Dan Moane is an American student at Queen’s University Belfast, doing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Joint Honours, International Relations and Politics, with a focus on American Foreign Policy. Throughout secondary school, Dan was active in the Model United Nations club, student council, and worked part-time at a law firm. Driven by civic engagement, Dan organised and hosted many Q&A sessions with MEP’s, non-profit organisations, and groups including the Electoral Committee both inside and outside of his politics class.

In college, Dan worked as a parliamentary intern in the Oireachtas under TD Maeve O’Connell. The legislative experience Dan gained whilst working in Leinster House highlighted an accelerating ideological fragmentation among his generation. Taking from his debating and MUN experience, he founded the PAGPC to advocate for consensus-driven compromise over bitter partisan division.

Dan is proud to announce the PAGPC’s debut competition in October, 2026, and will spearhead the platform's development while balancing his academic commitments and upcoming institutional placements in California and D.C.

Lexi Taran is a student at University College Dublin, starting a Bachelor of Science in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. Throughout her time in secondary school, Lexi developed a passion for politics, which she fostered through activities such as Model United Nations. This experience in diplomacy and political debate propelled her to become engaged with the PAGPC.

Drawing from a Filipino background, Lexi quickly became familiar with the consequences of political unrest and injustice in government. Witnessing firsthand the effects of internal conflict and tension, her motivation towards pushing for civil dialogue and expression grew. Through her role in the PAGPC, Lexi wishes to encourage these attributes within the competitive debate circuit, while furthering her studies in political science.

Leo Shorten is an Irish student at University College Dublin, doing a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Social Sciences Joint Honours Politics and International Relations & Sociology. He became politically active in secondary school as a representative on the Student Council and Model United Nations, and held the role of Secretary General & President of the UN Security Council.

Leo has since continued advocacy and involvement through volunteer programmes including at the Embassy of Ireland in Mozambique and UCD Volunteers Overseas in Cambodia, and has his represented past and present educational institutions in Model United Nations at numerous domestic conferences, and foreign delegations to Canada and the United Kingdom.

As a member of the UCD Politics & IR Student Society Committee Leo continues to have a strong desire for political discussion and expression, leading to his involvement with the PAGPC competition.

Ruquiya El-Bakr is a student at the Institute of Education where she studies Politics and Society as one of her core subjects. Her involvement in Model United Nations and participation in international conferences — notably the 2025 Education International Conference on Cultural Heritage Preservation in Hong Kong — sparked a keen interest in the impact of global policy on contemporary society.

Navigating various regions within the Anglosphere, she was exposed to the underlying political tensions involving the West and its Eastern counterparts. Her interest in the intersection of political theory and cultural injustice grew. Through engagement in the PAGPC, Ruquiya wishes to dissect these experiences among like-minded youth, with the goal of creating more awareness on these institutionalised prejudices and continuing her journey in cultural advocacy.

Michael Binchy is an Irish-Scottish student in University College Dublin, doing a Bachelor of Science in Politics and International Relations with a minor in Chinese language. He took a keen interest in debating and Model United Nations throughout his time in secondary school, participating in many inter-school conferences throughout his years, and assumed the role of co-Secretary-General of the High School Model United Nations Conference in 2025.

He carried this interest into college, representing UCD at the Model United Nations conference hosted by McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Given this avid interest in politics and debating, Michael was fascinated when he first heard about the PAGPC, and was honoured to accept a place on the team. Knowing the importance of the cause it was dedicated to, he wants to help make it an event that fully realises its potential.