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Ms. Shamshad Akhtar, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Ms. Akhtar is the tenth Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. She also serves as the United Nations Sherpa for the Group of 20. Formerly the Secretary-General¡¯s Senior Advisor on Economics and Finance, and Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development at the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, she led the UN-wide coordination of the post-2015 development agenda and related policy and normative work, including supporting work on the Sustainable Financing Strategy. Ms. Akhtar previously served as Governor of the Central Bank of Pakistan and as Vice President of the Middle East and North Africa Region of the World Bank.

Mr. Ahmad Alhendawi, Secretary-General¡¯s Envoy on Youth, United Nations Department of Public Information

Mr. Ahmad Alhendawi is a youth expert and advocate at the national, regional and international levels. Prior to joining the United Nations, he worked as a team leader for the World Bank funded programme to the League of Arab States on Institutional Development to strengthen Arab policy and participation. He also served as the youth policy advisor in the League of Arab States in Cairo and as an officer in the Technical Secretariat of the Arab Youth and Sports Ministers Council. Past experience also includes serving as team leader for the National Youth Policy Project in Iraq, Youth Programme Associate at the Iraq office of the Ãå±±½ûµØPopulation Fund (UNFPA), and as an Emergency Programme Officer at the non-governmental organization Save the Children.

H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon is the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations. His priorities have been to mobilize world leaders around a set of new global challenges, from climate change and economic upheaval to pandemics and increasing pressures involving food, energy and water. He has sought to be a bridge-builder, to give voice to the world¡¯s poorest and most vulnerable people, and to strengthen the Organization itself.

Mr. Ban took office on 1 January 2007. On 21 June 2011, he was unanimously re-elected by the General Assembly and will continue to serve until 31 December 2016. He received a bachelor¡¯s degree in international relations from Seoul National University in 1970. In 1985, he earned a master¡¯s degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. At the time of his election as Secretary-General, Mr. Ban was his country¡¯s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Leonzo Barreno, Adjunct Professor, School of Journalism, University of Regina, Canada

Mr. Barreno. a K¡¯iche Mayan from Guatemala, is an advocate for indigenous issues. He began his career as Coordinator and Director of the International Indigenous Program for the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College (SIFC), Canada in the 1990s.  Since 1996, Barreno has given presentations about Indigenous higher education in several universities and forums in Chile, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Mexico, and to the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington. He is the author of a study about Higher Education Institutions and Programs for Indigenous people in Latin America. Barreno is a Doctoral student in Indigenous Studies at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.

Ms. Daniela Bas, Director of the Division for Social Policy and Development at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Ms. Bas is a political scientist with a major in International Politics. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a dissertation on ¡°The elimination of architectural barriers and the employment of people with physical disabilities¡±. She is also a certified journalist and multicultural life coach. Ms. Bas interest has always been people-centred in the various activities, associations, and professional roles she has held. Prior to joining the United Nations, she held managerial roles in the private sector in Italy and was, adviser for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers on human rights and social affairs.

Ms. Ta¡¯kaiya Blaney, Youth Advocate for the Environment

Ms. Blaney (n¨¦e Chegha¡¯jemixw) is a 15-year old youth advocate for the environment, who is also a singer, songwriter and actor. She has addressed several United Nations meetings including the Rio+ 20 Tunza International Children and Youth Conference. In 2014, at the age of 13, she was the youngest keynote speaker at two conferences organized by Powershift, a grassroots online community organized energy action coalition. She has received recognition and numerous awards including from the Peter Benchley Foundation (San Francisco); Women in Film, Screen, and Television (Los Angles); Ambassador for The Planet, Waylon Foundation (San Francisco); Green Achievement Award from Green Living (Toronto); John Gibbard Award, United Nations Association of Canada (Vancouver, British Columbia); and many cultural recognitions.

Wendy Carbajal, Director of the Comit¨¦ de Paz en Zihutane

Born in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Mexico, Ms. Carbajal Sotelo obtained her Bachelor¡¯s Degree in Business Administration and her Master¡¯s on Educational Sciences. Ms. Carbajal Sotelo teaches full time at the Autonomous University of Guerrero in the Preparatory School #13 located in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Mexico.

To date she has been the Honorary President for Red Cross at Zihuatanejo; Honorary President of the Municipal Committee to protect the Rights of the Child; Honorary President of the Youth Integration Centre aimed at the prevention of addition in any of its forms among young people; Honorary President of the System for the Integral Development of the Family at Ixtapa Zihuatanejo. Most of her time is dedicated to the management of the Peace Committee at Zihuatanejo, through which Zihuatanejo has become a city for peace, and which Ms. Carbajal Sotelo considers the greatest honour in life.

Professor Scott Carlin (Phd), Conference Co-chairman and NGO Representative at the United Nations for Long Island University Post Campus and the International Society of Doctors for the Environment

Scott Carlin is Associate Professor of Geography at Long Island University Post Campus. Professor Carlin teaches in LIU Post¡¯s new Master¡¯s Programme in Environmental Sustainability and coordinates the Campus Sustainability Committee. Over the past two decades, Professor Carlin has worked on a variety of sustainable development projects on Long Island including breast cancer and environmental mapping, green buildings, wastewater management, climate change and renewable energy. Professor Carlin is a national advisor to the Graduation Pledge Alliance and recently served as co-chair of Southampton Town¡¯s Sustainable Advisory Committee. Dr. Carlin earned his Ph.D. from Clark University (1995).

Mr. Juan Pablo Celis, Conference Co-chair of the Youth Sub-committee and Non-Governmental Organization Youth Representative of the United Nations Association of New York to the United Nations

Mr. Celis is a student of international studies and a youth representative of the United Nations Association of New York. Mr. Celis has participated in humanitarian, financial, and entrepreneurship projects in different countries. He has worked with educational institutions in Italy and Egypt on projects in innovative teaching methods. Mr. Celis has coordinated promotion and fundraising events for NGOs in Brazil and Argentina. In his native country Columbia, he was a leader for the international student organization, AIESEC. For three years, he managed the global community development programme and trained young leaders for the global market.

Mr. Soon-heung Chang (Phd), Co-chairman of the Conference National Organizing Committee and President of Handong Global University

Mr. Chang received his PhD in Nuclear Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981 and was a professor and a provost of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, KAIST.  Mr. Chang served as a member of International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group, IAEA and Commissioner of the Korea Nuclear Safety Commission as well. He was also one of the five members of the International Advisory Expert of the Investigation Committee for the Fukushima Accident.

Mrs. Yunkeum Chang, Co-chair, Conference Youth Sub-Committee and Representative of Sookmyung Women¡¯s University

Mrs. Chang is a full time professor at Sookmyung Women¡¯s University, She holds a Phd in Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin, USA and a Master¡¯s Degree in the same major from Indian University Bloomington. Dr. Chang participated as a speaker in the 2014 APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) Women and Economy Forum, where she gave a presentation under the topic ¡°Women and Green Development¡±.

Mr. Yang-sik Choi, Mayor of Gyeongju

Mr. Choi is the mayor of Gyeongju, a UNESCO world heritage site. He was one of the mayors that endorsed the ¡°Gyeongju Recommendation¡±, following the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Mayors¡¯ Forum for World Heritage Cities, held in Gyeongju in 2012. The recommendation was largely based on the mayor¡¯s experiences and strategic approaches in managing world heritage sites in urban contexts.

Mr. Yukang Choi (PhD), NGO Representative at the United Nations for Dream Touch for All, Conference Co-Chair, and Head of the National Organizing Committee for the conference

Mr. Choi is the founder and CEO of Dream Touch for All (DTFA). As CEO of DTFA, Choi has expanded educational support to improve access to quality education for underprivileged students. Last year, DTFA was recognized as the best non-profit organization of the year by Asia Philanthropy Award (APA). The organization also won the Best Afterschool Program Award in 2014 and the Best Education Donation Award in 2015 from the Ministry of Education, Republic of Korea. Choi received his Bachelor¡¯s degree from Handong Global University in 2004, his Master¡¯s degree (2007) in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and his doctoral degree (2013) in community-based learning from the Peabody College of Education and Human Development Vanderbilt University.

Ms. Rasheda Choudhury, Vice President of the Global Campaign for Education and Executive Director of Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE)

Ms. Choudhury is the Executive Director of the Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE), a network of more than a thousand education NGOs and educator groups in Bangladesh. She is the Member Secretary of Education Watch, a civil society initiative. Recently she has joined a core group to form a citizen¡¯s platform on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in Bangladesh. Ms. Choudhury is also an executive committee member of the Institute of Microfinance, an independent, non-profit organization established for research and training in the microfinance sector. In 2008, she was an adviser in the non-party ¡°Interim Care Taker Government¡¯ of Bangladesh which conducted a free and fair election.

Ms. Cristina Gallach, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information

Ms. Gallach was appointed Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information on 4 December 2014. Prior to this, she held the position of Head of the Public Relations Unit in the Council of the European Union, Directorate General for Information and Communication in Brussels, from July 2010. Prior to that appointment, she was Spokesperson of the Spanish Government for the European Union rotating Presidency (2010), Spokesperson and Chief Media Advisor of the European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Brussels (1999-2009) and Deputy Spokesperson of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Chief Media Adviser for the Secretary-General, Brussels (1996-1999).  She spent over 15 years as a journalist with EFE, El Periodico, Avui and TVE Barcelona. Ms. Gallach holds a master¡¯s degree in international affairs from Columbia University, New York, and a degree in communication and journalism from the Universidad Autonoma, Barcelona.

Mr. Chaechun Gim (PhD), President, Korean Educational Development Institute

Mr. Gim received his Doctorate of Philosophy in Education at the University of California at Los Angeles in 1996. Since 2000, he has been a Professor at Yeungnam University in Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea. From 1996 to 1997, he was a research associate at the Korean Educational Development Institute in Seoul, and from 1998 to 2000, and a research fellow at the Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation. He became a certified secondary school teacher from Korea¡¯s Ministry of Education in 1986. Achievements include research in studies on the national curriculum development and implementation. He conducted research in studies on Korea¡¯s college entrance examination system, differentiating instructional strategies and was the first to study instructional strategies for gender equity in the Republic of Korea.

His Excellency Mr. Omrie Michael Golley, Ambassador of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the Republic of Korea

Ambassador Omrie Michael Golley was appointed as the Ambassador of The Republic of Sierra Leone to the Republic of Korea in November 2013. He is a British trained lawyer and has worked in many prestigious law firms and companies in the United Kingdom. He graduated with honours from Hull University in the United Kingdom after completing a Bachelor of Arts in Politics. He then completed the bar examinations and was called by the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple as a Barrister at Law of England and Wales in November 1983. In addition to his obvious commitment to law, Ambassador Golley also has a passion for achieving peace especially in his home country of Sierra Leone.

Ms. Nasrine Gross, President and Founder of The Roqia Center for Women¡¯s Rights, Studies and Education in Afghanistan.

Nasrine Gross is the President and Founder of The Roqia Center for Women¡¯s Rights, Studies and Education in Afghanistan.  The Center aims to assist the cause of women as an integral part of the country¡¯s democratization and reconstruction. Ms. Gross began her work in Kabul more than four years ago. To maximize the Center¡¯s effectiveness in areas such as fundraising, Nasrine also created Kabultec, a U.S.-based non-profit organization as a partner to the Roqia Center.  Ms. Gros is a graduate of the American University of Beirut.

H.E. Mr. Kyo-ahn Hwang, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea

Mr. Hwan is a lawyer and has been serving the prime minister of Korea since June 2015.  He has also served as the country¡¯s justice minister.

Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Executive Committee Board Member, Indigenous People of Africa Coordinating Committee

Ms. Oumarou Ibrahim is an indigenous woman from the Mbororo pastoralist community of Chad. She is a coordinator of the Indigenous Women and Peoples Association of Chad and a member of the Executive Committee of the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee. Ms. Oumarou Ibrahim is an indigenous peoples¡¯ expert in adaptation and mitigation of climate change and is Co-Chair of the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change. She is also policy board member of the United Nations Indigenous Peoples Partnership (UNIPP). In the last three years, she has helped organize international workshops on traditional knowledge. Last year she participated in the COP21 climate change negotiations.

Ms. Eunhee Jung (PhD), Founder and CEO of IVECA Korea and Founder of IVECA Center for International Schooling

Ms. Jung is the Founder of IVECA Center for International Virtual Schooling based in the United States and serves as the CEO of IVECA-KOREA. Her expertise is in using technology to globalize classroom activities for promoting intercultural and global competencies. Based on her integrated curriculum design framework, she is dedicated to transform existing curricula of schools and educational institutes towards internationally blended interdisciplinary learning activities. Since 2009, she has provided consultation for and collaborated with K-12 schools, universities, corporations, NGOs, and ministries/offices of education in diverse countries. She holds a PhD. and M.Ed. in instructional technology from the University of Virginia, and a B.Ed. in Education from Seoul National University of Education.

Mr. Gwang-Jo Kim, Director, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Bangkok

Mr. Kim has worked in various capacities for the Government of the Republic of Korea. From 2001 to 2003, Mr. Kim was seconded as a senior education specialist to the World Bank, working mainly in the Latin American, and Caribbean regions. He worked as a professor at the Graduate School of Education at Keimyung University in Korea before joining the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in Asia and the Pacific in early 2009. Mr. Kim holds a Bachelor¡¯s degree in Public Administration from Korea University. He also holds a Master¡¯s degree and Doctorate in Economics of Education from Harvard University.

Mr. Kwan-yong Kim, Provincial Governor of North Gyeongsang

Mr. Kim is the Provincial Governor or North Gyeongsang Province and the 30th President of the Governors Association of Korea, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea. He is also the President of the Alumni Association of Yeungnam University and Co-chairperson of the Korea Balanced Regional Development Association.

Ms. Myung Ja Kim (PhD), Chair, Board of the Center for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (WISET); Chair, Green Korea 21; and former Environment Minister, Korea

Ms. Kim served as a member of the 17th National Assembly of the Republic of Korea (2004-2008) sitting on the National Defense Committee as vice-chairperson, also chairing the Committee on Ethics of the National Assembly, and the FTA National Assembly Forum. Prior to her election to the National Assembly, Ms. Kim served as the Minister of Environment from 1999 to 2003. Ms Myung Ja Kim also worked as a professor of Chemistry and History of Science, and won the Presidential Award for the Advancement of Science and Technology in 1994, along with proactive participation in more than three hundred governmental and NGO¡¯s committees.

Mr. Seunghwan Kim (Phd), is the President of the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity (KOFAC)

Mr. Kim is also the President of the Korean Physical Society, and the President of Asia Pacific Physical Societies. He is also an executive member of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, and a professor of Physics at the Pohang University of Science and Technology. He was awarded the ¡°Scientist of the Year¡± award by the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2013, and, in 2011, was listed as one of ¡°100 people who will enhance National Prestige in the next decade¡±, by Donga Daily News. Mr. Kim holds a B.S. and an M.S. in Physics from Seoul National University and a PhD in Physics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Young-Gil Kim (Phd), President of Handong Global University (HGU) and Co-chair of the Korean Association in Support of UNAI.

Mr. Kim is the former President of the Korean Council of University Education.  Mr. Young-Gil Kim founded and chartered Handong Global University in Pohang, Korea, in 1995, and has continued to the present day as its president. His educational philosophy is based on cross-border, multidisciplinary and whole-person education with a global perspective commensurate with the 21st century.

Mr. Bruce Knotts, NGO/DPI Executive Committee Representative and Director of the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office

Mr. Knotts worked for Raytheon in Saudi Arabia and on a World Bank contract in Somalia, before he joined the Department of State as a United States diplomat in 1984. Bruce had diplomatic assignments in Greece, Zambia, India, Pakistan, Kenya, Sudan, Cote d¡¯Ivoire and The Gambia, where he was Deputy Chief of Mission. While in Cote d¡¯Ivoire, Bruce served as the Regional Refugee Coordinator for West Africa covering all 16 nations of West Africa. In 2004, Bruce was elected to the Board of Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (GLIFAA). Bruce retired from the Foreign Service in 2007 and joined the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office as its Executive Director at the beginning of 2008.

Professor Yanghee Lee (PhD), Ãå±±½ûµØSpecial Rapporteur on Myanmar

Professor Yanghee Lee is currently serving as the Ãå±±½ûµØSpecial Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar. She was a member of the Ãå±±½ûµØCommittee on the Rights of the Child from 2003 to 2013, and served as its Chair from 2007 to 2011. Professor Lee has been the recipient of many recognitions and awards including the 2007 Year of the Woman Award (Korea); 2009 Order of Civil Merit (Suk Ryu Medal), the highest recognition given to a civilian in South Korea for her work in protecting and promoting the rights of children worldwide; 2011 Hyo Ryung Award for her dedication to children and their well-being; and the 2015 Youngsan Diplomat Award for her dedication to human rights. A national of the Republic of Korea, Professor Lee has been with Sungkyunkwan University since 1991 in the Department of Child Psychology and Education.

Ms. Teopista Birungi Mayanja, Deputy Director of Uganda Education Services and Commissioner of the International Commission on Financing for Global Education Opportunities

Teopista started her career as an elementary teacher in 1980. In the 1990s, she became involved in education development after participating in the national education reform process, which led to universal primary education in Uganda. She founded Uganda National Teachers¡¯ Union in 2001 and severed as its first General Secretary until 2012. Following this, she was appointed to manage the transformation of education services in Kampala. She has sat on a number of boards, including the Global Executive Board of Education International, the pan African Teachers Centre, Women Sports International and the International Association of Physical Education and Sports for Women and Girls, among others.

Father Brian Muz¨¢s, Programme Sub-committee Co-chair and Assistant Professor of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University, School of Diplomacy and International Relations

Father Muz¨¢s has taught courses in international conflict and security, comparative foreign policy, and sustainable development at Seton Hall University. Father Muzas serves as the secretary to the Executive Committee of the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)/Department of Public Information (DPI) of the UN. He first became involved with the Ãå±±½ûµØNGO community during the annual DPI/NGO conference in 2006 and continued his involvement and conference activities after coming to Seton Hall University in 2007. Father Muzas¡¯ research interests include international security, defence systems, and ethics, and he is currently exploring how religious cultural heritage has influenced nuclear decisions in the past in order to better understand similar issues today.

Mr. Seung-chul Lee, Performer

Mr. Lee is a singer from the Republic of Korea. He won the Korean Music Award for best male singer in 2005. He performed at the 65th Ãå±±½ûµØDPI/NGO Conference, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and will participate in this year¡¯s conference.

Mr. Paul Lim, Associate Professor of the History of Christianity at Vanderbilt University and Conference Expert Sub-committee Co-chair

Professor Lim is an award winning historian of reformation and post reformation Europe.  He has delivered papers and lectures at Oxford, Cambridge, London, St. Andrews, Rotterdam, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Penn, and Pomona College, as well in Sri Lanka, India, Cambodia, Switzerland, France, Ethiopia, Kenya, China, Japan, and South Korea.  His latest book, Mystery Unveiled: The Crisis of the Trinity in Early Modern England (Oxford, 2012), won the 2013 Roland H. Bainton Prize as the best book in history/theology by the Sixteenth Century Society and Conference.  His research has been funded by fellowships and grants from the Luce Foundation (Luce Fellowship in Theology, 2011-12); the Folger Shakespeare Library; the Yale Center for Faith & Culture; the Vanderbilt University Research Scholars Grant.

Mr. Virgilio Andrade Martinez, Minister of Public Administration, Mexico

Mr. Martinez holds a Law degree from the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico and a Master¡¯s in Business Administration and Public Policy from Columbia University in New York. At the beginning of this administration, he was appointed Head of the Federal Commission for Regulatory Improvement in the Ministry of Economy. From 2011 to 2012 he served as Internal Auditor of the company Procesar. Prior to this, from 2003 to 2010, he worked as an Electoral Adviser at the Federal Electoral Institute. He served as Technical Secretary of both Banrural and Financiera Rural from 2002 to 2003 and held the position of Director General for Analysis of Financial Legislation in the Ministry of Finance from 2001 to 2002.

Mr. Maher Nasser, Director, Outreach Division, United Nations Department of Public Information

Mr. Maher Nasser has over 28 years of work experience in the United Nations System during which he has worked in various capacities in Gaza, Jerusalem, Amman, Cairo, Vienna and New York. Mr. Nasser became Director of DPI¡¯s Outreach Division in February 2011. From April to mid-August 2012 and from August 2014 to February 2015, Mr. Nasser was Acting Head of the United Nations Department of Public Information.

Mr. Nasser first joined DPI in January 2006 as Director of the Ãå±±½ûµØInformation Centre in Cairo. Before joining DPI, Mr. Nasser worked in various positions with the Ãå±±½ûµØRelief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Gaza, Jerusalem, Vienna, Amman and New York and with the UNODC in Vienna. After graduating as a civil engineer from Bir Zeit University near Ramallah in 1986, Mr. Nasser worked with two Jerusalem-based NGOs focusing on development and human rights.

Ms. Mary Norton (PhD), Executive Director of the Center for Global Academic Initiatives at Felician University and NGO/DPI Executive Committee Representative

Dr. Norton is a professor and Executive Director of the Center for Global Academic Initiatives at Felician University. She is the first vice president of the Executive Committee of the Ãå±±½ûµØDPI NGO, representing more than1300 NGOs worldwide. She was also the chairperson the 63rd Ãå±±½ûµØDPI/NGO Conference that took place in Melbourne, Australia entitled ¡°Advance Global Health: Achieve the MDGs¡±. Dr. Norton holds a doctorate degree in education, a master¡¯s degree in education and a masters of arts in administration, all from Columbia University in New York. In addition she holds a bachelor of arts in nursing from Jersey City University in New Jersey. She has held several positions abroad, including as an Assistant Professor with the Imperial Medical Center in Tehran, as an Educational Consultant with Project Hope Health Services in China, Associate Professor at Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan, and others.

Mr. Robert Ogburn, Minister Counselor for Public Affairs of the U.S embassy

Mr. Ogburn has held the title of Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul since September 2014.  He joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1987 and has served in Iraq, Korea, Vietnam, Washington and Egypt. Prior to Seoul, Robert was Deputy Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City from 2011-2014.  Mr. Ogburn was the State Department¡¯s senior advisor for rule of law at the US Embassy in Baghdad from 2009 to 2010, where he focused on inter-agency and provincial coordination of the Mission¡¯s rule of law efforts.  Robert has held five previous jobs in Korea, including Spokesman and Counselor for Public Affairs (Deputy Public Affairs Officer).  Mr. Ogburn holds an MBA from Johns Hopkins University and an MA in East Asian Studies from George Washington University.

H.E. Mr. Oh Joon, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations

Ambassador Oh Joon is the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations in New York. He is serving as the President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for a one-year term, since 24 July 2015. In addition, he serves as the President of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and served as President of the Security Council in May 2014. Ambassador Oh joined the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1978 and has held several positions and postings. He received a Master¡¯s degree in International Policy Studies from Stanford University (1991-92); a diploma in International and Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science (1982-83); and a Bachelor¡¯s in French literature from Seoul National University (1974-78). He was a visiting scholar at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University (1990-91) and a member of the Korea Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum

Darren Oh (Jang Hyun, Oh) Account Representative, DuPont protection Solutions, Korea

Mr. Oh manages medical packaging, air cargo cover and industrial packaging solutions by Tyvek. He majored in English Literature at Ajou University. Prior to joining DuPont Korea, he worked at Woongjin Chemical Co. Ltd. (currently Toray Chemical Korea Inc.) as part of the strategic planning team.

Ms. Hye-Jin Park, Performer and Professor of Music at Dankook University

Ms. Hye-Jin Park is a soprano opera singer and a Professor of Music at Dankook University. She is a graduate of Manhattan School of Music.

Ms. Na-Young Park, Director of the Education Team at Dream Touch for All

Ms. Nayoung Park is the Director of the Education Team at Dream Touch For All, which is non-profit educational organization based in Seoul, Korea. Park joined DTFA in 2013 as a volunteer to take part in providing better educational opportunities to disadvantaged students. Upon completing her volunteer service, Park was recruited by DTFA as a full-time School Manager. As the current Education Team Director of DTFA, Park supervises school managers, administers DTFA-school relations, and oversees the recruitment of college volunteers. Park received her bachelor¡¯s degrees in 2012 from Seoul National University, in Aesthetics and Communications, Summa Cum Laude.

Ms. Ediola Pashollari, Secretary General of the World Assembly of Youth

Through her capacity as the Secretary General of WAY and the Director of the World Youth Institute, Ms. Pashollari has been instrumental in assisting and supporting various youth initiatives locally, regionally and internationally. She has achieved numerous awards for her work including ¡°Life Time Achievement Legendary Award¡± (2008) and Life Time Achievement Award (2012) from Loyola College, India¡±, among many others.  In 2010, she was given the title of ¡°International Ambassador of Youth on Good Practice¡± from the Youth Parliament in Nigeria. Ms. Pashollari holds a Master¡¯s Degree in Business Administration; a Master¡¯s Degree of Arts in Political Science and a Master¡¯s Degree in Entreprenology,  and a degree in Law.

Mr. Daniel Perell, Representative of the Baha¡¯i International Community and Conference Experts Sub-committee Co-chair

Mr. Perell joined the Baha¡¯i  International Community¡¯s United Nations Office as a Representative in 2011. His Area is work include human rights, gender equality, the role of religion in society, and defence of the Baha¡¯i community. He has worked extensively on the post 2015 development agenda leading the Baha¡¯i International Community¡¯s delegation to the Rio 20+ Conference. In 2010, Mr. Perell received a JD from the University Of Virginia School Of Law and an MA in Law and Diplomacy from Fletcher School at Tufts University and was admitted to the New York State Bar Association. Mr. Perell has worked with the International Service for Human Rights in Geneva, the United Nations in Aceh and other organizations in the Marshall Islands and Chile.

Ms. Saphira Rameshfar, Non-Governmental Organization Representative of the Baha¡¯i International Community to the United Nations and Conference Youth Sub-Committee Co-chair

Prior to joining the Baha¡¯I International Community to the United Nations, Ms. Rameshfar worked with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs in New York, working on capacity development policy. In addition, she worked for the Australian Federal Government Department of Agriculture on international trade negotiations and market strategy for Australian agricultural exports. Ms. Rameshfar dedicated three years to projects aimed at the empowerment of youth in Australia as well as in communities throughout the Asia Pacific region and North and South America. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science, Bachelor of Economics, Research Degree in Ecology, Postgraduate qualifications in Public Administration, and Governance as well as a Master¡¯s of International Law  from Australian National University.

Mr. Marco Roncarati, Social Affairs Officer, Social Development Division, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

Since 2005, Mr. Roncarati has been based in Bangkok, working at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and acting as the focal point on youth. Mr. Roncarti¡¯s focus is on socio-economic issues, in particular ones pertinent to smoothing the school-to-work transition, and promoting health and development. He holds five degrees from the University of London in anthropology, business, development studies, economics, psychology and sociology. He has spent almost half of his life in East Asia, focusing on work in the development domain, while also pursuing interests in service for peace, traditional oriental medicine, health practices and spirituality.

Mr. Han Shi (PhD), Assistant Professor at City University of Hong Kong

Mr. Han Shi joined City University of Hong Kong in April 2010 after he obtained his PhD degree in the field of industrial ecology from Yale University. His current research examines the application of eco-industrial development and circular economy and their implications for resource efficiency and climate change in China comparing across different institutional and economic environments. He had worked on the strategy and policy for promoting sustainable development in China (1993-2003) and served as the founding director of the Beijing-based Centre for Environmentally Sound Technology Transfer (1997-2003). Since 1994, he has offered consultancy for the United Nations agencies, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the European Commission, AusAID as well as multinational companies.

Ms. Elisabeth Shuman, Ãå±±½ûµØNGO Representative for the Association for Childhood Education International and Chair of the Conference Exhibits Sub-committee

Elisabeth has been involved with NGOs and the United Nations for several years. Since 2008, she has held the position of Vice-chair of the Committee on Teaching about the United Nations and since 2012, the position of Board Member and Treasurer for the NGO DPI Executive Committee. She has been a key member of the organizing committees for the last two NGO/DPI conferences, and this year is the chairperson of the exhibits subcommittee. Elisabeth holds a Master¡¯s Degree in Education from City University of New York

Mr. Jae-Chun Won (PhD), Professor of Law at Handong Global University and Conference Programme Sub-committee Co-chair

Professor Won is a professor of international law at the Handong International Law School. His teaching and research area includes international sustainable development law, international human rights law, international humanitarian law, North Korean human rights law, U.S. criminal law and procedures and international negotiations. Professor Won began his legal career as an international law officer at the Office of the General Counsel, Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Korea. After completing law studies at Brooklyn Law School, he entered public prosecution service at the Kings County District Attorney¡¯s Office in New York as an Assistant District Attorney.
In 2013, Professor Won was a founding director of Handong Institute for Peace and Reconciliation.

Jonathan Tsuen Yip Wong, Science, Tech and Innovation Adviser, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Jonathan is currently the Science, Tech and Innovation Adviser for the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. He is a specialist in innovation with experience working in both the public and private sectors. He joined the Ãå±±½ûµØfrom the UK Department for International Development (DFID) where he was the inaugural Head of Innovation. In this role he developed DFID¡¯s innovation strategy with a focus on social innovation, entrepreneurship and impact investment. Prior to joining DFID, he set up the Innovation Centre for the UK National Health Service. Jonathan has also been a Partner in a social investment fund which invested in innovative companies and advised international organizations on innovation policy, management and development.

Ms. Ann Woo, Senior Director of Corporate Citizenship, Samsung Korea

Ms. Woo leads corporate citizenship for Samsung Electronics in North America.  The company¡¯s program addresses health & wellness, education and environmental sustainability. The cornerstone of Samsung¡¯s citizenship commitment is Samsung Hope for Children, a program initiated in North America to bring attention to the worldwide need for improved childhood education and healthcare. By supplying products, lending expertise, and providing financial support, the company is able to give children in communities around the world access to education, mentorship, leadership skills, and life-saving medical treatment.  Woo joined Samsung in 2005, first leading the Consumer and Market Insights group.

Mr. Il-ha Yi is a Co-Chairman of the conference National Organizing Committee and the President of the National Council of Nonprofit Organizations in Korea

Mr. Il-Ha Yi is a Founder and President of Good Neighbors International and has been a member of the Board of Directors since April 2009. Prior to this, highlights of Mr. Yi¡¯s career include serving as the Fundraising Director of World Vision, the President of Korea NGO Council of Overseas Corporation, and the General Secretary of Good Neighbors¡¯ Social Welfare Foundation. He received his B.A. in Theology from Yonsei University and studied social work at the Graduate School of Soongsil University, and NGO management at the Graduate School of Eastern University.