Meet Our Team

Pauline Gordula

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Helena Shi

Sophomore

Hometown: Beijing, China

Major: PPE (Politics, Philosophy, & Economics)

Other Campus Activities: UR Chamber Orchestra

Helena loves long hair dachshunds!!! 

Monica Resendez

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~