Michigan Debate Team Alumni Webpage

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2008 Michigan Debate Reunion Pictures:

Steve Lemberg, Alan Helmkamp, John Lawson, Wayne Miller, and Mike Wavada

Josh Hoe, Alan Helmkamp, Wayne Miller, Pam Hartmann, Doctor Bill Colburn, Tim Freehan, Mike Hartman, Mike Wavada enjoy Dominick's

Current debates Lexy Tourek, Lee Reed, Coach Josh Hoe, Alum Gabe Scannapieco, and Tim Freehan at the game

Ashley Amaya

Michigan Debate: 1999-2001

Academic: BA in PoliSci at UofM, MS in Survey Methodology at UofM

Bio: Survey Methodologist, National Opinion Research Center at University of Chicago

Recently completed MS and moved to Chicago to design research projects for University of Chicago and government clients. Focus is on questionnaire development and statistical analysis in domestic public health. Looking to branch into international health and economics in developing countries in the future. Director of Debate at East Grand Rapids HS in Michigan and continue to travel with that team a few times per month.

Jeremy Bailenson

Academic: B.A. cum laude from the University of Michigan in 1994 and a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Northwestern University in 1999.

Bio: Director of Stanford University's Virtual Human Interaction Lab and Assistant Professor of Communication

Bailenson's main area of interest is the phenomenon of digital human representation, especially in the context of immersive virtual reality. He explores the manner in which people are able to represent themselves when the physical constraints of body and veridically-rendered behaviors are removed. Furthermore, he designs and studies collaborative virtual reality systems that allow physically remote individuals to meet in virtual space, and explores the manner in which these systems change the nature of verbal and nonverbal interaction.

Peter Baldwin

Michigan Debate: 1991-1995

Michigan Debate: 1991-1995

Academic: BA, History (College of Literature, Science & the Arts 1995) MBA, Finance (Michigan Business School 2002)

Bio: Senior Vice President, Turnaround & Restructuring Services, AlixPartners, Los Angeles, CA.

After graduating from Michigan with a BA in History with a focus on Soviet and Eastern European 20th century history in 1995, Peter went on to work for a number of Washington, DC-based non-profit organizations on independent media development projects in post-communist countries of the Eastern European and post-Soviet region. At each stop, he began as a media development program manager and subsequently designed and managed the reorganization of each firm's cost structure, government contracts and field operations.

After completing his MBA in finance, accounting and corporate strategy at the Ross School of Business (Michigan) in 2002, Peter joined the Restructuring Group of Swiss bank UBS AG. At UBS, he managed a wide variety of transactions, primarily for financially distressed clients. His tenure at UBS included postings in New York, London, and Los Angeles.

In 2009, Peter joined the Los Angeles office of Southfield, Michigan-based crisis manager and turnaround advisor AlixPartners. AlixPartners is a global business advisory firm offering comprehensive services to improve corporate performance, execute corporate turnarounds, and provide litigation consulting and forensic accounting services. The firm�s specialty is urgent, high-impact situations when time is short and corporate survival is in the balance.

In 2009, Peter married Delaura Gundle. Peter and Delaura met in Ann Arbor when they both attended the University of Michigan. They currently make their home in Hermosa Beach, California, along with Delaura's son, Nicholas, and their dogs, Yogi and Nemo.

David Brownell

Bio: Real Estate Broker- Keller Williams Realty

David has been a real estate broker in the dynamic Las Vegas real estate market since 1994. His annual sales volume ranks in the top 1% of real estate salespeople in the Las Vegas market. David oversees and leads a team of 10 professionals. In 2006, David joined Keller Williams Realty, an Austin, Texas based company. Currently ranked #4, Keller Williams is the fastest growing real estate company in the world. With current agent count of over 80,000 worldwide, David�s team ranks in the top 150. Also, in 2006, David accepted a position with Holmes Murphy Commercial Insurance. As head of its Nevada operations, David holds his Property and Casualty license and oversees the Company�s Nevada portfolio.

David spends his free time with his passions�cooking, wine collecting and tasting and golf. David intends to someday further pursue his cooking and wine interests at the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School.

Dr. Alexa Canady

Michigan Debate: 1967-1971

Born and raised in Lansing Michigan. Participated for 3 year in debate at Everett High School. Graduated in Zoology in 1971 and went on the medical school at Michigan where she graduated Cum Laude and was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha Honorary Medical Society. Internship was at Yale, Residency at the University of Minnesota and Pediatric Neurosurgery fellowship at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania. Worked at Henry Ford Hospital then moved to Children's Hospital of Michigan where she was Chief of Neurosurgery and also Professor of Neurosurgery at Wayne state University. Retired in 2001 and moved with my husband, retired Navy, to Pensacola, Fl, a navy town. Coaxed back into work part time in Pensacola as there was no pediatric neurosurgery for 350 miles. Thoroughly enjoyed her time in Ann Arbor and continues to be involved with the Medical school and LSA, most recently on the Dean's Advisory committee for LSA. Dr. Canady is/was the First African American Neurosurgeon.

Matt Cannon

Michigan Debate: 1998-2001

Academic: B.A. (magna cum laude, distinction) in Poli Sci and Philosophy, M.A. in Sociology of Law from the Jurisprudence and Social Policy Program and a J.D. from Boalt Hall, both at UC Berkeley (both degrees should be awarded in May).

Bio: In the fall, I�ll be an associate at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges, LLP, based in the San Francisco office.

Following my graduation from Michigan, I entered the Jurisprudence & Social Policy Program at Berkeley. Two years later, I began work on a concurrent law degree. In the summer of 2006, I decided to leave graduate school with a Master�s degree when I completed my legal studies and enter private practice. I�ll be using my debate experience as an attorney with the business litigation firm of Quinn Emanuel beginning in the fall of 2007.

Mike Dickler

Michigan Debate: 1992-1996

Academic: Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) (1996) and University of Michigan Law School (1999).

Bio: Attorney, Sperling & Slater, P.C. (Chicago, Illinois), commercial litigator

After attending law school at the University of Michigan where he placed first in the law school�s Campbell Moot Court Competition (while partnering with fellow former Michigan debater Raj N. Shah), Michael spent two years clerking for the Honorable Wayne R. Andersen on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. In 2001, Michael accepted an associate position with Jenner & Block in Chicago as an associate and primarily worked on commercial litigation matters, concentrating on securities suits and appellate work.

In 2004, Michael accepted a position at Sperling & Slater. Since that time, he has worked on a variety of commercial matters, including whistleblower suits, securities matters (both class actions and directors and officers matters), insurance coverage disputes, and many forms of contract disputes.

Personal: Married Melinda Cupps on August 19, 2006. They continue to live in Chicago, Illinois.

Jennifer Copland (Formerly Jeni Ouding)

Michigan Debate: 1990-1993

Academic: Obtained J.D. at the University of Michigan in 1996

Bio: Dickinson Wright PLLC as a commercial litigation attorney

Assistant Debate Coach at the University of Louisville, 1993-1994
Worked 1997-1998 as law clerk for Court of Appeals Judge Peter O'Connell
Worked 1998-present at Dickinson Wright PLLC as a commercial litigation attorney

I am currently working as a commercial litigation attorney at Dickinson Wright, with a focus on regulatory work (primarily telecommunications and energy litigation), though I have recently branched into financial and real estate work. As for my personal life, I have two boys, Evan (age 7) and Parker (age 3) and two step-sons, Jacob (11) and Cameron (13). In the past few years, I've taken up snowmobiling, bowling, fly fishing, painting, photography, and my husband just bought me a Harley, so I guess I have to add motorcycles to the list... I dabble in music from time to time, which includes, among other things, playing bass guitar in a band with friends and singing karaoke at local bars. Since 2003 I've taken the time to do some traveling, and have spent time in Australia, New Zealand, the Turks and Caicos Islands and Jamaica. In the end, though, I've ended up coming back to Ann Arbor which I still think is one of the greatest places in the world to live.

Adam Farra

Michigan Debate: 2004-2008

Academic: B.A. History and Political Science (2008)

Bio: Enrolled at the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore, Maryland in the Fall of 2008.

Adam has lived in Ann Arbor his entire life, so he is excited for a change of setting (but he does love Ann Arbor). During his college summers, he worked at the University of Michigan Debate Institutes. If you are in the Mid-Atlantic/D.C. area, feel free to get in contact with him and show him the town.

Michael Green

Michigan Debate: 1985-1988

Academic: B.A. in Philosophy, U of M (1989); PhD in Philosophy, University of California, Berkeley (1997)

Bio: Visiting Assistant Professor at Pomona College

Michael Green has taught philosophy at McGill University, Stanford University, the University of Chicago, and, currently, Pomona College. He was awarded the University of Chicago's Quantrell Award for undergraduate teaching in 2004. His academic research concerns ethics, political philosophy, and the history of early modern philosophy. He has published scholarly papers on David Hume's theory of personal identity, human rights, moral responsibility, and Thomas Hobbes's political philosophy. He is currently working on a book on Hobbes's theories of justice, rights, and law.

Jason Hernandez

Michigan Debate: 1996-2000

Academic: University of Michigan, B.A., Political Science, 2000; Columbia Law School, J.D., 2005

Bio: Litigation associate in Kirkland's Washington, D.C. office

Jason focuses his practice primarily in white collar criminal defense.
Adjunct Professor, George Washington University Law School - Federal Sentencing (Fall 2008)

Associate Editor, Business Crimes Bulletin

Adjunct Professor, Hoftsra Law School - Sentencing Reform (Fall 2007)
Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar

Laurence S. Greenbaum Prize for best oralist in Harlan Fiske Stone Moot Court

Harlan Fiske Stone Moot Court Finalist

Columbia Journal of Law and Social Problems, Head Writing & Research Editor

United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Lee Hess

Michigan Debate: 1965-1968

Academic: BA, University of Michigan; MA in Communications, Stanford; MBA, Harvard

Bio: Chairman of Spectrum Capital Enterprises, Inc.

Spectrum is a private company wholly owned by Lee Hess and Tom Hunt, former Harvard Business School roommates. Spectrum�s interests range from Canadian hotels to broadband programming initiatives. Spectrum�s most important asset has been the company they co-founded, INSTALLS inc, LLC, a national installer of home services for major retailers.

Prior to creating INSTALLS inc, Spectrum owned DIRECTV programming territories across the United States which were ultimately sold to a public company.

Prior to creating Spectrum, Lee was senior vice president of Wendy's International directing national franchising, real estate, corporate finance, and overseeing the operation of 800 restaurants. In addition, he was previously a McDonald's franchisee in New York.

Immediately after graduating from Michigan, Lee was the Varsity debate coach at Stanford.

Lee is a member of the Advisory Board for the Ohio Center of Science & Industry; a member of The University of Michigan College of Literature, Science & the Arts Advisory Board; and the School of Information Advisory Board.

Scott Hessell

Michigan Debate: 1993-1997

Academic: B.A. in Political Science, University of Michigan, 1997, J.D. with Honors, University of Chicago Law School, 2001.

Bio: Associate at Sperling & Slater

Mr. Hessell joined Sperling & Slater in 2006. Mr. Hessell has represented clients in complex commercial disputes nationwide before federal and state courts as well as arbitration tribunals. Prior to joining Sperling & Slater, he worked four years as a litigation associate at the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. After law school, Mr. Hessell worked as a law clerk for the Honorable Karen LeCraft Henderson in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. At the University of Michigan, Mr. Hessell was an accomplished college debater, reaching the semi-finals of the National Debate Tournament twice and winning the American Debate Association National Championship.

Assistant Debate Coach, Harvard, 1997-1998.

Married to Dara Lev Hessell, and live in Bucktown in Chicago with 3 month old daughter, Zoe Cayden and loyal pooch, Sebastian.

Gorav Jindal

Michigan Debate: 1990-1995

Academic: B.S. in Industrial and Operations Engineering, B.A. in Economics (1995), J.D. The George Washington University Law School (1998).

Bio: Associate (attorney), Antitrust / Competition practice, Dechert LLP

My practice focuses on the antitrust aspects of business combinations and other government investigations (mostly federal).

Colin Kahl

Michigan Debate: 1989-1992

Academic: U of M degree: BA, Political Science (honors) (1993), Ph.D. Political Science, Columbia University (2000)

Bio: Undersecretary of Defense, Middle-East (Obama Administration); Assistant Professor of Political Science at Georgetown (school of foreign service). Former professor of Political Science, University of Minnesota, Former Coach University of Michigan Debate

Gil Krakowsky

Michigan Debate: 1995-1998

Academic: AB, Political Science and Chinese Language & Culture (2000); M.A. Political Science (2003); M.A.E. Applied Economics (2004); Ph.D. Candidate Political Science (2004) all at the University of Michigan.

Bio: Associate Consultant, Strategy & Operations Consulting, Huron Consulting Group.

After completing his undergraduate studies, Gil entered the Ph.D. program in Political Science at the University of Michigan. During his time in academia, Gil taught courses in comparative politics and Chinese politics, winning the Kingdon award for excellence in teaching. He conducted original research on political institutions, international capital flows, and economic development, presenting papers at several prestigious conferences. Gil also captained the University of Michigan Rugby team to its first international tour and its first division championship in over a decade before a team of doctors finally convinced him that he is, in fact, too small to play rugby.

In 2002, while still in the Ph.D. program, Gil spent a year as an internal business development consultant with Chindex International, a Nasdaq listed healthcare company. At Chindex, Gil prepared business plans and valuation models for the company�s entry into the healthcare provider market. He also played rugby for the Beijing Devils RFC, where a host of Australian, Kiwi, and South African opponents provided yet more evidence of Gil�s unsustainable size disadvantage.

Gil is currently a consultant with the Strategy & Operational Consulting Practice of Huron Consulting Group. Since joining Huron in 2004, Gil has assisted numerous Fortune 500 and middle market companies with strategic realignment, supply chain optimization, cost reduction, and financial advisory. He has worked in multiple industries including pharmaceuticals, apparel, metals & mining, and financial services in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Gil is also an avid triathlete, placing near the top of his age group at several Olympic-distance races, and completing his first half-ironman in 2007. He is temporarily located in London, but is permanently based in New York.

Adriana Midence

Michigan Debate: 1998-2002

Academic: University of Michigan, B.A., 1998-2002; Emory University School of Law, J.D., 2002-2005

Bio: Attorney at at Thompson Hine, LLP

After graduating law school, I decided to stay in Atlanta, Georgia, where I practice business and employment litigation at Thompson Hine, LLP.

Wayne Miller

Michigan Debate: 1972-1976

Academic: BA in History at UM, 1976. JD at Wayne Law School 1979.

Bio: Senior and managing partner at Miller & Tischler, PC, Southfield, MI.

Born in Detroit 1955. Licensed attorney in Michigan 1980. Specializing in Michigan no-fault auto insurance law. Adjunct Professor of Law, Wayne Law School, 1998 � present. Married to Andrea Becker Miller, 1993. Daughters Katie (11) and Emily (8).

Daniel Millimet

Academic: B.A. Economics (high honors), U of M (1994); Ph.D. Economics, Brown University (1999)

Bio: Associate Professor of Economics and Director of Undergraduate Studies at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.

Daniel Millimet teaches courses in labor economics, economics of education, and econometrics. His current research focuses on the determinants of bilateral trade and investment patterns, the environmental consequences of trade, and various aspects of schooling. He also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Environmental Economics & Management, and as co-editor of Advances in Econometrics: Modeling and Evaluating Treatment Effects in Econometrics (Volume 21). During graduate school at Brown, he served as an independent consultant for the World Bank.

Laura Pisarello

Michigan Debate: 2004-2007

Academic: Honors BA in Women's Studies and History from the college of Literature Science and Arts at the University of Michigan

Bio: Enrolled at Emory Law School in Atlanta in Fall 2007

Laura spent three of her college summers in Ann Arbor working at the University of Michigan Summer Debate Institute, and one interning with the Planned Parenthood Education Department in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She also helped the East Grand Rapids (Michigan) high school debate team as an assistant coach. She hopes to build a legal career focused gender issues on an international level.

Christopher Pudelski

Michigan Debate: 1996-2000

Bio: Associate at Washington, D.C. Office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Christopher Pudelski represents clients before the Supreme Court, federal circuit and district courts, and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

Before joining Akin Gump Mr. Pudelski was a clerk to the Honorable Jay S. Bybee at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prior to the clerkship, he was a litigation associate at Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr LLP.

Mr. Pudelski received his B.A. with distinction in political science and history in 2000 from the University of Michigan and his J.D. cum laude in 2004 from the Northwestern University School of Law, where he was the editor in chief of the Northwestern University Law Review and a member of the school's National Moot Court team. In addition, he was a legal extern to the Honorable Ronald A. Guzman of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Honorable Reggie B. Walton of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Mr. Pudelski is a member of the Illinois and District of Columbia Bars.

Mr. Pudelski is the co-author of "Legislative Deception, Separation of Powers, and the Democratic Process: Harnessing the Political Theory of United States v. Klein," 100 Nw. U. L. Rev. 437 (2006) (with Martin H. Redish).

Chad Rector

Bio: Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, George Washington University

I study international organizations and other kinds of institutionalized cooperation among countries. My current book project is about federations, and explains why countries sometimes choose to give up their independence in order to form federal unions. My wife and I have a son named Milo.

Matt Rice

Michigan Debate: 1994-1998

Academic: B.A., with high honors (History); J.D., Stanford Law School,

Bio: Attorney at Morrison & Foerster LLP, San Francisco.

After graduating from the University of Michigan, Matt worked for two years in Washington D.C. on non-proliferation issues for two non-profit organizations. After graduating from Stanford, Matt practiced as a commercial litigator for Jenner & Block LLP in Chicago. Matt recently moved to the Bay Area, where he practices primarily securities litigation for Morrison & Foerster LLP.

Philip Ruedi

Michigan Debate: 1989-1992

Academic: BBA - University of Michigan, 1993, MBA - University of Chicago 1998.

Bio: Equity Portfolio Manager and Associate Partner at Wellington Management Company, LLP in Boston, MA.

Health Care Mergers and Acquisitions Analyst for John Nuveen & Co. in Chicago from 1993 to 1996. Equity Research Analyst at T. Rowe Price Associates in Baltimore, MD from 1998-2004. Current: Specializing in domestic Mid-Cap Core investments.

Personal: Married in 1999, love to travel all over the world including India, China, Japan, Thailand, Morocco, New Zealand, French Polynesia, Egypt and Cental Europe still have yet to make it to Latin America but we will some day. One son, Griffin, born December 16, 2006. Boston real estate is still exceedingly overpriced but at least we have our summer lake house up in Elk Rapids, MI.

Gabriel Scannapieco

Michigan Debate: 1996-2000; Coach- 2000-2002

Academic: University of Michigan (B.A. in Political Science with high honors 2000); Harvard University Law School (J.D. 2005)

Bio: Attorney at Jones Day, Chicago.

After graduating from the University of Michigan, Gabe served as the Assistant Director of the University of Michigan Debate Team from 2000 through 2002. Gabe served as a summer clerk to Chief Judge Richard Bosson of the New Mexico Supreme Court in 2003 and currently practices as a commercial litigator at Jones Day in Chicago.

Matt Shors

Michigan Debate: 1989-1993

Academic: BA in Political Science, JD from Stanford.

Bio: Partner at O'Melveny & Myers LLP in Washington DC, where I practice in the areas of appellate/Supreme Court litigation and complex trial litigation.

Jack Shuler

Michigan Debate: 1937-1939

Academic: Combined Degree in Engineering and Law from Michigan 1941.

Bio: Retired

Currently retired, Mr. Shuler was the Chief Counsel for Michigan Bell until 1982.

Ameet Soni

Michigan Debate: 2000-2001

Academic: BS, Computer Sciences, Minor Biology '04 at UofM. MS Computer Sciences '06 at the University of Wisconsin. Currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Sciences at University of Wisconsin.

Bio: I currently live in Madison pursuing a PhD in Computer Sciences. My work is in the area of Artificial Intelligence, and specifically in topics of Machine Learning. Current emphasis is on problems in computational biology. This includes my main project of automatic protein structure determination. Other interests include natural language processing of biomedical papers and using machine learning to advanced brain imaging techniques.

Corey Stoughton

Michigan Debate: 1994-1998

Academic: B.A. in political science and history, University of Michgian (1998); JD from Harvard Law School (2002)

Bio: Staff Attorney at the New York Civil Liberties Union

Corey Stoughton is a staff attorney at the New York Civil Liberties Union working primarily on issues of racial and economic justice, first amendment rights, immigrants rights, and national security issues. She is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at NYU School of Law. Prior to joining the NYCLU, Ms. Stoughton was the Karpatkin Fellow at the ACLU's Racial Justice Program and the Civil Rights Fellow at Relman & Associates (now Relman & Dane), a private firm specializing in plaintiff-side civil rights litigation. Ms. Stoughton graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2002 and with high honors from the University of Michigan in 1998 with B.A.s in political science and history. After graduating law school, Ms. Stoughton clerked for the Hon. Cornelia Kennedy on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Tim Stucka

Michigan Debate: 1998-2000

Academic: BA, Economics and Political Science, University of Michigan (2002); MBA, Global Management, University of California at Berkeley (2007)

Bio: Senior Manager in Portfolio Strategy Group of SAP, San Francisco Bay Area, CA

Upon graduation from the University of Michigan, Tim worked for three years as an investment banker with Bank of America in Chicago and as a hedge fund analyst with Deutsche Asset Management in Frankfurt. While subsequently earning his MBA degree at the University of California at Berkeley, Tim organized student visits to India, Vietnam, and China and interned as a management consultant to technology clients with A.T. Kearney. Since 2007, Tim has focused on global product strategy in the Palo Alto office of SAP, a Germany-based provider of enterprise software.

Shaun Van Horn

Academic: BA, Political Science, University of Michigan- 2005.

Bio: Third year law student at New York University School of Law.

Shaun is an executive editor of the NYU Journal of Legislation and Public Policy and a McKay Scholar for academic achievement (top 25% of class). In 2006 Shaun received a certificate of French Law from the University of Paris II- Pantheon-Assas. In 2007 Shaun was a summer associate at the law firm Jenner & Block in Chicago, IL.

Mike Wavada

Michigan Debate: 1966-1970; Coach- 1974-1977

Academic: BA in math; MA in speech communications from U-M.

Bio: President of TSI Tailored Systems, Inc., a computer software company in East Windsor, CT.

Drafted into U.S. Army in 1970. Served as an MP during the New Mexican War. Two years as an actuary preceded six years coaching debate at Michigan and Wayne State while pretending to work on a PhD in speech. Since 1979 president of TSI Tailored Systems, Inc., a computer software company in East Windsor, CT, specializing in administrative systems for large retail advertising departments.

Lesley Wexler

Michigan Debate: 1994-1998

Academic: J.D., with honors, University of Chicago Law School, 2002; B.A., with honors, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1998.

Bio: Professor at the Florida State University College of Law.

Following graduation from law school, I clerked for the Honorable Thomas Reavley at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Honorable William Wayne Justice at the Eastern District of Texas. I then spent two years at the University of Chicago Law School as a Harry A. Bigelow Law Fellow.

My scholarship addresses the intersection of social norms and international law- something I've been thinking about since my debate days.