Keynote Speakers

We are honored to welcome U.S. Representative Sean Casten as a Keynote Speaker at the 2026 DuPage Model United Nations Conference.

• Academic Background
  
  

  • Bachelor of Arts, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry – Middlebury College

  • Master of Science & Master of Engineering Management – Dartmouth College

• Public Service & Legislative Focus
  
  

  • A former clean energy entrepreneur, drawing on his business background to prioritize climate action, affordable healthcare, and strengthening science-based policy

  • Legislative priorities include:

    • Energy policy and environmental protection

    • Affordable healthcare

    • Investment in renewable energy

    • Finance and the financial sector

• Innovation Leadership
  
  

  • An engineer and clean energy entrepreneur who built his pre-Congress career in energy efficiency, bringing a scientist's and businessman's perspective to Capitol Hill

• Trailblazer in Representation
  
  

  • Flipped Illinois's 6th Congressional District from Republican control in the 2018 midterm elections, representing southwestern Chicago and its surrounding suburbs

• Personal Life
  
  

  • Born in Dublin, Ireland, and raised in Hartsdale, New York; married to Kara since 2000

Rep. Casten's journey—from a career as a scientist and clean-energy entrepreneur to the halls of Congress—embodies the very spirit of public service, innovation, and evidence-driven leadership that DUMUN aims to inspire in every delegate.

We are honored to welcome Hinsdale Village President Greg Hart as a closing Keynote Speaker at the 2026 DuPage Model United Nations Conference.

• Academic Background
  
  

  • Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • MBA – University of Chicago Booth School of Business

• Public Service & Legislative Focus
  
  

  • Represented nearly 1 million residents in the western suburbs of Chicago as a DuPage County Board Member from 2017 to 2023

  • Legislative priorities included:

    • Controlling costs and taxes while improving government accessibility and efficiency

    • Expanding access to substance-use treatment and mental health services

    • Forming new business enterprise programs for minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned firms

    • Modernizing county technology infrastructure and the property tax system

• Innovation Leadership
  
  

  • Led the integration of psychiatric services into the DuPage County Health Department, saving taxpayers nearly $1 million, and won DuPage County two national achievement awards from the National Association of Counties for his leadership of the county's opioid-response task force

• Trailblazer in Representation
  
  

  • Became the first millennial to serve on the DuPage County Board when elected to a full term in 2018 at age 30, and was consistently rated the most bipartisan member of the County Board

• Personal Life
  
  

  • Lives in Hinsdale with his wife, Alexandra, and their daughter

Village President Hart's journey—from county government reformer to Hinsdale's chief executive—embodies the very spirit of public service, innovation, and bipartisan leadership that DUMUN aims to inspire in every delegate.