ADVANCING
EQUITABLE CONNECTIVITY
INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNION
Comprising 194 Member States and over 1000 private-sector entities, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is the United Nations agency for digital technologies and global connectivity. With a history spanning more than 160 years, the ITU is the oldest agency in the UN family and has played a foundational role in shaping contemporary communication systems. In an era where technology has become the backbone of life, anywhere requiring networks and devices rely on ITU’s work. From allocating radio spectrums and satellite orbits to developing technical standards that ensure technologies connect seamlessly, the ITU operates at the intersection of technology, policy, and international cooperation. With regional offices on every continent, it leads initiatives aimed at expanding digital access and addressing the digital divide that continues to leave approximately 2.2 billion people unconnected.
At HarvardMUN Canada, ITU will move beyond the abstract discussions of technology and immerse delegates in the regulatory, political, and ethical challenges shaping the digital future. Delegates will be challenged to balance innovation with inclusion, security with openness, and global standards with national interests, reflecting the ITU’s role as both a technical and political institution in the international system and embracing its values and principles of a free and open internet in the future.
TOPIC A: Advancing Effective and Equitable Digital Infrastructure for Universal Meaningful Connectivity in a Fragmented Global Landscape
TOPIC B: Allocating Radio Spectrum and Satellite Orbits Amid Cyber Threats, Dual Use Technologies, and Geopolitical Rivalry
COMMITTEE DAIS
HONORARY CHAIR
Dr. Noah Luo
Dr. Noah Luo is a distinguished expert in telecommunications and information technology, and he currently serves as the chair of the United Nations’ ITU-T Study Group 21. With extensive experience in global ICT policy, network development, and digital infrastructure, he plays a key role in shaping international standards for emerging technologies. His work focuses on fostering innovation, ensuring interoperability, and promoting digital inclusion worldwide.
Today, Dr. Luo leads the UN’s effort to improve and enhance healthcare technology, and through the ITU, regularly consults for and advises other UN specialized agencies such as the WHO, ILO, and others on technical and policy aspects that are closed related to IT and CT technologies. As a leader in the ITU's standards development work, he regularly collaborates with industry stakeholders and policymakers to address critical challenges in the evolving digital landscape in the AI era, making his expertise invaluable to discussions on global connectivity and technological advancement.
Mr. Stephen Shew
JUNIOR AD
Ivanna Tung
SENIOR AD
Sophia Zhang
JUNIOR AD
Saomai Nguyen
DIRECTOR
Olivia Trader is a freshman at Harvard, intending to concentrate in Sociology on a path to go into Marketing for a career. She originally grew up in the sunshine state of Cape Coral, Florida.
Olivia has been an active participant in MUN for five years now, starting in her freshman year of high school. She has competed in several national and international MUN competitions, never going home without an award. Besides serving as a competitor, she has also held several leadership positions within her high school. Additionally, Olivia has had the incredible opportunity to serve as a Girl Scout Delegate for the 67th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) Session.
Currently, Olivia is involved in both HMUN as an Assistant Director of Business and HNMUN as an Assistant Director of Operations. She is incredibly excited to direct at HMUN Canada and to meet all of the delegates!
HONORARY CHAIR
HONORARY CHAIR
Stephen Shew is Principal, Network Standards at Ciena where he coordinates standards strategy and participation. Since 2001, he has participated in ITU-T Study Group 15 (SG15), has been the Rapporteur of Question 12 (Transport network architectures) since 2013, and was elected as a SG15 vice-chair in 2024. In SG15 he has been editor of many Recommendations. He has contributed to standards development in the Optical Internetworking Forum, Open Networking Foundation, MEF, and IETF standards bodies. His contributions include topics in optical media and network architecture, management and control, and software defined networking. He has over 25 granted patents. Stephen received his Bachelor of Computer Science from Carleton University and MSc from the University of Toronto, and is an IEEE Senior member.
Ms. Dana Cramer
Dana Cramer is the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Young Digital Leaders of Canada. A not-for-profit which coordinates Canada’s annual Youth Internet Governance Forum and Young AI Leaders Community. She is a PhD Candidate at Toronto Metropolitan University researching the future of multi-stakeholder Internet governance and digital sovereignty. Dana was a 2025 Rising30, recognizing the Top 30 Under 30 in Canadian public affairs. She is a nationally and internationally awarded researcher and writer. She was the youngest winner of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s Prize for Excellence in Policy Research in 2020, and the first person to win the same prize a second time in 2025. Dana has worked with think tanks, areas of the Government of Canada, in the private sector, and with international organizations. Professionally, she specializes in international relations and digital governance. Dana coordinated the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Youth Caucus in 2025, which led to youth recognized in the United Nations WSIS 20-Year Review as a distinct stakeholder group by the United Nations General Assembly. She was a member of the Government of Canada’s Official Delegation to the ITU's WSIS High Level Event in 2025.