United Nations Representatives

United Nations Representatives

KDP affiliated with the United Nations as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in 2010 and is formally linked through the Department of Global Communications. The KDP United Nations Representatives are advocates of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a focus on Goal #4 Quality Education: “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all." This aligns with KDP’s vision: Excellent teachers build thriving communities and create lifelong opportunities by providing quality, equitable education for all. 

The specific responsibilities of the representatives include:

  1. Raising awareness about key issues on the UN agenda.
  2. Disseminating information and promoting issues of global concern.
  3. Designing and implementing public information activities and programs.
  4. Collaborating with the UN Information Centers on advocacy campaigns or other promotional public activities. 

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Lucijan Jovic, MS, ED

KDP UN Representative

Molloy University

Mr. Jović is an educator who teaches 8th-grade English & Writing as well as students in grades 9-12 with limited English proficiency. He is pursuing his doctorate in Educational Leadership & Administration at Molloy University with a focus on social justice and high-quality, equitable education for all learners. In addition, he serves as a collaborator at the Cognition and Learning Laboratory at Molloy University. In this role he works with his colleagues to conduct basic and applied research on the cognitive factors that influence cultural, developmental, and social perspectives in learning. Exploring theoretical issues in cognitive science and social psychology and their practical implications for the field of education are at the forefront of the lab's research. Lastly, Mr. Jović also serves as a KDP representative to the United Nations in New York City, meeting with delegates and leaders from across the globe.

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Isabel Quiñones, MS

KDP UN Representative

White Plains City School District

Isabel Quiñones is a fourth-year elementary special education teacher in New York. She went to Manhattan College and graduated in 2020 with her bachelor's and master's degrees in Childhood/Special Education with a concentration in mathematics. She is currently enrolled at SUNY New Paltz to receive her Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership (SBL/SDL). During her time at Manhattan College, she served as the President of the Mu Sigma chapter of KDP. She has also been a part of KDP's Knowledge Development Advisory Council for the past three years. She has been a recipient of the J. Jay Hostetler and Marie E. Grein Scholarship as well as teacher classroom grants. Isabel is very passionate about educational equity, which has led her to be a Designated Representative for the United Nations NGO Kappa Delta Pi. She is also an avid crafter! 

Khalil Roy, BA

KDP UN Representative

Marksville High School

Khalil Roy is a Career and Technical (CTE) Educator in Central Louisiana. He holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and is pursuing a master’s in education in School Counseling. His plans include obtaining his PhD.

Mr. Roy has served on the KDP Teacher Candidate Advisory Council, and he currently serves on the Knowledge Development Advisory Council.

Mr. Roy is passionate about teaching, and it shows daily. He was nominated by his students for the KALB Golden Apple award, which he won in 2020. Besides being a Golden Apple Teacher, he is also a Stand for Children Fellow and Facilitator, and he has served on the Louisiana Principal of the Year Panel. He is a winner of the John W. Harris Educator Excellence Award. He has been the recipient of the Teacher of the Month Award numerous times.

He is the founder of the Tiger College Club at Marksville High School. This club promotes not only college awareness, but also workforce training and military options for the students at MHS. 

Mr. Roy is a committed, passionate, and dedicated educator. He focuses heavily on educating future scholars, advocating for productive education policies, and preparing his students to take their place as productive citizens after graduation.

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Susan Trostle Brand, EdD

KDP UN Representative

Council on Teaching About the UN (CTAUN)

University of Rhode Island

Dr. Susan Trostle Brand is a full professor of Early Childhood Education and Social Justice at the University of Rhode Island. She is a 32-year counselor for the URI chapter of KDP. Dr. Brand, a former three-year executive board member of KDP and a member of the International Committee, is a recipient of the KDP Lucinda Rose New Counselor Award and was recently elected to the Eleanor Roosevelt Lifetime Achievement Chapter of KDP. The author or editor of four textbooks and numerous chapters and articles, Dr. Brand has presented her research on early childhood education and cultural pluralism nationally and internationally, including Lima, Peru; Beijing and Shanghai, China; Oxford, England; Auckland, New Zealand; and Busia, Kenya; where her URI chapter holds a partnership with the Nambale Magnet School in Western Kenya. Dr. Brand has served as a UN representative for the past two years and is a newly appointed member of the Council on Teaching About the UN (CTAUN).