NORTHCOAST CONFERENCE XXXI
SECRETARIAT INFORMATIONSECRETARIAT DESCRIPTIONOur staff is one of the most experienced of any conference nationwide, with some volunteers having served for 31 years. This is the advantage of a conference run by a corporation and not by a college or university - an institutional memory of more than 4 years, organizational stability, proven dedication to fostering consistent growth and development, and a wealth of knowledge. The vast majority of our staff volunteers have also served as either high school or college delegates (or both). Many have volunteered as staff at other Model United Nations conferences. Many of the staff volunteers at the Northcoast Conference are delegates at our Lake Erie Conference. All of this activity allows our staff to continually hone their skills and keep on top of world affairs.
Our staff comes from a wide variety of age groups, educational levels, employment backgrounds, religions, and political affiliations. Our volunteers come from across the United States and Canada. Some have even flown in from other parts of the world to attend a conference. Our staff includes students pursuing everything from an Associate's degree to a PhD. It also includes attorneys, business owners, managers, entrepreneurs, administrators, educators, politicians, social workers, health care providers, an economist, a librarian, and more.
There is no one type of person that makes up our staff. Each person is equally important and contributes to the conference in their own unique way. What binds everyone together is the desire to provide a valuable educational opportunity. For many, it is a way to give something back to our organization because it has helped them is some way or because they believe in our mission. For some, it is a way to experience a conference from "the other side of the gavel".
SELECTED STAFF BIOS
Rita is a graduate of Geneva High School. She attended the University of Hartford and the University of Akron where she earned a BS in Business Administration and MBAs in International Business and Management. She lives in Cortland, Ohio with her boyfriend (Steve) and his son (Drake). She is the President of Arcady Sales & Consulting and Fiscal Officer for Bazetta Township.
Shannon Hopkins has been participating in Model United Nations for 5 years and has been involved with LEIMUN for 3 years. She participated as a delegate at our Lake Erie Conference, most famously as "Le Femme" Nikita Khrushchev on our Cuban Missile Crisis. She has since staffed both our high school and college conferences. She is currently LEIMUN's Secretary-General and Director of Staff Development. Shannon graduated from
STAFF BENEFITSAny staff volunteer who incurs travel expenses to attend the conference will be fully reimbursed for those expenses, up to $250.
All staff volunteers will receive free hotel accommodations in quad rooms for up to three nights during the Northcoast Conference. These nights are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Staff volunteers requesting single or double rooms are required to pay 75% or 50% respectively of this cost to LEIMUN prior to the beginning of the conference.
Continental breakfast is provided during the Northcoast Conference for all staff volunteers staying at the hotel. Staff volunteers will receive free dinner at the Delegate Pizza Party on Wednesday evening and free lunch during "The War Room" on Thursday afternoon. There will also be a Membership Luncheon (or Dinner) for all LEIMUN Members during the Conference. Any staff volunteer who is also a Member or becomes a Member during the conference will be invited to this event free of charge. All other staff volunteers may attend, but must pay for their own meals.
STAFF RECOGNITIONLetters of Recommendation and Certificates of Appreciation may be provided to all staff volunteers. The Secretariat and Board of Trustees will provide personal recommendations or other documentation for anyone who requests it.
Anyone who has served on the staff or as an advisor for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 years will receive special recognition at Closing Ceremonies.
Any staff member who has contributed more than 4,000 hours of service will qualify for President's Volunteer Lifetime Service Awards sponsored by the Points of Light Institute. Service hours are accumulated by serving in the following capacities: Program Director, Program Assistant Director, Trustee, Corporate Officer, Corporate Director, Secretary General, Under Secretary General, Special Assistant to the Secretariat, Webmaster, Registrar, Advisory Council, Senior Staff, and Conference Staff Volunteer. Each position garners a different number of volunteer hours. For a more specific breakdown, please send a request via the Contact Us page.
RULES & POLICIES QUIZZESThere are three different quizzes available to assist delegates, advisors, and staff prepare for the Northcoast Conference. They can be accessed via Diplomatic Access. All LEIMUN Members, staff volunteers, and advisors of registered schools have been provided with an ID and password to the Diplomatic Access area. Delegates may receive an ID and password by sending a request via the Contact Us page. The Basic Rules & Policies Quiz is highly recommended for all conference participants, especially those who are new to Model UN or to our conference. The Advanced Rules & Policies Quiz is recommended for all conference participants, especially those who are more familiar with Model UN and our conference. The Staff Rules and Policies Quiz is required for all staff volunteers and is recommended only for the most experienced advisors and delegates.
STAFF APPLICATIONNorthcoast XXXI Staff Application |
Rita K. Drew recently completed two terms on the Board of Trustees where she served as President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Administrative Officer, Webmaster, and Registrar and held many of these positions simultaneously. Prior to her terms on the Board, Rita served the organization in multiple conference positions including Secretary-General, on the Senior Staff and Advisory Council, as Director of Fund Raising, and on several committees including the Rules Revision, Bylaws Revision, Handbook Revision, and Governance. Rita became involved with this organization as President of the Geneva High School MUN Club in 1983. She became a staff volunteer upon graduating from high school. 
Marc Hudson has been participating in Model United Nations for 11 years and has been involved as a staff member with LEIMUN for 6 years. At the college conference he has been responsible for the creation and directing of the Dual Crisis Committees, which have simulated the Cuban Missile Crisis, Fashoda Incident and most recently, the Six Day War. He implores all high school seniors to join him in the fall as either a Barbudo or Batistaño for the Cuban Revolution. He is also currently the organizational Director of Development as well as the acting Undersecretary General for the Northcoast conference.
Wade Ferrari is a current freshman at Ithaca College majoring in Cinema and Photography with a concentration on Film Production. In High School, Wade was an active member of Butler High School Model United Nations for four years. He likes to spend his summers traveling or working on film sets. Wade spent 7 weeks this past summer in Australia working in the camera department of The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Now at Ithaca, he’s beginning his involvement with Model United Nations at the Collegiate level, but when he’s not solving World Issues, he’s playing Ultimate Frisbee, Skiing, Reading, or Watching Movies.