About Us
Founded in 1993 by a group of Yale undergraduates, Yale Model Congress, a registered 501(c)(3), was created to cultivate a deeper appreciation for American democracy among high school students and to inspire a lifelong commitment to civic engagement. For nearly three decades, we have advanced this mission by convening hundreds of delegates from across the country for an immersive educational experience that transcends the boundaries of a traditional classroom. Over the course of the conference, students step into the roles of elected officials, grappling with the complexities of governance as they debate and devise solutions to the nation’s most urgent challenges.
What We Do
Yale Model Congress is entirely student-run—conceived, organized, and brought to life by current Yale undergraduates who serve on our board or lead committees during the conference. For many of us, this work is a way of giving back, offering today’s high school students the same transformative experience that once shaped our own paths and deepened our interests in public service.
Meet the YMC Board
President
Lukas Koutsoukos
Lukas Koutsoukos (he/him) is excited to serve as your president for Yale Model Congress 2026! A senior in Yale’s Benjamin Franklin College, he is majoring in Ethics, Politics, & Economics as well as History. Lukas is primarily interested in the intersection between international relations and constitutional law, while also learning everything about ancient Greece and Rome. When not immersed in reading the Federalist Papers or discussing the most recent New York Times Daily podcast, he enjoys hosting lectures with the Hellenic Society, editing for the Yale Review of International Studies, and singing with the Glee Club. Outside of academics, he likes to learn languages, watch soccer, go on runs, and listen to classic rock. Lukas is a native of Wilton, Connecticut, and attended Yale Model Congress as a delegate in 2020 and 2021.
Vice President
Estelle Gerber
Estelle Gerber is originally from Baltimore, Maryland and is a Senior in Pierson College. On campus, she is a Head Teaching assistant for CPSC1001 and a computer science peer advisor. In her free time, you can find her playing soccer or video games with friends!
Co-Director of Delegations
Gabriella Tejada
Gabriella is a junior at Ezra Stiles from Long Island, New York. She is majoring in Political Science and Latin American Studies with a Spanish certificate. Outside of the Yale Model Congress Association, Gabriella is very involved in many of the Secretariats of Yale’s Model United Nations conferences. In fact, she served as an Under-Secretariat General of Delegations for YMUN LII, LATAM, and Director-General of Operations of YMUN Brasil. Additionally, she is a library IT student worker, and a dancer for Yale’s Baile Folklórico group. In her free time, she loves baking sweet treats, watching rom-coms, and dancing bachata! Gabby is super excited to serve as an officer of delegations for Yale Model Congress and meet everyone this December!!
Co-Director of Delegations
Grace Grammatico
Originally from Branford, Connecticut, and a proud alumna of Branford High School’s Model Congress team, Grace Grammatico is a sophomore in Grace Hopper College. She is majoring in Political Science and Anthropology with plans to attend law school following graduation. In addition to her role in YMC, she is an active member of Yale Moot Court’s Brief Writing Team, and the Student Association for Small Claims Assistance. She can also be found spending late nights debating with the Federalist Party, or saddling up to ride with Yale’s Equestrian Team. When she’s not out exploring Yale’s campus, or sharing a meatball grinder at Yorkside Pizza with the Chief of Staff, she enjoys writing, painting, and other creative interests.
Director of Operations
Daniel Mora
Daniel Mora is originally from southern California, and is a rising senior in Benjamin Franklin College. In addition to Yale Model Congress, Daniel is involved with the Yale Undergraduate Hispanic Pre Law Association and the Yale College Democrats, and he is also a Spanish tutor and an office aide in his residential college. In his free time, you can find him watching movies with friends and going to NYC as much as he can.
Chief of Staff
Benjamin Vitale
Benjamin Vitale, a sophomore in Branford College, is majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a certificate in Quantum Science and Engineering. A native of Branford, Connecticut, this will be his sixth Yale Model Congress conference. Having chaired the Foreign Affairs committee last year, he’s excited to see what this year will bring! In addition to his role as Chief of Staff, Ben is an active member of Bulldogs Racing and serves as Propulsion Lead for the Yale Undergraduate Aerospace Association’s Project Liquid. Alongside his interests in engineering, he also debates with the Party of the Left, and may be found playing violin in the Branford College music room. In his free time, he enjoys walks in the woods, annoying his orange cat, and reading Russian literature.
Deputy Chief of Staff
Cielo (Dani) Gazard
Dani is a senior in Timothy Dwight College double majoring in history and English. Originally from Yonkers, NY, they write the weekly "Lend Me Your Ears" column for the Yale Daily News' WKND desk. They are also a DJ for Yale's online radio station, WYBC, hosting the "Radio KAOS" program on Wednesday nights. Outside of academics, Dani enjoys listening to music (mainly the Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Jam, and Steely Dan), rewatching The Godfather, and going to museums.
Director of Legislation
Katie Weinberger
Katie Weinberger is a senior in Pierson College studying History and Medieval Studies. She is from Long Island, NY, which means that she has very strong opinions on bagels and pizza. At Yale, she is the Vice President of the Yale Undergraduate Survivor Club and a certified user of the Pierson printing press. In her free time, you can find her bookbinding, playing Minecraft, and having movie nights with friends.
Deputy Director of Legislation
Ilana Greenberg
Ilana Greenberg is a sophomore in Ezra Stiles College and is from Long Island, NY. She is a prospective double major in Physics and Mathematics. Outside of YMC, she conducts applied math research, copy-edits for the Yale Scientific Magazine, serves on the board of the Society of Physics Students, and develops the curriculum for CodeHaven. In her free time, you can find her speed-solving Rubik’s Cubes, writing creatively, or memorizing digits of pi!
Co-Director of New Haven Delegation
Clare Griffin
Clare Griffin is originally from Kingston, Pennsylvania and is a sophomore in Pauli Murray College. Outside of Yale Model Congress, she volunteers with the Yale Undergraduate Pardon Project, serves as a Senior Legislative Fellow for the Yale College Democrats, copyedits for the Yale Daily News, and plays for Yale Women’s Club Soccer. Clare loves coffee (perhaps too much), and, in her free time, you can often find her exploring New Haven’s coffee scene or hanging out with friends in the Elm.
Co-Director of New Haven Delegation
Jada Washington
Jada Washington is a Junior in Trumbull College from Louisville, Kentucky. At Yale, she serves as Co-President of PALS Tutoring Service, is a member of Army ROTC, and interns with the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center. Her experience in Model Congress throughout high school deepened her passion for advocacy, teamwork, and public service, which she hopes to share with the Yale Model Congress community. In her free time, she enjoys tackling escape rooms, watching movies with unexpected plot twists, listening to music, and trying the spiciest food she can find.
Director of Communications
Lizeth Ortiz-Calleja
Lizeth Ortiz-Calleja is a Sophomore in Silliman College from Salinas, California studying Global Affairs and Economics. At Yale, she is part of MECHA’s board, choreographs for Ballet Folklorico, works as an afterschool counselor at LEAP, and is involved in Yale College Democrats. She loved chairing for last year’s Model Congress and can’t wait to help lead this year’s. In her free time, you can catch her at the buttery serving customers, buying an iced chai at the Elm, writing in her journal, hiking, or daily dallying with her roommate.
Director of Business
Olivia Xu
Olivia is a Pauli Murray sophomore (class of ‘29) from Austin, Texas. At Yale, she is the Director of Funding for Global Strategy Consulting, the treasurer of Yale Interpretation Network, on the Asia Desk and Business Team for Yale Review of International Studies, and of course, the Director of Business for Yale Model Congress! She loves running and studying languages - half marathon in September and able to hold a conversation in Sichuanese/Mandarin, German, French, and hopefully Korean soon!
Director of Special Programs
Cemre Keles
Cemre is a Junior at Yale College. He resides in Silliman and originally hails from Hicksville, Long Island. At Yale, he studies History and Political Science. He’s involved with the Yale Political Union, the Yale College Council, and numerous cultural clubs. Mainly during his free time Cemre likes to spend time with his friends, go on long walks, and play board games. One fun fact about him is that he is currently trying to (unsuccessfully) learn the Harmonica.