our Secretariat

Makda Assefa

the Teams

  • Makda (she/her/hers) is a sophomore in Timothy Dwight College, originally from Ethiopia & Kenya. She is currently planning to double major in Global Affairs and African Studies, with a certificate in Spanish. Outside of YMAU, she interns at Human Rights First, hosts a broadcast show on the Yale Radio Station (WYBC), works as a student liaison with the Yale World Fellows Program, and teaches for Yale Hemispheres. In her free time she loves to write poetry, make playlists, take naps, and spend time with her friends. Makda is so excited to welcome you to YMAU III soon, but in the meantime feel free to contact her at operations@yalemodelau.org!

  • Karla Perdomo Núñez is the Director-General of Programs for YMAU III. She is a sophomore in Stiles majoring in Global Affairs and pursuing a Spanish Certificate. Apart from academics, she is a Peer Liaison for La Casa Cultural at Yale, an interpreter for the Yale Law School, a member of the Migration Alliance at Yale, and volunteers for the Soup Kitchen at St. Thomas More Catholic Church at Yale. She was born in the Dominican Republic but has lived most of her life in Jersey City, New Jersey. In her spare time she enjoys listening to music, thrifting and knitting/crocheting. Karla is excited to work and engage with delegates at the conference! You can reach her at programs@yalemodelau.org.

Director General of Operations

Director General of Programs

  • Astou Nkouyate is a sophomore in Trumbull College, majoring in Economics and German. Although Astou was born in Chicago, Illinois, she is the daughter of Malian immigrants, inspiring her desire to get more involved with the African continent. She is thrilled to be able to work directly with other African students and hear their political and policy options. In addition to her role as USG of Regional Recruitment for YMAU III, Astou is very interested in non-profit consulting and is involved in other campus organizations, such as UpFund and Yale Global Strategy Consulting. In her free time, Astou enjoys traveling, reading fiction books (in particular fantasy, romance, and memoirs), journaling and learning German. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to her at reg.recruitment@yalemodelau.org.

  • Layla Hedroug is the Under-Secretary General of Business and Operations for Yale Model African Union. She is currently a junior in Morse college and is a Global Affairs major pursuing an Arabic certificate on the pre-med track. Layla's family is originally from Algeria, but she grew up in the culturally diverse city of Chicago. In addition to YMAU, Layla currently serves as the President of the Arab Student Association and the Executive Director of YIRA. She began Amnesty International, an organization dedicated to addressing human rights abuses worldwide. Layla also has a passion for prison reform, beginning a chapter in YUPP called Islam and Incarceration, providing Islamic academic certificates to incarcerated individuals in Connecticut. Outside of academics, she loves to watch Arabic dramas, dance dabke, and explore various cuisines! She is extremely excited to meet all of you in Johannesburg. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out at business@yalemodelau.org.

Under Secretary General of Business & Operations

Under Secretary General of Regional Recruitment

  • Yvonne Agyapong is a sophomore in Benjamin Franklin College majoring in Cognitive Science as a pre-law student. She is a Ghanaian-American, born in New York and raised in New Jersey.

    Outside of the conference, Yvonne works with the Schell Center of International Human Rights at Yale Law School on the Lowenstein Project, where she helps to fight reverse reparations and unilateral sanctions in Zimbabwe, and the Yale Foreign Policy Initiative's Global Human Rights Research Project examining crimes against Uighur Muslims in China. She is also Treasurer and a founding member of the Yale Black Pre-Law Association, and a Co-Director of Mentorship for YIRA'S teaching organization, Hemispheres.

    In her capacity as Under-Secretary-General of International Recruitment, Yvonne is responsible for reaching out to and recruiting hundreds of high schools and universities across the United States as well as Northern, Western, and Eastern Africa. She coordinates registration for the conference and reviews financial aid applications from delegations. You can reach her at intl.recruitment@yalemodelau.org

Under Secretary General of International Recruitment

  • Evan is a sophomore in Timothy Dwight College. She is from Los Angeles, California and is majoring in History of Medicine and Science and Public Health. Evan is also pre-medical and completing a certificate in French. Outside of her studies, she sits on the board of the Black Solidarity Conference at Yale, works as a Peer Liaison for the Afro-American Cultural Center at Yale, serves Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, and volunteers at Yale New Haven Hospital. Evan is excited to support the YMAU III delegates in their professional development and Model AU journeys. You can reach her by email at conference@yalemodelau.org.

Under Secretary General of Conference

Under Secretary General of Committees

  • Kennedy Odiboh (he/him) is a junior in Berkeley College double majoring in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and African Studies with an Advanced Language Certificate in Yorùbá. He is from Atlanta, Georgia and is serving this year as Under-Secretary General of Committees. Outside of being in school, Kennedy is the former President of the Yale Nigerian Students Association, a Student Assistant at The Afro-American Cultural Center at Yale, a Dwight Hall Urban Fellow with the Yale Prison Education Initiative, and a student researcher with the SEICHE Center for Health and Justice. He enjoys roller skating, listening to R&B and Afrobeats, and reading in his free time. He's beyond excited to join the YMAU III team, and he can't wait for an amazing conference in South Africa. He can be reached at committees@yalemodelau.org.

  • Adell is a sophomore in Silliman College pursuing a double major in American Studies and Computer Science. She is Eritrean-American and was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. Beyond YMAU, Adell works as a Peer Liaison for the Afro-American Cultural Center and as a Recruitment Coordinator for the Undergraduate Admissions Office. She also serves on the boards of the Yale Ethiopian Eritrean Student Association as publicity manager and WORD: Performance Poetry as treasurer. Adell loves ballet, musical theater, and creative writing. She is honored to be a part of YMAU III and cannot wait to meet the delegates in Johannesburg. You can reach Adell at marketing@yalemodelau.org.

Under Secretary General of Branding and Marketing