The Board of Directors

Michael Motala is a fourth year undergraduate specializing in international relations at Trinity College, University of Toronto. Michael founded Connecting Minds in 2008; as Chairman, he has assumed a critical role in shaping the vision and strategy of the organization, administering subsidiary initiatives and projects, and developing relationships with other organizations, prominent academics, and government. Outside of the Connecting Minds, he is Chair of the The Policy Exchange’s Editorial Board, Chair of the University of Toronto Model Parliament, Co-President of the International Relations Society, and Director of Communications for the North Korea Research Group. He is also involved with the Arts & Science Students’ Union and the University of Toronto Rowing Team. Michael is currently a Research Assistant at the Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation in the School of Public Policy & Governance, where he has also completed the internship requirement for a Master’s of Public Policy. His research interests, broadly speaking, lie in identity and institutions.

Bedour Alagraa is a third year undergraduate student majoring in the study of International Relations, and minoring in Political Science and History. A native of the small nation of Qatar, Bedour is responsible for facilitating the flow of ideas and information within the UTMP, along with acting as a liaison between the executive team and administrative personnel. Outside of the UTMP, Bedour is the Vice President of Internal Affairs for the International Relations Society, Assistant Publisher for the Toronto Globalist Magazine for International Affairs, a Youth Ambassador for the Toronto Sudanese Cultural Center, and sits on the Board of Directors for a small NGO called the Zanele Poverty Relief Effort. Bedour’s interests include geopolitics, early modern European history, and identity politics.

Cindy is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a double major in Political Science and Ethics, Society and Law. She is particularly passionate about writing and politics, having been involved in several campus newspapers and model parliament simulations at both Queen’s University and U of T. Her ideal career would include writing, reading, and debating about politics and law all day, which is why she plans on heading to law school. She has had much work experience, including several months working at a law firm and an entire school year as a research assistant for the department of sociology. Outside of academics, she is also a youth leader for the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter (CCNCTO) and a long-time advocate in the community for ending child poverty.

Alex Ognibene is a second year undergraduate specializing in Peace and Conflict Studies at Trinity College, University of Toronto. Alex completed the international relations stream of the Margaret MacMillan Trinity One Programme, and currently serves as a Compliance Analyst for the G8 Research Group, as Publicist for the Trinity College Dramatic Society, and as a member of the International Relations Society. He is also the Co-Founder and Co-President of Salt for Survival, a student group committed to raising money for the relief of iodine deficiency disorders in the developing world. Alex’s work has been published by the University of Toronto G8 Information Center and by the Policy Exchange: A Journal of Canadian & International Public Policy. His primary research interests include the Arab-Israeli Conflict, freshwater conservation, social inequality, and American foreign policy.

Alessia Bellisario is a second year undergraduate student at Trinity College, University of Toronto. She is a graduate of the Ethics, Society and Law stream of the Margaret MacMillan Trinity One Program and is pursuing a double major in Ethics, Society and Law and Political Science. She is the Technical Director of the University of Toronto Model Parliament, Managing Editor of the Policy Exchange, and Director of Communications for the Association of Political Science Students. Her philanthropic work continues this year as Chair of the Trinity College Saints Charity Ball 2010. Her academic interests, generally speaking, lie in applying a historical perspective to modern political theory.

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