John Gallagher is the Executive Director of Model UN Academy, the world’s largest youth-led educational Model UN nonprofit, with 17,000 students across 101 countries. He developed the Model UN Academy Fellowship curriculum and significantly advanced the organization’s signature written guides.

John has pursued research at the University of Chicago Medical Center’s biological sciences division, where he conducted assays to determine gene expression in canine atrial tissue.

John is an Executive Board Member at Hinsdale Central High School Model UN, a program with over 100 students. He’s attended 8 conferences (4-time international qualifier) and earned 6 awards (2 national and 4 international). He also served as the Head Crisis Backroom Chair for a local conference’s crisis committee.

By working at the intersection of medical research, pharmaceutical innovation, biotechnology, diplomacy, and global issues engagement, John’s proven that leadership can span and thrive across multiple fields.