Meet Our Team
Pauline Gordula
Junior
Mock Trial Leadership Position: President
Hometown: Quezon City, Philippines
Major in Political Science with Minors in Journalism and Legal Studies
Other Campus Activities: Students’ Association Government, First Year Fellow, FASA. I work at the Registrar’s Office & Office of Admissions!
Pauline is in the .00045% of listeners of the Beatles!
Sarah Kideckel
Sophomore
Mock Trial Leadership Position: Yellowjacket Tournament Director
Personal Bio
Hometown: Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
Major: Psychology
Other Campus Activities: Club Tennis and Pep Band
Sarah loves going to Broadway shows!
Bethany Adams
Senior
Mock Trial Leadership Position: Fundraising Director
Personal Bio
Hometown: Hartford, Connecticut
Major: Psychology
Bethany has drank a half gallon of milk in one sitting.
Sadie Korchma
Junior
Awards
Red Cedar Classic Invitational Witness, Michigan State University Invitational-16 Ranks
Personal Bio
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Major: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Other Campus Activities: PAWS, Society of Earth and Environmental Scientists
As for facts, Sadie’s got many. One was that she had spinal surgery because her spine was just silly. But, who could have known that Sadie also has six pets!!
Amy Zheng
Senior
Hometown: Queens, New York
Majors: International Relations and East Asian Studies with a minor in Digital Media Studies
Other Campus Activities: Badminton Club and UR Presidential Advisory Council
During her childhood, Amy once had two pet rabbits, and they ran away because they couldn’t handle the young Amy’s mischief and bullying.
Isabella Rocha
Senior
Awards
Red Cedar Classic Invitational Attorney, Michigan State University Invitational-18 Ranks
Personal Bio
Hometown: Somerset, Massachusetts
Majors: Economics and Political Science
Other Campus Activities: Model UN, College Democrats
Isabella is a Texas fanatic! She loves catching up on Texas news, as well as preparing famous Texas dishes. She wants everyone to know that her favorite celebrity is Davy Crockett, and that she always Remembers the Alamo throughout the day in everything that she does!!!!!!
Sunahra Tanvir
Senior
Hometown: Rochester, New York
Major: Political Science
Other Campus Activities: Alpha Phi Omega, She’s the First, Campus Times
Sunahra had lice twice and would cry every time her mom would pick one out and kill it.
Aniela Giarmo
Sophomore
Hometown: Asheboro, North Carolina
Majors in Psychology & Political Science and a minor in Philosophy
Other Campus Activities: Model UN
Aniela volunteers at Pawsitive Cat Cafe! Meow that’s pawsome!
John Gangemi
Junior
Hometown: Buffalo New York
Major/Minor: Major in History with a Minor in Legal studies
Other Campus Activities: Exclusive with Mock Trial UwU
John plays the guitar, bass guitar, and double bass. Basically, John is adept at playing any string instrument.
Kanishk Shanmugam
Sophomore
Awards
Red Cedar Classic Invitational Witness, Michigan State University Invitational-18 Ranks
Personal Bio
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
Major: Psychology
Other Campus Activities: Wind Symphony/Brass Orchestra, ARC Analyst
Kanishk’s idea of a friend is someone who will put on Joker makeup and listen to Playboy Carti with him. No worries, Kanishk we will make sure you find your soul mate here in Mock trial!
Daniel Menis
Junior
Mock Trial Leadership Position: Vice President
Hometown: Dunwoody, Georgia
Major: Chemical Engineering
Other Campus Activities: Improv, Engineers Without Borders, AICHE
Unfortunately, Daniel once ruined a summer camp production of “Annie.” TmT
Owen Christensen
Senior
Mock Trial Leadership Position: Secretary
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Major/Minor: Major in Political Science and Minors in Philosophy and Legal Studies
Other Campus Activities: Exclusive relationship with Mock Trial ( he also goes to his classes)
Owen made it into Politico, an American, German-owned political journalism newspaper company!!
Katie Young
Sophomore
Mock Trial Leadership Position: Business Manager
Hometown: Washington DC
Majors: Political Science and Economics
Katie has a boating license!
Matan Kotler-Berkowitz
Senior
Awards
All Regional Witness- 16 ranks
Outstanding Attorney: 17 ranks– Bryant’s Tupper Classic
Personal Bio
Hometown: Waltham, Massachusetts
Majors: Political Science and Computer Science
Other Campus Activities: Hillel
Matan can wiggle his knuckles without moving the rest of his hand. It has been described by some people as “very cool” and others as “the most disturbing thing I’ve seen all week.” Very cool, Matan!
Melanie Laureano
Junior
Hometown: Yonkers, New York
Major: Public Health and Political Science majors with a minor in Journalism
Other Campus Activities: Outing club and Campus times.
Melanie doesn’t like chewing gum. That’s a real surprise!
Nathan Cho
Junior
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Majors/Minor: Psychology Major and Legal Studies Minor
Other Campus Activities: Korean Student Union
Nathan wants people to know that he knows how to BEATBOX!
Giovanni Monteiro-Do Canto
Senior
Hometown: Boston, MA
Major: Political Science
Other Campus Activities: CPE, PASA, BSU, Students for Justice in Palestine
Gio is the only Cape Verdean in his year and he has been growing out my hair for a year and two months. Just look and appreciate them curls!
Zoe Jones
Sophomore
Awards
Outstanding Witness: 20 ranks — Geneseo Joust, 2023
Personal Bio
Hometown: Central New Jersey
Majors in Political Science & Economics
Other Campus Activities: Tuba player for UR’s Symphony Orchestra and Eastman’s Tuba Mirum
Zoe collects pins and buttons. Her collection has surpassed 120!!
Zak Brown
Senior
Hometown: Newark, New Jersey
Major/Minor: Major in BCS and Psych and Minor in Creative Writing
Other Campus Activities: RHA, Chess Club, Campus Times
Zak can’t drink coffee because it makes her sleepy. But, she sometimes drinks it anyways. Why? It’s all for the taste.
Daisy Munoz Castro
Junior
Awards
Outstanding Witness: 18 Ranks– Geneseo Joust, 2023
Personal Bio
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Major: Political Science and History
Other Campus Activities: UPSIRC
Daisy has two adorable cats!!
Yuting Pu
Sophomore
Mock Trial Leadership Position: Director of Publicity
Hometown: Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Majors: Digital Media Studies and Computer Science
Other Campus Activities: UX Club
Yuting’s favorite Ninjago character is Kai! Nya is a close second, though.
Dre Restitullo
Sophomore
Mock Trial Leadership Position: External Tournament Director
Hometown: NYC
Majors: Political Science and Philosophy
Dre can touch her toes while standing!
Jewelianna Langston
Junior
Mock Trial Leadership Position: Director of Education
Hometown: Grass Valley, California
Majors: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Jewelianna loves to listen to Kid Cudi 🙂
Phyllis Ong
Senior
Hometown: Penang, Malaysia
Major: Chemical Engineering with a minor in Environmental Engineering
Other Campus Activities: Undergrad Research (kinda exclusive with mock)
Phyllis had never ever missed a flight at any point in her life until August because she couldn’t check into her flight. When she re-booked her ticket, she made it all the way to Philadelphia but got stuck there because her connecting flight to Rochester got canceled. We wish her the best of luck in her future flights!
Luis Ixcamperarij
Junior
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Major: Political Science
Other Campus Activities: WRUR, Campus Times
Luis has seen 3/5 of his Top Artists in person!
Chloë Humphrey
Senior
Awards
Red Cedar Classic Invitational Attorney, Michigan State University Invitational-17 Ranks
Personal Bio
Hometown: Fairport, NY
Major/Minor: International Relations and Health Policy Majors, Legal Studies Minor
Other Campus Activities: Chi Omega and UR FOOT
Chloë has lived in Kyrgyzstan during her gap year!
Emma Maconaughey
Junior
Hometown: Charleston, West Virginia
Majors: Politics, Philosophy, & Economics (PPE), and Japanese
Other Campus Activities: JSA, URCO
Emma has a habit of copying other people’s habits, but nonetheless, she loves food!
Krystal Ni
Senior
Awards
Outstanding Witness: 15 Ranks — Binghamton’s Bearcat Invitational, 2022
Personal Bio
Hometown: Rochester, New York
Major/Minor: Major in Biochemistry and Minors in Political Science & Creative Writing
Other Campus Activities: MAPS & Model UN
Krystal can sing “Sofia the first” in a toad voice! Epic
Helena Shi
Sophomore
Hometown: Beijing, China
Major: PPE (Politics, Philosophy, & Economics)
Other Campus Activities: UR Chamber Orchestra
Helena loves long hair dachshunds!!!
Monica Resendez
Junior
Hometown: El Paso, Texas
Major/Minor: Psychology and Legal studies with a minor in business
Other Campus Activities: Debate union
Monica has met Kendall and James of the famous band Big Time Rush 😌🕺🏼 That’s amazing!! Let us see the pictures~