YMCA Conference on National Affairs (CONA)
In 1968, Louisiana was honored to be one of the original handful of delegations to attend the first Conference on National Affairs (CONA). Almost 50 years later, our delegation is as strong as ever. This page serves to highlight some of the Louisiana delegation's leadership and achievements in recent years. A core component of attending CONA is preparing and presenting a proposal of national or international importance. With over 600 proposals to debate, delegates who reached General Assembly and Plenary were ranked among the top 1% by their peers and presented for passage/failure among a majority of the conference participants.
Delegation Leadership
2018 - Premier Delegation
Delegation Leaders - Grace Dragna & Foster Willy
Committee Chair - Drake Brignac; Clerk - Aqib Zakaria
Conference Life Committee - Grace Dragna
Roundtable Chair - Emily Clarke
Proposal Sharing Group Leaders - Robert Lawrence & Kayla Martinez
2017 - Premier Delegation
Delegation Leaders - Julia Ruth James & Ben Smith
Committee Chair - Julia Ruth James; Clerk - Drake Brignac
Conference Life Committee - Abigail Ezell
Roundtable Chair - Grace Dragna
Proposal Sharing Group Leaders - Ben Smith & Emily Clarke
2016 - Premier Delegation
Delegation Leaders - Joseph Cretini & Elisabeth McLaughlin
Committee Chair - Andie Flanigan; Clerk - Sarah Procopio
Conference Life Committee - Shalin Bhatt
Roundtable Chair - Megan Bott
Proposal Sharing Group Leaders - Samhita Rao, Samuel Wallace, Julia James
2015 - Premier Delegation
Delegation Leaders - Grace Mierl & Trey Menville
Committee Chair - Folasade Lapite; Clerk - Trey Menville
Conference Life Committee - Grant Barker
Roundtable Chair - Lily LaGrange
Proposal Sharing Group Leaders - Curran Greene, Joseph Cretini
2014 - Premier Delegation
Conference Life Committee - Patrick Flanigan
Clerk - Folasade Lapite
Roundtable Chair - Anna Kutner
2013
Committee Chair - Nicholaus Living; Clerk - Elise Ferrer
Conference Life Committee - Patrick Flanigan
Roundtable Chair - Anna Kutner
2012 - Premier Delegation
Committee Chair - Sam Ingalls
Conference Life Committee - Connor Bueche
Roundtable Chair - Patrick Flanigan
Delegation Leaders - Grace Dragna & Foster Willy
Committee Chair - Drake Brignac; Clerk - Aqib Zakaria
Conference Life Committee - Grace Dragna
Roundtable Chair - Emily Clarke
Proposal Sharing Group Leaders - Robert Lawrence & Kayla Martinez
2017 - Premier Delegation
Delegation Leaders - Julia Ruth James & Ben Smith
Committee Chair - Julia Ruth James; Clerk - Drake Brignac
Conference Life Committee - Abigail Ezell
Roundtable Chair - Grace Dragna
Proposal Sharing Group Leaders - Ben Smith & Emily Clarke
2016 - Premier Delegation
Delegation Leaders - Joseph Cretini & Elisabeth McLaughlin
Committee Chair - Andie Flanigan; Clerk - Sarah Procopio
Conference Life Committee - Shalin Bhatt
Roundtable Chair - Megan Bott
Proposal Sharing Group Leaders - Samhita Rao, Samuel Wallace, Julia James
2015 - Premier Delegation
Delegation Leaders - Grace Mierl & Trey Menville
Committee Chair - Folasade Lapite; Clerk - Trey Menville
Conference Life Committee - Grant Barker
Roundtable Chair - Lily LaGrange
Proposal Sharing Group Leaders - Curran Greene, Joseph Cretini
2014 - Premier Delegation
Conference Life Committee - Patrick Flanigan
Clerk - Folasade Lapite
Roundtable Chair - Anna Kutner
2013
Committee Chair - Nicholaus Living; Clerk - Elise Ferrer
Conference Life Committee - Patrick Flanigan
Roundtable Chair - Anna Kutner
2012 - Premier Delegation
Committee Chair - Sam Ingalls
Conference Life Committee - Connor Bueche
Roundtable Chair - Patrick Flanigan
General Assembly & Plenary delegates
General Assembly
- 2018: Kayla Martinez, Robert Lawrence, Savannah Cutliff, Danielle Pellegrin, Justin McKinley
- 2017: Isabella Bolayon, Revathi Menon
- 2016: Joseph Cretini, Grace Dragna, Samhita Rao
- 2015: Trey Menville, Samhita Rao, Andie Flanigan, Elisabeth McLaughlin, Folasade Lapite
- 2014: Michael Denham, Curran Greene, Grace Mierl, Justin Knight, Trey Menville
- 2013: Patrick Flanigan, Chandler Bueche
- 2012: Conner Bueche, Elise Ferrer
- 2010: Sam Ingalls
Plenary
- Foster Willie (2018)
- Derek Graham (2018)
- Drake Brignac (2016, 2017, 2018)
- Shalin Bhatt (2016)
- Megan Bott (2015)
- Patrick Flanigan (2014)
- Sam Ingalls (2011, 2012)
- Joe Gipson (2010)
PRESIDING OFFICERS
- 2019: Drake Brignac
- 2017: Andie Flanigan
- 2015: Patrick Flanigan
- 2011: Joe Gipson
