serves as the Director of the Center for United Nations and Global Governance Studies. His research focuses on international security, human security, and ethics. Since 2012, he has been an active participant in the US-Pakistan Interreligious Coalition (UPIC), advocating passionately for engaging the mind, heart, and spirit in interreligious dialogue and global understanding. He earned his Ph.D. in Public Affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School at the University of Texas at Austin, supported by a Harrington Doctoral Fellowship. He was ordained as a Catholic Priest in 2003, following the completion of his master's degrees in Pastoral Ministry and Systematic Theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary, Seton Hall University. He also holds an M.S. in Aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology, supported by a National Science Foundation Fellowship, and a B.S.E. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University as a McDonnell Douglas Scholar.
Ms. Shennon Sequeira, Secretary
MUN Impact
Ms. Shennon Sequeira is of Portuguese nationality and currently resides in the United Kingdom and Qatar. She holds a LLB Law with Criminology from the University of Leicester and is currently pursuing her LLM Master's in Legal Practice. She presently serves as the Youth Representative on the Board of Directors at MUN Impact where she has helped to build the 100k Deeds programme that led to various events and activities creating pathways for the young people to voice out their issues and concerns at the United Nations. Ms. Sequeira is an active member of the youth community and hopes to echo the importance of youth engagement, empowerment and leadership within the society and the legal system. She has been recognised in the Top 20 Young Women in Sustainable Development, among others.
DIRECTORS
Ms. Olasubomi Iginla Aina, Director
Lightup Foundation
Ms. Olasubomi Iginla Aina is of Nigerian nationality and currently resides in London, United Kingdom. She holds a Masters in Law (LLM), Brighton University, UK; Generative Leadership, Oxford University; BSc. Architecture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. She is the Executive Director of the Lightup Foundation, a charity that has broken a world record with the “Bag of Hope” project used to project the UN Rights of the Child, targeting 30 countries. She was appointed as Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) on the nomination of the UK Prime Minister. Appointed as Diaspora Ambassador for Nigeria and National Assembly Ambassador to the UK by the Nigerian government in 2019 and Minister of Youth for the State of African Diaspora (SOAD) – the African Diaspora being the 6th region of the African Union (AU). She has organised various programmes and activities and presented at several UN events.
Ms. Elena Reiss, Director
Lehigh University
Elena Reiss is an experienced higher education professional, program manager, and passionate women’s rights advocate. She serves as Lehigh University’s designated alternate representative to the United Nations, where she champions youth leadership and amplifies student voices on global platforms. For nearly two decades, Ms. Reiss has dedicated her career to designing transformative learning experiences that open doors for students to thrive globally—whether by guiding them through competitive fellowships or mentoring them to engage meaningfully with NGOs at the UN. Her professional “sweet spot” lies at the intersection of content strategy, youth empowerment, and global education. She excels in building creative, mission-driven programs that blend innovative tools with meaningful dialogue—from developing dynamic training materials and integrating virtual reality into presentations, to facilitating high-stakes conversations that inspire change. Through every role, Ms. Reiss remains committed to equipping the next generation with the skills, confidence, and networks they need to tackle the world’s most complex challenges.
Ms. Kim Quarles, Director
World Jurist Association
Kim Quarles is the Executive Vice President of the World Jurist Association, [WJA] a global association of judges, politicians, professors, lawyers and law students, whose mission is world peace through the Rule of Law. The WJA is DGC and ECCOSOC accredited, and Ms. Quarles is one of its’ two designated representatives to the United Nations. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Western Illinois University and a Juris Doctorate from John Marshall Law School. She is currently a Senior Vice President at Willis Towers Watson, a global insurance broker, and specializes in Professional Liability and Information Security. Kim is a Fellow of the American Bar Association and the former Vice Chair of the Global NGO Executive Committee, where she served as Co-chair of the Roundtable Committee for both the 67th and 68th DGC/NGO Conferences and was a member of the 68th Conference Planning Committee. She also worked as Vice Chair of Defense Research’s Institute’s TRIA [Terrorism Risk Insurance Act which provides a governmental insurance backstop in the event of a terrorist attack.] Committee and worked with the United States’ Senate and members of the House of Representatives to pass this act, and its subsequent iterations as TRIRA and TRIPRIA
Ms. Aimée Quinlan, Director
Future China
Ms. Aimée Quinlan currently serves on the board representing Future China, an NGO dedicated to eliminate the unbalanced distribution of education resources in China. She holds a B.A. from the City College of New York, where she graduated summa cum laude. Demonstrating a strong commitment to civic engagement and international cooperation, she served as the youth representative for the college’s affiliated Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), playing an active role in amplifying the voices and perspectives of young people within global forums. Through this role she was elected to GNEC for her first term as a Director. Within GNEC, she is the Chair of the Nominations and Elections Subcommittee, where she oversees the coordination and execution of fair and transparent leadership selection processes. Her role involves managing candidate outreach, organizing voting procedures, and ensuring adherence to democratic principles in all election-related matters. Ms. Quinlan is passionate about education initiatives and improving the outreach of GNEC.
Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, Director
National Social Action Commission of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Dr. J. Nadine Gracia earned a Bachelor of Arts in French with honors from Stanford University, a medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Commissioner on the National Social Action Commission of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and serves as Co-Chair of the Delta Days at the United Nations Subcommittee. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated is a private, not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide assistance and support through established programs in local communities throughout the world. Dr. Gracia is a national health equity and public health leader with extensive leadership experience in federal government, the nonprofit sector, professional associations, and academia. She is passionate about service and leadership development, she is active in many civic and professional organizations.
Ms. Nora Hajjar, Director
World Lebanese Cultural Union Inc.
Ms. Nora Hajjar’s career at the intersection of technology and public impact, brings both technical expertise and a global, civic-minded perspective to this opportunity. Currently, She serves as a Senior AI Engineer at Microsoft, where she focuses on building large language models, AI platforms, and agents with real-world applications. Her prior work spans healthcare, international development, policy research, and civil society tech, from leading data infrastructure at Maven Clinic to contributing to political analytics at Hillary for America. She hold a Master of Science in Computational Analysis and Public Policy from the University of Chicago, and a B.S. in Political Science and Economics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. This background has shaped her belief in AI and data systems as transformative tools for social good. Having collaborated with mission-driven organizations and public institutions globally, she understand the importance of equitable, inclusive, and ethical innovation. She sees GNEC as a vital platform to elevate the voices of NGOs within the UN system and to drive forward collective solutions for today’s most urgent challenges.
Mr. Joseph DeMeyer, Director
Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
Mr. Joseph DeMeyer holds a 25-year tenure as UN NGO Representative of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues with executive roles in the NGO Committees on Mental Health and on Education, Learning and Literacy; and in the Psychology Coalition at the UN (PCUN). He co-organized presentations at UN Commissions and Civil Society Conferences collaborating with UN Agencies and Missions; and submitted oral and written statements at High Level Political Forums. The COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled the disconnect between the Civil Society Organisations and United Nations agencies that has emphasised the need to value diversity, education, mental health and especially contributions by younger generation, as pillars of resilient civil society. Through various events and activities he has promoted Global Citizenship.
Ms. Dayana Blanco Galo, Director
The City College of New York
Ms. Dayana J. Blanco Galo is currently an undergraduate student at CUNY City College, where she is pursuing a double major in Business Administration and Management and International Studies. As the first in her family to attend college, she deeply values education as a transformative force for growth and social change. Dayana brings a fresh perspective on current global issues, complemented by her active volunteer work within her community, where she focuses on promoting and empowering youth through education. Her dedication to these causes underscores her commitment to amplifying all voices and advocating for youth representation in global affairs. Dayana excels as an effective team player, contributes towards achieving the UN's global goals, expanding global partnerships, and fostering consensus through cultural competence. She is passionate about leveraging her skills and experiences to create a positive impact on a global scale, ensuring that the voices of all, especially the youth, are heard and represented.
Adriane Berg, Director
International Federation on Ageing
Ms. Adriane Berg holds a BA from Brooklyn College, a JD from New York University School of Law, and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa honour society and Kappa Delta Pi, the education honour society. She is the UN Representative from the International Federation on Ageing and member of the NGO Committee on Aging, the co-founder of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and former Executive Director of the Kitalys Institute for the Delay and Prevention of Age-related Diseases. She collaborated with the World Tourism Network and created the Age-Friendly Travel Certification Program, driving initiatives catering to mature travellers ‘unique needs. Adriane is a veteran radio and TV personality on WABC, CNNfn, and now award-winning podcasts: Generation Bold: The Fountain of Truth About Aging, The Ageless Traveler, and GNEC’s podcast, On The Ground. Moreover, through her online course Speak Out Communication, Adriane empowers older adults to confidently navigate healthcare, family dynamics, work environments, and community interactions.
Ms. Farah Salim Eck, Director
United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA)
Ms. Farah Salim Eck is Managing Director at the UN Association of the USA (UNA-USA). She catalyzes partnerships, programs and policies that bolster everyday UN champions across the United States in communities, on campuses, and within Congress. Farah has seen the impact of the UN firsthand- as a companion when her mom delivered polio drops on behalf of the WHO in Pakistan, a cheerleader for human rights who saw lives change for Afghan refugees when they received tents from the UNHCR and a champion for education who experienced the joy on children's faces in the slums of Nairobi when they received UNICEF backpacks filled with school supplies. Starting as a UNICEF USA volunteer, elected as President of the UNA-USA Chicago Chapter, or now in her current role as staff at UNA-USA, Farah has passionately supported the UN's values and principles in personal and professional roles.
HRH Prince Adnan El-Hashemite, Director
Seton Hall University
HRH Adnan is the Dean of RASIT and Executive Director for Global Initiatives at Holy Family University. As a philanthropist, HRH has been a driving force behind equity in education and ethical social developments. Upholding the timeless mission of his grandfathers, HRH elects not to publicize his humanitarian contributions; however, to his credit, HRH mobilized private equities and home offices to grow urban redevelopment in underprivileged-unfinanceable sectors; as a result thousands of educational scholarships were granted to young girls and boys from underprivileged communities and thousands of humanitarian relief packages were delivered to children and mothers in distressed areas. HRH employed cultures, languages, and arts to promote peace, social development, and influence international bodies including UNESCO to name Culture as The Foundation for Global Peace. HRH has introduced RASIT Research to incentivize CSR used for education, youth development, and academic programmes which has been adopted by various governments and international agencies.
Dr Piyush Gupta, Director
Cancer Aid Society India
Dr. Gupta with Graduation in Science & Law, PG in Management, Social Sciences followed by PhD and trainings in IT, Palliative Care, Cancer Control and received several Fellowships and Scholarships. At 22, he founded Cancer Aid Society an ISO 9001 NGO in 1987 to control Tobacco, Cancer, NCDs integrated with Palliative Care which uniquely stands Globally. He serves as Secretary of National Association of Palliative Care for AYUSH & Integrative Medicine. As CEO Representative at United Nation’s ECOSOC, DGC & World Health Organization’s GCM NCD, he has represented India in at various UN Meetings on Prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases along with other International events. Announced International Award for Leadership in Palliative Care and Tobacco Control. Declared December 8th as NCD Awareness Day since 2013. He authored over 100 Copyright Documents including 25 Booklets on different Cancers, was Speaker in over 40 National & International Conferences and Workshops, organized over 60 trainings and conferences and delivered hundreds of Awareness Lectures within the Community. Dr. Gupta received several awards for himself and the organisation including “Jewel of India” among others.
Mr Faisal Alfadl, Director
Saudi Green Building Forum
Mr. Faisal ALFADL's philosophy centers on creating sustainable and eco-friendly environments advocating innovative architecture and urban planning policies. His extensive involvement in various international conferences and his leadership in sustainable development initiatives reflect his commitment to a greener future. As an educator and advocate, Faisal is a master architect and urban planner, continues to inspire and mentor the next generation youths as a professional volunteer, ensuring that sustainability remains at the forefront of business, industry and architectural practice. Mr Alfadl's work focuses on promoting green practices and advocating for environmental sustainability. Through his expertise in architecture and his passion for sustainability, Faisal strives to create a positive impact on the global community. ALFADL's dedication to sustainable development and his impressive career achievements make him a leading figure in the business and industry for the global community, championing a future where architecture harmonizes with nature for the benefit of all.
ADVISORY BOARD
Ambassador Isaiah Zimba Chabala
Founder and President, Visionary Consulting Associates, and
Former Ambassador of Zambia to the United Nations
Hawa Taylor-Kamara Diallo
President and Executive Director, I.B. Taylor-Kamara Foundation
Kairong Hou
Head of International Business Development, FutureChina NGO
Dr. Rose Cardarelli
Founder and CEO, Education for All Coalition
Richard Jordan
Representative at the UN for the International Council for Caring Communities
Dr. Aysesegul Durakoglu
Professor at the Music and Technology Program,
Stevens Institute of Technology
Dr. Kevin Merges
Chief Global Impact Officer, Saddle River Day School
Eunhee Jung
Founder and President, IVECA Center for International Virtual Schooling
Neha Tripathi
Director International Affairs, Cancer Aid Society
Jason Xu
Global Coordinator, GNEC Hackathon
Ruoyu Xu
Global Coordinator, GNEC Hackathon
Aniefiok Thomas
Former Senior Special Assistant on SDGs to Akwa Ibom State Government
James M. Black II
Legal Advisor, GNEC and
Partner and General Counsel, Falcon Rappaport & Berkman LLP
Dr. Sandra Timmerman
Representative at the UN for the International Federation on Ageing
** The Global NGO Executive Committee (GNEC) has a 19-member Board. By GNEC by-laws, each member of the Board must be a representative of one of the UNDGC affiliated NGOs/CSOs.