Dr. Oliver Griffin was born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area. He earned his bachelor’s in history at Yale University and his PHD from Harvard University. Currently, Dr. Griffin is a history professor at St John Fisher University where he teaches course in contemporary European history.
Within the United Nations Association of Rochester, Dr. Oliver Griffin is the organization’s President, a role that he is honored to hold. International topics of interest to him include peacekeeping and international human rights. Dr. Griffin enjoys teaching history to his students while keeping them engaged with the best impressions of historical figures and pop culture icons of any professor in Rochester (and arguably the country!)
Richard Sarkis has spent many years in the Rochester, New York area. He has served on the board of directors of UNAR since 2005 where he has been a Board chair, Model UN chair member and has sat on the finance committee. Richard is well versed in international affairs as he has traveled to over 70 countries and has experiences in a variety of cultures.
He also has a plethora of experience in community relationship building through his work at Howard Hanna Realtors, as a broker associate for over 30 years. Richard’s work with UNAR has helped raise people’s awareness in the Monroe County area through our various programs that have helped educated the public on the United Nations mission.
Jim Memmott, a retired reporter and senior editor at the Democrat and Chronicle and a journalism instructor at the University of Rochester, writes a weekly column for the Democrat, which, among other things, focuses on the connections between Rochester’s past and present. And, for more than 12 years, he’s been compiling a list of Remarkable Rochesterians, people who done this area proud.
A native of Little Valley, N.Y., and a graduate of Hamilton College and the University of Minnesota, Memmott taught English at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., before joining the Times-Union in Rochester in 1980 as a reporter. He went on to be a general assignment reporter, executive city editor and managing editor at the Times-Union and later managing editor and senior editor at the Democrat. He has taught at the University of Rochester since 1995. He lives in Geneseo with his wife, Cindy.
Margaret Corbin is a Psychotherapist and health educator. Margaret believes that individuals, families and communities must be empowered in all areas of their lives. “As people learn to care for themselves, they prevent serious illness and gain self-respect.” A former SUNY Faculty Member in Health Sciences and Human Services Ms. Corbin has developed and published articles, books and curriculum on chemical abuse, communications, Family Court of NYS, human development, children with special needs, parenting skills, training interns and volunteers. She has taught on and off campus in urban and rural locations, also inside Attica Prison. An independent contractor for over 35 years, Margaret directed a New York State DMV Impaired Driver Program. With her staff and interns, 25,000 motorists convicted of alcohol/drug related offenses, have been educated, screened/referred and monitored.
Margaret has an international family background. She lived one year in Great Britain, training and lecturing medical staff. Ms. Corbin is currently working with international programs for youth and adults. She has represented the Rochester Sister Cities at an International women’s conference in Wurzburg, Germany, World Affairs Councils of America as a Citizen Diplomat in Taiwan and with SUNY Brockport in Japan, on an Arts and Culture tour. She has visited, worked in and enjoyed 28 countries.
Larry DeBellis LCSW-R, MPA is an experienced School Social Worker with a demonstrated history of working in the education management industry. Strong community and social services professional skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Crisis Intervention, Interventions, Anger Management, and Applied Behavior Analysis.
Within the united Nations Association of Rochester, Larry has been a Board Member of UNAR since 2016 serving as Board Member and Liaison to UNAR Internship Director, supporting UNAR’s successful Internship Program.
Erin Moses – Erin is a Special Education Teacher at a Monroe County school district. She has been a teacher for six years. Erin has a Master of Science – MS, Literacy Education, and a Bachelor degree from State University of New York at Fredonia. She began her Model United Nations journey when working at Hilton School District and assisting with Hilton’s Model United Nations Conference. Her first UNAR MUN Conference was in 2020. She thoroughly enjoys working closely with UNAR, the students and school advisors.
Pema Lama was born and raised in New York City, and is currently working in healthcare research. She completed her undergraduate degree in Rochester, NY and that’s when she first joined UNAR as an intern during her first year of college.
After working as an intern and volunteer for almost 3 years, she was voted to join the board of UNAR in 2024. She is very passionate about working to protect, promote, and provide education about human rights, and gender equality. In her free time, she really enjoys reading, trying new food, and volunteering with community organizations.
Colin Witman is originally from Buffalo, New York. He moved to Rochester, New York when he attended St. John Fisher as an undergraduate student. While at St. John Fisher, Colin majored in International Studies and History, while minoring in English Professional Writing.
At the United Nations Association of Rochester, Colin started as an intern working on membership outreach communications, and other administrative activities. He now works on the Internship Program team recruiting and placing interns with UNAR in the community.
One international topic that interests him is global development and how the developed world could mitigate security threats by working with underdeveloped regions to enhance their well-being. So far, he has been able to travel to many countries around western and central Europe, but his favorite experience was a study abroad opportunity in the Czech Republic!
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