By Cesar Fernandez, Program Coordinator
On June 10, 2026, the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA) welcomed members, partners, diplomats, students, volunteers, and supporters to its Annual Membership Meeting at the United Nations Foundation in Washington, D.C. The event served as both a reflection on the chapter’s accomplishments over the past year and a celebration of the individuals whose leadership and dedication have strengthened UNA-NCA’s mission. Bringing together advocates for international cooperation and civic engagement, the meeting underscored the importance of fostering strong United States–United Nations relations and maintaining support for multilateral institutions during a time of increasing global challenges.
The program opened with welcoming remarks from UNA-NCA Board Chair Anne Simmons-Benton, who highlighted the chapter’s mission of educating, engaging, and inspiring communities to support the work and values of the United Nations. She reflected on the organization’s continued growth and impact while expressing appreciation for members, volunteers, donors, and partners whose contributions have helped sustain the chapter’s success. Emphasizing the importance of local engagement with global issues, Simmons-Benton remarked, “People think of the United Nations as distant, and a lot of Americans don’t realize the role it plays or how it affects each and every one of us. That’s the benefit of being in a chapter, where we can take those ideas and work with them on a local level.” Simmons-Benton also welcomed the evening’s keynote speaker, Ambassador Michele J. Sison, and emphasized the importance of continued dialogue on international cooperation and global development.
Ambassador Michele Sison, former U.S. Representative to the United Nations Agencies in Rome and former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, delivered keynote remarks centered on the interconnected challenges facing the international community today. Drawing from her current role with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), she discussed the growing importance of addressing fragility, conflict, and violence (FCV) and their impact on poverty reduction, economic development, and human security. Stressing the continued importance of multilateral institutions, Ambassador Sison noted, “It is important for us to lift up that imperative that the UN continue to be focused and effective given the number of challenges around the world.” She also highlighted contemporary migration trends and the complex challenges posed by labor shortages, economic instability, refugee displacement, and transnational criminal organizations, including gang violence in regions such as Haiti.
Throughout her remarks, Ambassador Sison provided insight into IOM’s global mission and operations, emphasizing the organization’s work supporting displaced populations, responding to natural disasters, combating human trafficking, and strengthening border management systems. She also discussed emerging innovations in humanitarian assistance, including the use of artificial intelligence and data-driven tools in development and disaster response efforts in countries such as Somalia and Ethiopia. Ambassador Sison concluded by recognizing the important role organizations like UNA-NCA play in fostering public understanding of international affairs and maintaining engagement with the United Nations system.Following the keynote address, Simmons-Benton recognized the chapter’s board members, officers, staff, interns, and volunteers before introducing UNA-NCA President Paula Boland. Boland provided an overview of the chapter’s accomplishments during the 2025–2026 program year and highlighted key findings from the Annual Report. She reaffirmed UNA-NCA’s commitment to educating, engaging, and influencing communities through programming, advocacy, and leadership development opportunities. Reflecting on the chapter’s mission, Boland stated, “Our commitment to UNA-NCA’s mission to educate, inspire, and advocate for a strong U.S.-UN partnership and a more effective multilateral system has never been more critical. Our work serves as a powerful reminder that international cooperation remains essential to addressing the challenges we face together.”
Boland noted that the chapter remains in a strong financial position and has successfully expanded its operational capacity while continuing to grow its impact across the National Capital Region. She highlighted the success of the UN80 Gala, held in October 2025 at the Embassy of France, which brought together more than 270 guests representing diplomatic missions, international organizations, and community leaders. The event raised over $150,000 in support of UNA-NCA’s mission and programs. Boland expressed gratitude to the organization’s donors, volunteers, board members, staff, and community partners whose support made the chapter’s achievements possible. She emphasized that in a time when civic trust and international alliances face significant strain, local engagement in global issues remains more important than ever.The meeting then transitioned to program highlights showcasing UNA-NCA’s educational initiatives. Himaja Balusa, Global Education Manager, reflected on another successful year for Global Classrooms DC (GCDC), noting, “During the 2025–2026 academic year, GCDC engaged more than 1,000 students from over 40 schools across the region.” She highlighted how students explored critical global topics—including artificial intelligence, counterterrorism, migration, and sustainable development—through Model United Nations simulations and educational programming.
Balusa also highlighted the success of the Winter 2026 Global Classrooms DC Training Conference hosted at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), as well as the Spring 2026 Model UN Conference held at the U.S. Department of State. The spring conference brought together more than 400 students and featured partnerships with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which provided expertise and policy guidance for conference committees.
Following Balusa’s presentation, Student Secretary-General Ronen Yu, a rising ninth-grade student at Cabin John Middle School, shared reflections on his experience participating in Global Classrooms DC. Having participated in Model UN for four years and attended seven GCDC conferences, Yu spoke about the program’s impact on student leadership development, global awareness, and civic engagement. Reflecting on his experience, he said, “I hope that I can speak on behalf of every single participant of GCDC’s programs that they have instilled essential virtues of respect, responsibility, and shared resolve within every single person who has walked through their conference doors, myself included.” His remarks highlighted the lasting influence that Model UN experiences can have on young people interested in international affairs and public service.
The program continued with updates from the Graduate Fellows Program (GFP), presented by Program Coordinator Keegan Mobley. Mobley highlighted another successful year for the program, which welcomed 25 graduate fellows from universities throughout the region. Reflecting on the impact of the fellowship, he remarked, “It is amazing to be a part of these students’ journeys and see them grow and see that they will be the future leaders making decisions. We had 25 students this year from 14 different countries, 10 different states, and nine different universities in the DMV area.” Participants engaged with accomplished mentors, attended professional development events, and participated in educational site visits, including a visit to the World Bank. The program continues to provide emerging professionals with valuable opportunities to expand their networks and deepen their understanding of international affairs.
Grace Galumje, a member of the 2026 Graduate Fellows cohort and a recent graduate of the University of Maryland’s Master of Public Policy program, shared reflections on her experience. Originally from Nigeria, Galumje spoke about the value of mentorship, networking opportunities, and the diverse perspectives she gained through participation in the fellowship. She reflected, “This program provided me good exposure into the UN as a significant institution that has its challenges and how they look into those challenges. Why are we trying to judge the UN for all these conflicts ongoing? The UN is dealing with conflict at the grassroots level, and we need to pay closer attention to that.” Following her remarks, Paula Boland recognized the mentors, session leaders, and volunteers whose contributions help make the program possible each year.
UNA-NCA’s advocacy efforts were highlighted by Advocacy & Digital Outreach Senior Manager Sarah Bassil. Bassil reviewed the committee’s accomplishments during the year, including the chapter’s participation in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), where UNA-NCA hosted a parallel event focused on immigrant women and LGBTQ+ communities. She also discussed the chapter’s involvement in broader advocacy initiatives, including participation in the Global Engagement Summit during the United Nations General Assembly and representation at UNA-USA events in St. Louis, Missouri. Emphasizing the importance of continued engagement, Bassil remarked, “American leadership on the global stage remains as vital as ever. We’re more committed to that than ever, especially in these turbulent times.” These activities demonstrated the chapter’s ongoing commitment to advancing awareness of global issues and strengthening citizen engagement with international policymaking.
A major highlight of the evening was the presentation of several awards recognizing outstanding leadership, advocacy, and service. The Edison W. Dick Advocacy Leadership Award was presented to Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland’s 8th Congressional District in recognition of his longstanding commitment to civic engagement, democratic participation, and international cooperation. In a prerecorded video message, Representative Raskin thanked UNA-NCA for the honor and reflected on the importance of global engagement and public service, stating, “It’s so critical for us to come together to make clear that the Earth is a very small place and we must work together to reverse the processes of climate change, to promote international progress and development, and abolish all of the vectors of disease and hunger that are undermining life and the possibility of a meaningful democratic community everywhere.”
The Arthur Johnson Leadership Award was presented to Sam Worthington, Chair of the UNA-NCA Advisory Council, in recognition of his leadership in advancing international development, humanitarian partnerships, and collaboration between civil society organizations and multilateral institutions. Joining remotely via Zoom, Worthington expressed gratitude for the award and emphasized the importance of collective leadership. “UNA-NCA’s commitment to building support for the United Nations is more important today than at any other time in my professional lifetime. Leadership is never an individual achievement—it’s always a collective endeavor.”He added, “Institutions matter, but people matter even more. The United Nations is not simply buildings in New York, Geneva, or Nairobi—it’s an idea, a belief that countries and people can solve problems through dialogue rather than force, cooperation rather than isolation, and shared humanity rather than fear.”
The Evelyn Falkowski Volunteer Service Award was presented to Aaron Poynton, Chair of the UNA-NCA UN80 Gala Committee and Director-at-Large. Poynton was recognized for his exceptional leadership in organizing the successful UN80 Gala, which was planned and executed within a remarkably short timeframe. During his remarks, Poynton reflected on the collaborative effort that made the UN80 Gala possible and thanked fellow board members, volunteers, and supporters for their partnership. “This organization can't exist without the volunteers and the funding and resources required to carry out our mission.” He also noted that he would be concluding his service on the board at the end of his current term.The meeting also provided an opportunity to recognize UNA-NCA’s leadership and governance. Simmons-Benton acknowledged newly elected and returning board members while thanking the Nominating Committee, led by Barton Edgerton, for overseeing the election process. She recognized the chapter’s dedicated leadership team, including Board Chair Anne Simmons-Benton; Vice Chair of the Advisory Council Shannon Hader; Vice Chair of Advocacy Danielle Dean; Vice Chair of Finance and Treasurer Allison Viescas; Vice Chair of Volunteer Engagement Joi Edwards; Vice Chair of Programs Audre Park; Vice Chair and Secretary Kristen Hecht; Graduate Student Representative Oluwatosin Pinmiloye; and Directors-at-Large Kendra Brown, Jacqueline Hatch, Andrew Hyde, Katherine Kannam, and Hayley Pottle. Election results were then presented by Jessica Tollette, and attendees recognized the incoming leadership team that will guide the chapter in the coming year.
Special recognition was also given to departing board members for their dedicated service, including Brian Heilman, Sam Worthington, Shawn Baker-Garcia, Tom Bradley, and Aaron Sean Poynton. Their contributions have played a significant role in advancing UNA-NCA’s mission and strengthening the chapter’s programs and operations.
The final award of the evening, the Richard and Anne Griffis Program Leadership Award, was presented by Tom Bradley to Audre Park, Vice Chair of Programs. Park was recognized for her leadership in expanding and strengthening UNA-NCA’s programming portfolio. In accepting the award, she reflected on the collaborative efforts of volunteers, staff, board members, and community partners whose dedication has made the chapter’s programs successful and impactful. She remarked, “I’ve witnessed the mission of UNA-NCA to increase public support for the United Nations and to prepare present and future leaders to work for a better world. I’ve seen that mission materialize in our classrooms as students gain knowledge of their global citizenship, develop self-agency, and find informed voices through UNA-NCA’s education and outreach.” She concluded with a call to continue the organization’s work, stating, “With so many challenges still ahead, the work that UNA-NCA does, and the contributions that we make, will remain critical to creating a better world.”As the meeting drew to a close, Anne Simmons-Benton thanked attendees for their continued commitment to UNA-NCA and its mission. She emphasized that the chapter’s accomplishments are made possible through the collective efforts of members, volunteers, donors, students, educators, and advocates who share a commitment to international cooperation and civic engagement. Closing the evening, she reminded attendees of the importance of continued public support, stating, “This is what your support makes real. At a time when the U.S.-UN relationship and the very idea of international cooperation are being questioned, the question is not whether this work should continue—it is whether people can find us and stand with us. That is what counts.”
The 2026 Annual Membership Meeting highlighted a year of significant achievement, growth, and impact for UNA-NCA. Through educational initiatives, leadership development programs, advocacy efforts, and community engagement, the chapter continues to strengthen public understanding of the United Nations and the importance of global collaboration.
The evening concluded with a reception at the United Nations Foundation, providing attendees with an opportunity to connect, celebrate accomplishments, and look ahead to another year of advancing the values of peace, human dignity, sustainable development, and international cooperation.
