United Nations Representatives

United Nations Representatives: Our Global Change Team 🌍 

KDP became an official United Nations Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in 2010, connecting us directly to global education initiatives through the UN Department of Global Communications. Our UN Representatives are passionate advocates who champion the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—particularly Goal #4: Quality Education. 

This vital goal to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” perfectly aligns with KDP’s vision where excellent teachers build thriving communities and create lifelong opportunities through quality, equitable education for all. 

Our UN Reps bring powerful global perspectives to our KDP community by: 

  1. Building Community—Bringing international education initiatives back to members through engaging resources, connection opportunities, and shared learning spaces. 
  2. Creating Belonging—Helping members see how their teaching practice connects to a worldwide community of educators working toward shared goals. 
  3. Developing Leadership—Equipping chapters and members with tools, knowledge, and inspiration to implement SDG-focused activities in their local contexts. 
  4. Inspiring Celebration—Sharing success stories from around the world that showcase how teachers like you are creating meaningful change, both locally and globally.  

Meet our amazing UN Representatives below and discover how they’re helping connect your KDP experience to education movements that matter worldwide! 
 

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 served as the counselor for the URI chapter of KDP for 32 years. 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 three years, is a KDP Task Force member, and is a newly appointed member of the Council on Teaching About the UN (CTAUN). 

Lucijan Jovic.jpeg

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.

Khalil Roy, MA

KDP UN Representative

Louisiana School for the Agricultural Sciences (LaSAS)

Khalil Roy is an accomplished Career and Technical Educator in Central Louisiana, with a bachelor's degree in social sciences and a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governor’s University. Mr. Roy teaches 8th–12th grades in the Louisiana School for the Agricultural Sciences (LaSAS). 

Mr. Roy is actively involved in KDP as a member of the Knowledge Development Advisory Council (KDAC) to guide KDP national staff on relevant content and issues impacting teachers today. Mr. Roy has been a member of KDP for several years, joining as an alternative certification student when he changed his career to become an educator. He has attended and presented at multiple KDP Convos and serves as a KDP United Nations Representative. Mr. Roy has been recognized as a 2020 KALB Golden Apple Teacher; Stand for Children Fellow and Facilitator; three-time winner of the John W. Harris Educator of Excellence Award; National Beta Leadership Camp Counselor Award; Teacher of the Month multiple times in his district; and Teacher of the Year in 2024!

Mr. Roy’s passion for teaching is evident in his daily work as an educator. He is the founder of the Tiger College Club, which promotes college and military awareness at Marksville High School. He is a dedicated and passionate educator who focuses on shaping the future of scholars, advocating for productive education policies, and actively and tirelessly working to retain and recruit future teachers in the field of education.

Emily Wenke, BSEd

KDP UN Representative

NYC Department of Education

Emily Wenke is a graduate of St. John’s University in Queens, New York, with a BSEd in Childhood Education pursuing an MSEd in Literacy Education at SUNY New Paltz. During her time as an undergraduate student, she served as the Kappa Eta chapter president at St. John’s University, organizing professional development topics on culturally responsive teaching and AI in education. She began to learn more about what KDP offers its members and became more dedicated to serving KDP. She has taught English as a foreign language abroad in Rome, Italy, and is currently working within the NYC Department of Education. She strives to implement Culturally Responsive Teaching and Universal Design for Learning principles in her classroom to ensure all students’ needs are met. She is specifically interested in learning how restorative justice practices can be implemented to improve classroom management and academic outcomes at the elementary level. 

Ms. Wenke is eager to serve KDP as a UN Representative, acting as a liaison between the United Nations’ efforts to promote the Sustainable Development Goals and Kappa Delta Pi’s initiatives at the national and chapter levels. 

Trina Yearwood, EdD

KDP UN Representative

Teachers Ready to Educate, Advocate, and Transform (TREAT)

Dr. Trina Lynn Yearwood, Founder of Teachers Ready to Educate, Advocate, and Transform (TREAT), is deeply committed to celebrating the teaching profession and harnessing cultural diversity to enrich teaching practices and support student learning. TREAT's impactful initiatives have been instrumental in advancing education, both locally in NYC and Philadelphia, and internationally in countries such as Jamaica, Barbados, Ghana, and Austria.

With a career spanning over two decades, Dr. Yearwood embarked on her educational journey as an English teacher and Literacy Coach in the NYC public school system. Since then, she has held teaching positions as well as served as an Associate Dean in both public and private Schools of Education. Her professional endeavors center around teacher preparation, cultural competence, equitable education practices, and fostering student success through culturally relevant teaching methodologies.

Dr. Yearwood's expertise and dedication have earned her recognition as a prominent speaker, with invitations to prestigious events including engagements at the United Nations. Beyond her professional roles, she remains actively involved in community service. She serves as an advisory committee member for the Center for SDG Global Education, an education consultant for the Jamaican NGO Mission:FoodPossible, a Director-at-Large for the Brooklyn College Alumni Association, and a diamond life member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, Delta Alpha Zeta chapter in Brooklyn, New York.

In December 2021, Dr. Yearwood was honored with the esteemed President Biden's Lifetime Achievement Award for her exemplary service. Currently, she represents Kappa Delta Pi as a UN representative, furthering her commitment to advancing education on a global scale.