DEBATE INSTITUTE FACULTY

Summer 2010


Tim Alderete

Policy Debate Coordinator at The Meadows School of Las Vegas, Classic

Debate Coach for over 15 years. Taught over 25 labs at institutes, previously at Northwestern and Michigan. Has coached state champions in Illinois, Michigan and Nevada. A returning faculty member to the Michigan Debate Institutes.

Dr. Jarrod Atchison

Director of Debate at Trinity University, 7 Week Seniors

Jarrod Atchison, Ph.D. is the Director of Debate at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX. For the past six years Jarrod has coached successful teams at the University of Georgia and Wake Forest University. Jarrod has coached numerous first round teams to the National Debate Tournament, including the 2007 Copeland Award winner for the top ranked team going into the NDT. His debaters have won numerous speaker awards including the second speaker at the 2005 NDT and the first and second speakers at the 2007 Northwestern Tournament. As a debater at Wake Forest University, Jarrod qualified for the NDT all four years including two first round bids. His senior year at Wake Forest, Jarrod was third speaker at the NDT, top seed, and the runner up for the Copeland Award. As a high school debater for Caddo Magnet High School, Jarrod won the Greenhill, Harvard, and Baylor round robins. He qualified for the TOC three times and was tenth speaker overall his senior year. Jarrod has previous workshop experience at Wake Forest University and is a returning Seven Week Seniors faculty member to the Michigan Debate Institutes.

Brittany Cambre

Senior Debater at The University of Georgia, 7 Week Juniors

In addition to receiving a Top Ten First Round Bid to the National Debate Tournament, she participated in elimination rounds of every college tournament she attended this year, including the Finals of West Georgia, Semifinals of Texas, Quarterfinals of Georgia State and Octafinals of the National Debate Tournament. She received multiple speaker awards throughout her college career. In high school, she debated for Chattahoochee High School and was in elimination rounds of most national tournaments. In previous summers she has worked at Emory and Michigan State University. Brittany is a former alum of the Michigan Debate Institutes and this will be her first year working in Ann Arbor.

Kuntal Cholera

Assistant Debate Coach at St. Mark's and the University of Texas at Dallas, 7 Week Juniors

As a debater at the University of North Texas, Kuntal was the Top Speaker and octafinalist at the 2009 National Debate Tournament. He won numerous speaker awards during his college career, including Top Speaker at Wake Forest, second speaker at Georgia State, and third speaker at Northwestern. While a debater at Clear Lake High School, Kuntal participated in the elimination rounds of the Tournament of Champions, Montgomery Bell Academy, Greenhill, St. Marks, The Barkley Forum, Harvard, and The Glenbrooks. The team at the University of Texas at Dallas he helps coach started out the year by winning the Georgia State Tournament. Kuntal has previously worked at the University of North Texas Debate Institute and at Michigan Classic for Sophomores, but we are excited to have Kuntal in Ann Arbor for all seven weeks this summer.

Alexza Clark

Doctoral Student at the University of Utah, 7 Week Juniors

Alexza debated two years for Long Beach State and won the California State Championship. She took the second place speaker award at the same tournament. Alexza has been judging high school debate for over five years at tournaments including: Stanford, Berkeley, The Glenbrooks, and the University of Southern California. Alexza has previously led labs at the Southern California Urban Debate League. This will be her first year working at the Michigan Debate Institutes.

Josh Clark

Director of Policy Debate at Juan Diego Catholic High School, 7 Week Juniors

Former Director of Debate at Notre Dame High School, where he coached the 2009 University of California at Berkeley Champions. In 2008-2009, Josh's teams reached the elimination rounds at The Tournament of Champions, Montgomery Bell Academy, The Glenbrooks, Stanford, the University of Southern California, Greenhill, St. Mark's, La Costa Canyon, and Fullerton. He was a quarterfinalist at the National Debate Tournament and semifinalist at the Cross Examination Debate Association National Tournament. Josh helped coach Michigan to the semifinals of the National Debate Tournament. He is a former assistant coach at Damien High School. Josh has previously worked at the Spartan Debate Institute. This will be his fourth summer working at the Michigan Debate Institutes and third summer working at the Seven Week Juniors Program.

Parker Cronin

Debater at the University of Michigan, MNDI

Winner of the 2007 Southern Bell Forum and Quarterfinalist at the 2007 Tournament of Champions. Parker was an elimination round participant and speaker award recipient at Greenhill, Michigan, New Trier, Emory, MBA, Harvard, Ohio Valley, and the Glenbrooks while debating for Centerville High School. Two time participant in the Greenhill Round Robin and Michigan Round Robin. As a debater for Michigan, he reached the Octofinals and was fourth speaker at the Freshman/Sophomore Nationals Tournament. He is active in Detroit Urban Debate and teaches debate in Detroit at the Communications and Media Arts High School. A returning faculty member to the Michigan Debate Institutes.

Jordan Foley

Debater at Missouri State University, Seven Week Seniors

Jordan was the third seed and Octafinalist at the 2010 National Debate Tournament and a Quarterfinalist at the 2010 Cross Examination Debate Association National Tournament. He received a First Round Bid to the National Debate Tournament and participated in elimination rounds at most major national tournaments in 2009-2010, including the Octafinals of Georgia State and the University of Texas as well as the Quarterfinals of Wake Forest. Jordan also helped coach Westminster at 2010 Tournament of Champions. In previous summers, he has worked at the Missouri State Debate Institute. Jordan debated at Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas.

Alex Gulakov

Debater at the University of Texas, MNDI

Alex hopes to add technological proficiency to the pedagogical values of debate through Debate Synergy, his software for research and for paperless debate. He has given lectures at a number of schools and camps on how computer proficiency is a core 21st-century skill and simplifies the debate preparation process. Alex recently helped coach St. Mark's to final round of the Tournament of Champions. He reached the semifinals of the National Debate Coaches Association Tournament as a debater for St. Mark's. Alex welcomes being approached at any time during camp or being emailed at alexgulakov@gmail.com to answer any debate or technology questions. He's a past participant of the Michigan Debate Institutes.

Michael Greenstein

Director of Debate at Glenbrook North High School, 7 Week Juniors

This is Michael's first year as director of his alma mater, Glenbrook North High School. He was previously Director of Debate at New Trier High School, where he coached the Top Speaker of the 2009 Tournament of Champions, Greenhill, Wake Forest, and Ohio Valley. His new team is off to a fast start this year, winning St. Mark's and Marquette and reaching the semifinals of Greenhill and New Trier. As a debater in high school, Michael twice earned a spot in the elimination rounds at the Tournament of Champions and won top five speaker awards at nearly every tournament he attended. While debating at Emory University, he reached the semifinals of Georgia State, Wake Forest, and CEDA nationals, as well as the elimination rounds of the National Debate Tournament three times. Michael is a past participant of the Michigan Debate Institutes and has previously worked at the Dartmouth Debate Institute, Miami of Ohio, and the Michigan National Debate Institute. We are happy to have him in attendance for all seven weeks this summer.

David Heidt

Assistant Debate Coach at Emory University and The Westminster Schools, 7 Week Juniors

This will be David's fifteenth summer working at the camp and sixth summer working in a Seven Week Juniors Lab with Jason Peterson. David has helped coach two Tournament of Champions winners and one finalist. He coached the Top Speaker at the TOC and second speaker twice. In addition to the Tournament of Champions, in 2008-2009, David's teams won The Barkley Forum, The Glenbrooks, St. Mark's, The Greenhill Round Robin, Wake Forest, Ohio Valley, and Georgia. Westminster started out this season by winning Greenhill and Michigan and the Top Speaker Award at St. Mark's. As a debate coach at Emory, he's coached the winner of two National Debate Tournaments and two CEDA National Debate Tournaments. As a debater at Emory, he won the National Debate Tournament.

Jenny Heidt

Director of Debate at the Westminster Schools, 7 Week Seniors

Coached the Winners of the 2005 and 2002 Tournament of Champions. Coach of the 2007 Tournament of Champions Top Speaker and Finalists. This year, Jenny's teams have won The Barkley Forum, The Glenbrooks, St. Mark's, The Greenhill Round Robin, and The Ohio Valley, have reached the Finals at Michigan and Blake, and Quarterfinals at Greenhill and Montgomery Bell Academy. This year, she's coached the Top Speaker at Michigan, and The Greenhill Round Robin and Second Speaker at The Barkley Forum, St. Mark's, The Glenbrooks, and Blake. Jenny has previously worked at the Wake Forest University Debate Camp, Emory University Debate Camp, and Arizona Debate Institute for college debaters. A returning Seven Week Seniors faculty member to the Michigan Debate Institutes.

Rajesh Jegadeesh

Debater at Emory University, 7 Week Seniors

This year, Rajesh has reached the octafinals at Georgia State and Kentucky. As a debater at Westminster, he won the 2009 Tournament of Champions and the National Debate Coaches Association's Baker Cup. He also won The Barkley Forum, The Glenbrooks, St. Mark's, The Greenhill Round Robin, the Michigan Senior Round Robin, and Ohio Valley and reached the finals at Michigan and Blake. Rajesh won top speaker awards at Michigan, The Greenhill Round Robin, Ohio Valley, and New Trier, and second speaker at St. Mark's, The Glenbrooks, NDCA, and Blake. This will be his second summer working with the Seven Week Program.

Shunta Jordan

Director of Speech and Debate at Pace Academy, 7 Week Juniors

Shunta coached the 2009 and 2007 Tournament of Champions quarterfinalists. She also coached the 2007 St. Mark's Champions and Top Speaker at the 2008 St. Mark's and Glenbrooks Tournaments. Over the past four years, Shunta has coached teams to the elimination rounds at The Tournament of Champions, Greenhill, Montgomery Bell Academy, Berkeley, The Barkley Forum, Harvard, The Glenbrooks, Wake Forest, Lexington, Blake, Redlands, Michigan, Ohio Valley, and the University of Southern California. She has worked at the Emory National Debate Institute, Stanford National Forensic Institute, and Bates Forensic Institute. Shunta is the current Director of the Emory University Middle School Debate Institute. She is a former debater at the University of Georgia and National Debate Tournament Participant. Shunta has twenty-one years of debate experience. This will be her fourth summer as a faculty member of the Michigan Debate Institutes and first summer in the Seven Week Juniors Program.

Aaron Kall

Assistant Director of Debate at the University of Michigan

Coach of the Finalists and Fifth Speaker at the 2002 National Debate Tournament and Semifinalists at the 2008 NDT. Coach of the University of Kentucky Semifinalists, University of Southern California Semifinalists and Georgia State University Finalists. Coach of the 2004 University of Northern Iowa Champions and 2005 Novice Nationals Finalists. Coached the Top Speaker at the Wake Forest University and University of West Georgia Tournaments and Second Speaker at Harvard University and Georgia State University Tournaments. Quarterfinalist at the 2001 Cross Examination Debate Association National Tournament. Formerly coached at the University of Kentucky and worked at the Kentucky National Debate Institute. A past participant and returning faculty member to the Michigan Debate Institutes.

Elli Kuenzel

Debater at Emory University, 7 Week Juniors

Elli was a quarterfinalist and second speaker in the first year breakout division at the Kentucky Tournament. Before attending Emory, she had much success while debating at Ashland H.S. in Oregon. She reached the quarterfinals at Gonzaga, Whitman, and Auburn, octafinals at Berkeley, Greenhill, Georgetown Day, and Stanford, and double octafinals at St. Mark's, Emory, and the University of Southern California. Elli also received top ten speaker awards at Emory, Gonzaga, and Auburn, and top twenty speaker awards at Georgetown Day and the University of Southern California. She is a past participant of the Michigan Seven Week Program.

Roy Levkovitz

Director of Debate at Woodward Academy, Classic

Coach of the 2007 National Debate Tournament Champions. 2006 National Debate Tournament First Round Bid Recipient. Participated in Elimination rounds at the National Debate Tournament, CEDA Nationals, Georgia State, Kentucky, Harvard, Wake Forest, University of Southern California, Fullerton, West Georgia, and University of Texas. Top Ten Speaker at CEDA Nationals and Top Twenty Speaker at the National Debate Tournament and every other tournament attended his senior year. His teams at Woodward have won the University of Georgia Tournament, reached the Finals at Greenhill, Semifinals at St. Mark's and Michigan, and Quarterfinals at The Glenbrooks and The Barkley Forum. A returning faculty member to the Michigan Debate Institutes.

Maria Liu

Debater at the University of Michigan, 7 Week Juniors

Maria was the fifteenth seed and double octafinalist at the 2009 National Debate Tournament. In 2008-2009, she was an octafinalist and tenth seed at the Kentucky Tournament, Top Speaker and finalist at the John Carroll Tournament, Winner and second speaker at the Miami Tournament, and semifinalist at the Northwest CEDA Champs Tournament. While at Okemos High School, Maria reached the elimination rounds of numerous Tournament of Champions bid tournaments. She is a past participant of the Michigan Debate Institutes and a returning faculty member to the Michigan Seven Week Juniors Program.

Calum Matheson

Assistant Debate Coach at Glenbrook South High School and Harvard University, 7 Week Seniors

This will be Calum's sixth summer working at the Michigan Debate Institutes, but the first summer where he will in attendance for all seven weeks. He was the 2008 Acolyte Award recipient, given to the top assistant coach in high school debate. Calum's been an assistant coach at Glenbrook South for the past five years and helped coach the finalist and second speaker at the Tournament of Champions. In 2009-2010, Calum's teams won The Greenhill Round Robin, Montgomery Bell Academy, The Barkley Forum, and Harvard. As an assistant coach at the University of North Texas, he helped coach the Top Speaker at the 2009 National Debate Tournament. As a college debater at Michigan State University, Calum was the Top Speaker and finalist at CEDA Nationals and twice a semifinalist at the National Debate Tournament. He won Northwestern and the Kentucky Round Robin and was Top Speaker at Northwestern, Harvard, Kentucky, The Kentucky Round Robin, Southern California, Georgia State, and Fullerton. Calum has previously worked at the Northwestern and University of North Texas debate institutes.

Nick Miller

Assistant Debate Coach at The University of Michigan and former debater at Emory University

Nick spent the past year as a coach for Emory University's first place Copeland Award winning squad. As a debater at Emory University, Nick won first round at-large bids to the National Debate Tournament for three consecutive years. He consistently reached the late elimination rounds at major national tournaments, including victories at Northwestern and the American Debate Association National Championship. As a high school debater at Kinkaid, Nick won the Barkley Forum, St. Marks, and Texas State Championship tournaments.

Jason Peterson

Assistant Debate Coach at St. Mark's and the University of Michigan, 7 Week Juniors

This will be Jason's tenth summer working at the camp and sixth summer working in a Seven Week Juniors Lab with David Heidt. He was the recipient of the 2009 Acolyte Award, given to the top assistant coach in high school debate. As an assistant coach at St. Mark's, Jason's teams have reached the semifinals of the Tournament of Champions, won New Trier, and were in the finals of The Barkley Forum, The Glenbrooks, Greenhill, and the University of Texas. He was previously Director of Debate at Notre Dame H.S., where he coached a team to the quarterfinals of the TOC. As a debater at Pace University, he reached the quarterfinals of the National Debate Tournament.

Sheila Peterson

Director of Debate at Edina High School, Classic

Sheila's teams have earned TOC bids at The Glenbrooks, Blake, Emory, Greenhill, Michigan, Maine East, Valley, Iowa Caucus, and Dowling. Her debaters have also taken top speaker at Blake, Michigan, and Valley. She has coached 3 teams to the Top 15 at NFL Nationals. Now in her second year at Edina, Sheila's top Policy team earned 4 bids to the TOC, and is currently ranked 17th in the country by the NDCA. At Concordia College, Sheila consistently reached elimination rounds at tournaments such as Northwestern, Baylor, and Redlands. As an Edina High School debater, she was one of the first Minnesota debaters to qualify to the Tournament of Champions, winning both the Blake Tournament and Little Nationals her senior year. Sheila formerly coached at Highland Park (MN) and is a returning faculty member to the Michigan Debate Institutes.

Scott Phillips

Director of Debate at The Potomac School, 7 Week Juniors

Former Director of Policy Debate at The Harker School. In 2008-9009, Scott's teams reached the elimination rounds at Berkeley, Greenhill, the University of Southern California, Wake Forest, New Trier, Stanford, Golden Desert, and Meadows. He's a former assistant coach at Pace Academy, where he helped coach the Winner of St. Mark's and quarterfinalists at the Tournament of Champions. As a debater at Emory University, Scott was a semifinalist and third speaker at the National Debate Tournament. He also won the University of Kentucky Round Robin twice, Harvard, and Wake Forest. Scott was Top Speaker at Kentucky, The Kentucky Round Robin, Harvard, Southern California, and Georgia State Tournaments. While debating at St. Thomas Academy, Scott was the Top Speaker at the Tournament of Champions, The Glenbrooks, Harvard, Montgomery Bell Academy, the Greenhill Round Robin, and the Michigan Round Robin. He won St. Mark's, Greenhill, Valley, and the Michigan Round Robin. This will be Scott's seventh summer working at Michigan and fourth summer working at the Seven Week Juniors Program.

Sara Sanchez

Director of Debate at Lexington High School, Classic

So far this year, Sara's teams have reached the Finals at Wake Forest and Semifinals at Montgomery Bell Academy and New Trier. Formerly an assistant coach at Rowland Hall-St. Mark's. Sara coached the 2007 Blake and Alta champions and her teams were in elimination rounds of most major high school tournaments, including the University of Southern California, New Trier, Stanford, Redlands, Berkeley, Montgomery Bell Academy, The Barkley Forum, the College Prep Round Robin, and the Tournament of Champions. She has previously taught at the Stanford National Forensics Institute.

Cheryl Stanga

Director of Debate at Marist School, MNDI

Cheryl's teams have won many local tournaments and have been in elimination rounds of various Tournament of Champions qualifiers, including Berkeley, Wake Forest, and Samford. She coached the 2010 Georgia 4A State Champions. Cheryl debated at Emory University, where she won the Appalachian State Tournament and earned a spot to compete in the CEDA National Tournament in 2006. She has been an instructor for the Urban Debate League of Atlanta for the last five years and been on faculty at the Emory National Debate Institute for four years.

Christina Tallungan

Director of Debate at Notre Dame High School, MNDI and Classic

Coached the winner of the 2007 Tournament of Champions and NFL Nationals. Coach of the Top Speaker and Semifinalists at the 2006 Tournament of Champions. Christina coached the Winner of the University of California at Berkeley Tournament and Winner and Top Speaker at the University of Southern California Tournament. Four year CEDA and NDT debater at the University of Southern California. Former Instructor at the University of Southern California National Debate Institute and the Southern California Urban Debate League Camp. A returning faculty member to the Michigan Debate Institutes.

Lauren Vevoda

Assistant Debate Coach at Chattahoochee High School, MNDI

Lauren is in her second year teaching and coaching at her alma mater, Chattahoochee High School. So far this year, her teams have reached elimination rounds at every tournament they have attended. This includes winning the University of Georgia tournament, placing second at the Ohio Valley Tournament, and third at Novice Nationals. This year Chattahoochee was named the state champions in Novice, Junior Varsity, and Varsity debate. Lauren is the only person to be a Georgia state debate champion and to coach a state champion as well. She won the Georgia State Debate Champion in 2003 and 2004. Lauren qualified to attend the Tournament of Champions twice. During her four years, she reached the elimination rounds at many tournaments including winning the Ohio Valley Tournament and reaching the semifinals at Harvard. This will be her second year working at the University of Michigan.

Whit Whitmore

Assistant Debate Coach at Woodward Academy and the University of Michigan , MNDI and Classic

Coach of the Semifinalists at the 2008 National Debate Tournament and University of Kentucky Tournament. Coach of the Top Speaker at Wake Forest and West Georgia and Second Speaker at Harvard and Georgia State. His teams at Woodward have won the University of Georgia Tournament, reached the Finals at Greenhill, Semifinals at St. Mark's and Michigan, and Quarterfinals at The Barkley Forum and The Glenbrooks. Semifinalist at the American Debate Association National Tournament, Winner of the University of Alabama Crimson Classic, and Finalist at the Delta Sigma Rho/Tau Kappa Alpha National Tournament. Whit has worked for Mercer University, the University of Alabama, and Piedmont College. A former institute instructor at Emory, Wyoming, and Georgia State. A returning faculty member to the Michigan Debate Institutes.