Coaches

Coach Ayanava is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Molecular Biology at Princeton University, with an anticipated graduation in 2025. Ayanava’s expertise lies in argument generation, case writing, and summary strategy. His experience as an educator began as Team Captain at Bronx High School and continued with his work in the classroom at various debate institutions. Ayanava qualified to the NCFL Nationals and TOC three times with a total of 7 career bids. He advanced to elimination rounds at the Tournament of Champions, Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Glenbrooks, and more. Ayanava’s coaching approach is interactive and student-centric, focusing on active participation through drills and mock debates. He takes pride in watching his novice and JV students grow passionate about debate, a testament to his successful coaching methods. Outside coaching, his interests span playing soccer, guitar, baking, hiking, and consuming diverse media. Additionally, he volunteers at the Penn Medical Center and advocates for health justice with the Service Focus Cohort at Princeton.

Coach Dylan brings half a decade of coaching experience to Potomac Debate Academy. Currently pursuing a BS in Computer Science at UNLV, Dylan competed for Coronado High School for several years. As a competitor, Dylan amassed six career bids, reached late elimination rounds at the NSDA National Tournament, and was the Nevada State Champion in PF Debate. Dylan’s students have received dozens of bids and qualified to the TOC and reached late elimination rounds at the TOC and NSDA National Tournament, as well as other major tournaments including Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, and Berkely. Dylan enjoys coaching at Potomac Debate Academy because students are able to meet a wide variety of different coaches, which lets them get instruction from coaches with varying specialties. Outside of debate, Dylan enjoys reading, Chess, and watching football/basketball.

Coach Ilana competed in Public Forum debate at The Dalton School for 3 years where they were a two time qualifier for the Tournament of Champions, placed 15th at the NSDA National Tournament, and received awards at many national tournaments including Ridge, Villiger, and Princeton. Since graduating, Ilana has earned a degree in English Literature and Language from the University of Oxford. Ilana has coached at Potomac Debate Academy since 2019, among other teaching roles including summer camp debate instructing at UTNIF, NSD, Summit Debate, Magnolia Debate, and VBI. Ilana has taught critical thinking and argumentation courses for The Dalton School and The University of Oxford. Ilana has coached students to high levels of success, including coaching one of the only all female teams to champion the NSDA National Tournament. Outside of debate, Ilana volunteers for the Safe Passage Program and enjoys bouldering, reading, and photography. Ilana’s favorite aspect of coaching is seeing students accomplish things that they never believed they could do, and they can’t wait to see what students accomplish this year!

Coach Jennifer is a Criminal Justice Professor, Retired Criminal, Family and International Attorney and High School Instructor. She has a Juris Doctorate as well as a Post Doctorate in Criminal and International Law and is currently ABD for a Ph.D. in sociology/criminology. She has coached multiple circuits for almost 20 years and has coached many State Champions and National Qualifiers. She specializes in Public Forum, Lincoln Douglas and Domestic and International Extemporaneous Speaking as well as many Speech Events. She was a High School Coach for 10 years on the NSDA circuit, going to many State and District competitions. During High School she competed in Speech and Debate events, and during Law School she made both her first-and second-year debate teams, moving on to finals to argue in front of International Judges at the Jessup Tournament in Toronto as well as finals in debate at Cornell Law School. She believes in using a student-centered approach and enjoys working on organizational and speaking skills as well as creative policy arguments.

Coach John is pursuing a Bachelors of Business Administration with majors in Accounting, Finance, Business Analytics, and Management information systems from Ohio University. As a competitor, John competed at John F. Kennedy Catholic School for 5 years where he won many awards including the 2022 OSDA State Champion finalist. As a coach, John’s specialties include case structure, framework, and analytics. His coaching philosophy centers on building a student’s core skills so that they may branch into what interests them. Outside of debate, John enjoys reading, board games, and financial markets. John is thankful for the community cultivated at Potomac Debate Academy and excited to work with it’s dedicated and talented students.

Coach Kris has several decades of debate experience, having taught/led at several summer camps and founding the Texas Debate Collective. Kris worked as a a full-time classroom teacher for 12 years at Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet and Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School in Dallas ISD. Kris is a 2-Diamond NSDA Coach, DUDA Coach of the Year, 2023 NUDA Coach of the Year, and Teacher of the Year (Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School). His students have won numerous awards, from several TFA state championships to deep elimination rounds at TOC. As a coach, Kris prioritizes training students to be intellectually curious, critically reflective about themselves and the world around them, and to embrace their power/responsibility to shape the world. He seeks to always try to model the virtues and skills he is teaching, including being able to learn and persevere through adversity and setbacks, rather than crumbling in the face of mistakes or failures. Outside of debate, Kris enjoys playing video games and going camping with friends.

A graduate of the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Minor in Mass Communication, Coach Maddie is a dedicated and experienced Speech and Debate coach. She teaches debate to all ages and learning levels, specializing in refutation, weighing, persuasive speaking, and round strategy. As a competitor, Maddie qualified twice for the Tournament of Champions, the National Speech and Debate Tournament, and the Minnesota State Tournament, also earning recognition as team captain and PF team of the year at Lakeville South High School. Her coaching successes include qualifying students yearly to the TOC, NSDA National Tournament, and Minnesota State tournament. Her students consistently advance to late elimination rounds at national circuit tournaments such as Blake, Apple Valley, Dowling, Millard North, and more. Recently, she coached a PF team to champion the annual Yale University invitational and another student to place quarterfinals at the NIE Tournament of Champions. Maddie’s coaching philosophy underscores hard work and personal goal achievement, aiming to impart lifelong skills through speech and debate. Outside coaching, Maddie enjoys writing, reading, attending plays, musicals, concerts, and engaging in political activism.

Coach Matt is a successful debate coach and curriculum innovator who has coached multiple national, regional and tournament champions in public forum, cross-examination, Lincoln-Douglas, and parliamentary-style debate. Matt has also coached winning speakers in oratory, communication analysis, and extemporaneous speaking. He has managed political campaigns, assisted in international human rights litigation, and consulted with candidates and advocacy groups on public debating and argument strategy. He has a law degree from the University of Wyoming, where he coached NPDA and NPTE national champions and NDT and CEDA elimination round participants.

Coach Melinda is pursuing an Economics (BS) and Plan II (BA) at UT Austin. A recent graduate, Melinda competed for A&M Consolidated for four years. Throughout her time competing, she won many accolades including qualifying to TOC Silver 1x and Gold 2x. She was a 3x NSDA National Qualifier, and reached elimination rounds. At the state level, she was a TFA Extemporaneous Speaking quarterfinalist, Public Forum octafinalist, and 7th speaker. Her students have reached deep elimination rounds at the TOC. Since graduating, she has worked for several debate camps including Victory Briefs Institute: Philadelphia & LA & National Symposium for Debate: Philadelphia. Her coaching philosophy centers on student engagement and practice, teaching how to execute certain skills or strategies, then transitions to student-focused practice of those skills. Beyond debate, she enjoys baking and social outings with friends.

Coach Nicole is an award-winning debate coach, nonprofit leader, and former National Debate Champion with a deep commitment to empowering students through speech and debate. As the first Black woman to win the National Debate Tournament (NDT) in 2017, she understands firsthand how debate fosters critical thinking, advocacy, and leadership skills that extend beyond competition. With over a decade of experience in coaching, program development, and nonprofit leadership, Nicole has worked with students at all levels—from novice debaters to national champions. She previously served as Executive Director of the Women’s Debate Institute, where she expanded access to debate education, and developed initiatives to create more inclusive and equitable debate spaces. Nicole’s impact in the debate world extends globally. She has led international training programs, designed anti-harassment initiatives for debate communities. She is thrilled to join Potomac Debate, bringing her expertise in coaching, mentorship, and strategic program development to the team. Nicole looks forward to working with students, fostering their growth, and continuing to build a culture of excellence and inclusion in debate.

Coach Noah has been involved in speech & debate for over 10 years. He joined Potomac Debate as a travel coach in spring 2018 and now coaches in the classroom, teaching both public speaking and public forum debate. As a competitor, Noah reached late out-rounds at major national tournaments, qualifying to NFL Nationals and the Tournament of Champions twice. In 2016, he championed the Texas state tournament in parliamentary debate. His students have experienced great success, championing Harvard multiple times, over a dozen qualifiers to the Tournament of Champions, and reaching late out-rounds at Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and more. Noah believes that his success as a coach is measured by how much my students believe I care about their success. Each day, he strives to teach speech and debate to the best of his ability, but also to demonstrate that he cares about each student’s path and success outside of speech and debate. Outside of coaching, he enjoys camping and learning Japanese.

Pranav is a sophomore at the University of Maryland. In high school, he debated for Potomac Debate Academy and Thomas S. Wootton High School, serving as captain for both. Throughout his four years, he’s qualified to the Tournament of Champions as well as reached late elimination rounds at UPenn, George Mason, Sunvite, Dowling, Durham, and others

A dedicated educator in Speech and Debate, Coach Rachel’s teaching philosophy centers on flexibility and catering to the unique needs of each student, with a focus on their holistic growth and success. Rachel earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Arkansas in May 2019 and her Masters in Education from the University of Arkansas Little Rock in December 2020. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University, expecting to graduate in December 2025. With six years of coaching experience, Rachel specializes in Public Forum, Speech, Congress, World Schools, Policy, and Lincoln Douglas debates. Her coaching career includes roles at Bentonville High School, Bentonville West High School, and Cabot High School, where she served as the Director of Speech and Debate. Rachel’s students have achieved notable successes, including multiple Ivy League acceptances, state championships, and national competition advancements. Her favorite aspect of coaching is witnessing students’ progress from their first day to their final competition. Outside of coaching, Rachel enjoys listening to music, cooking, traveling, and organizing community projects with students.

Coach Ray brings a decade of experience in Speech and Debate. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Ray specialized in Policy Debate and Prose/Poetry during his high school years. He has worked in a variety of educational capacities, as a head coach, private tutor, and Drama and Speech teacher for nearly a decade. Ray has coached numerous students to NSDA and NCFL Nationals, including a Tournament of Champions’ first-place POI speaker. Ray’s coaching ethos revolves around the empowerment that comes from public speaking, considering it a vital tool for personal development. His dedication extends beyond coaching, with active involvement in his local theater community and a passion for musical theater and current events. His commitment to teaching spans all age groups, emphasizing the importance of communication skills at every stage of life. Coach Ray looks forward to continuing his impactful work, fostering confidence and growth in his students.

Coach Ruby has taught with Potomac Debate Academy since 2021. A former competitor for Westridge School, Ruby qualified to the NSDA National Tournament and Tournament of Champions in Domestic Extemp, Impromptu, and Public Forum. They succeeded at major tournaments, including championing Jack Howe and semi-finaling at the California State Championship. Their students have qualified to the TOC, advanced to elimination rounds, and won speaker awards. Ruby believes that all students approach this activity with different natural and acquired skills, and students have a lot to learn from one another. They believe that, ultimately, speech and debate is about communicating your ideas as clearly and effectively as possible, and we can learn from all the different people in our classes what kinds of communication are effective. Ruby is currently pursuing an Elementary Education and Spanish Dual Degree at American University. They are involved in mutual aid, the Disabled Student Union, and are a teacher’s assistant. Outside of debate, they enjoy cooking and baking, and their two cats.

Coach Tejas competed at Del Norte High School for four years, where he was President of the debate team, helped move the program from local competitions to the national circuit and developed two middle school debate programs. During his career, he accumulated 9 career bids to the Tournament of Champions, advancing to late outrounds at multiple national tournaments, such as semifinals at the Berkeley invitational and finals at the Villiger invitational. In addition, he reached elimination rounds at both Nationals and the California State Tournament. Further, he has coached at multiple debate camps and privately coached teams to 11 bids to the TOC in his senior year of high school. Tejas is currently pursuing a degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago. He is incredibly excited to work with everyone at Potomac!

Coach Tiffany has been teaching Speech and Debate for over a decade, specializing in Public Forum, Speech, and Congressional Debate. She competed in speech events at Cabot High School and participated in IPDA debate during her four years at the University of Arkansas Monticello, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication and Political Science in 2012. Tiffany also holds a Master of Education in Secondary Education from the University of Arkansas Little Rock, completed in 2014. As a coach, Tiffany has worked with students for nine years across several institutions, including Cabot School District, Monticello High School, and Bentonville Freshman Academy. Her coaching achievements are numerous, including being named 2023 Arkansas Communication and Theatre Arts Association Teacher of the Year, earning the 2023 NFHS Outstanding Performing Arts Educator Award for Arkansas, and receiving the 2021 Outstanding Speech Coach Little Rock Central HS Tournament. Her students have won many awards, including make it to the final round as well as championing at NSDA and TOC nationals. Tiffany’s coaching philosophy is centered on empowering students to set and achieve their personal goals. She is passionate about helping students grow their confidence and become the best versions of themselves. Outside of coaching, Tiffany enjoys hiking, antique shopping, and spending time with her children. She is thrilled to be part of Potomac Debate Academy, where students can hone their craft in an individual way and at a young age.

​Coach Vasiley competed for several years at Walter Johnson High School, and now competes at the University of Maryland where they are pursuing a BA in Finance. Vasiley has extensive coaching experience, both in and outside of debate. Most recently, they were elected Tournament Director at the University of Maryland Parliamentary Debate Society. As a coach, their philosophy centers on fostering critical thinking, effective communication, and personal growth. Vasiley believes in creating a supportive yet challenging environment where students can develop their confidence, articulate their ideas persuasively, and learn to approach problems from multiple perspectives. Outside of coaching, Vasiley enjoys playing piano, biking, and hiking.

 

A former alum, Coach Vishnu competed for Walt Whitman HS for four years, joining debate in 7th grade with Potomac Debate Academy. As a competitor, Vishnu was ranked the #1 Public Forum debater in the nation, championing major tournaments including Yale University and Georgetown University. After graduating, Vishnu knew they wanted to return to Potomac Debate Academy as a coach to help further its mission of fostering students’ success, just as the program had done for them years before. Now, Vishnu is pursuing an Economics & Finance degree from Claremont McKenna. As a coach, Vishnu specializes in argument creation and refutation. They believe that debate should be fun, and they work to create an active classroom that allows each student’s voice to be heard. Vishnu is an active volunteer, participating in national climate strikes, working with students with autistic spectrum disorders, and fundraising for Urban Debate Leagues. Outside of debate, they enjoy golfing, lacrosse, and poker.

A former Potomac debater and team captain, Coach Abigail competed at Winston Churchill High School where she began debating in eighth grade. Abigail is currently studying Government and Economics at Georgetown University (Class of 2027). As a competitor, she reached elimination rounds at major tournaments including TOC DSDS, Golden Desert, Ridge Debates, the Milo Cup at Millard North, the University of Michigan, Stanford University, and the University of Pennsylvania. She reached octo-finals at the 2022 Gold Tournament of Champions and placed #32 at the 2023 NSDA Nationals Tournament. Since graduating, she has coached at Dynamic Debate Academy and NSD, Public Forum Academy, and Victory Briefs Institute. As a coach, Abigail specializes in back-half strategy, rebuttal argumentation, advanced comparative weighing, and theory arguments. Her coaching philosophy centers on helping students grow – not just through wins or losses – but as competitors, teammates, and people. She hopes to support and encourage her students to not only put in the hard work, but to truly enjoy debate as an activity. Abigail is deeply invested in her community, having founded an organization dedicated to expanding accessible resources to low-income debaters, working with Students Demand Action to advocate for legislative reform, and interned with a grassroots movement dedicated to international poverty reduction. Outside of debate, she enjoys running and working out, watching movies, and hanging out with friends.

Coach Caroline competed for The Chapin School for four years, where she was Team Captain from 2023-24. As a competitor, Caroline was the first at her school to qualify to the major national tournaments, including qualifying to the Tournament of Champions (Gold) twice, NSDA National once and NCFL National qualifier twice. Caroline received a total of 8 Gold bids to the Tournament of Champions in addition to 5 Silver bids. She graduated while ranked as the No. 1 individual debater in New York State and 14th individual debater nationwide by the NSDA. As a coach, Caroline taught at NSD Summer Camp and has coached students to a total of over 20 bids to the TOC, as well as reaching deep elims at large national tournaments. Her coaching philosophy centers on consistent practice paired with specific feedback. Outside of debate, she enjoys running, baking, scientific research, and spending time with friends and family.

Coach Henry is currently pursuing a degree in Political Science, Economics, and Philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to this, he competed at J.R. Masterman for four years where he coached his team to become a nationally competitive program with multiple TOC qualifying teams. As a competitor, he was the 2024 TOC Gold Bid leader, reaching deep elims at major tournaments including the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, Bronx Science, and more. After graduating, he coached at summer camp programs including NSD and VBI. Henry’s coaching philosophy centers on the idea that the variety of judging styles and as a result debating styles is what makes Public Forum fun and unique. He believes that it is not enough to be the best tech debater or the best lay debater, the most accomplished have the ability to adapt and debate well regardless of the judge. Henry looks to give his students the ability to figure out how to best approach each situation and round they will have. Outside of debate, Henry enjoys music, biking around Pittsburgh, and watching the Philadelphia Sports!

Coach Leon, a sophomore Finance Major at the University of Minnesota, brings three years of coaching experience to Potomac Debate Academy. Leon, a graduate of the Blake School in 2022, has held roles at Harvard Debate Council Summer Workshops, Beyond Resolved summer camp, and as a senior captain of Blake’s debate team. Leon’s competitive achievements are impressive, with nine career TOC bids, three qualifications to the TOC, and reaching deep elimination rounds at major national tournaments like UNLV, Princeton, and the TOC. Leon’s coaching philosophy centers on individualizing strengths and growth areas for each debater. At Potomac, he appreciates the diverse range of experiences and ages, providing a platform for students to become novice debaters or to hone their skills to the highest level. His personal interests include Ultimate Frisbee, working on startup business projects, and spending time with friends.

A former student of Potomac Debate Academy, Coach Ruth has been involved with PDA for over 7 years. Coach Ruth is currently pursuing a dual degree in Business and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. Competing for Thomas S. Wootton High School, Ruth qualified to the TOC twice, earning a total of 9 career bids while winning major accolades like 2nd speaker at TOC (Gold), semi-finals at Harvard, and the University of Pennsylvania. By the end of her senior year, Ruth was ranked 3rd in the nation. As a coach, Ruth specializes in case writing, back-half strategy, and developing round vision. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes openness to diverse opinions and personalized debate strategies and she enjoys seeing students recognize their progress and the fulfillment of their hard work. Beyond coaching, Ruth’s interests include cooking, exploring music, and engagement in equality movements and environmental activism.

Coach Sadie is currently pursuing a degree in economics from the University of Michigan. Prior to that, she competed for The Chapin School for four years where she consistently ranked no. 1 in New York and as high as 8th in the nation. She was the first team from her school to qualify to the Tournament of Champions, the National Speech and Debate Tournament, and the National Catholic Forensics League. Since graduating, she coached at NSD, VBI, and volunteered at New York City-based non-profits. As a coach, Sadie focuses on the power of logical analysis, research, and judge adaptation, teaching students the fundamentals of all debate styles to enhance their argumentation skills and real-world abilities. Outside of debate, she enjoys following the Yankees, traveling, baking, and spending time with friends.

Coach Sasha competed for four years Princeton High School, earning a total of nine career bids. As a competitor, they won awards at many prestigious tournaments including semifinals at the NJ State Championship and Columbia University, octofinals at University of Pennsylvania, quarterfinals at Sunvite and Cypress, championing Pennsbury Falcon twice, double octofinals at Harvard and Yale, as well as 6th speaker at the Tournament of Champions (Gold). Sasha has coached for years, including at NSD, VBI, NOVA Debate, and more. Sasha views debate as a tool for mastering strategic thinking and communication. Their coaching philosophy focuses on teaching students skills that not only help them excel in debate but also equip them to tackle academic and real-world challenges with confidence. Sasha is currently studying mathematics at Harvard University. Outside of debate, Sasha enjoys solving sudoku puzzles, playing the guitar, and reading nonfiction. They are also deeply passionate about addressing educational inequality, having created STEM programs that have positively impacted over 300 students in their community.

A Global Business major at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service (Class of 2027), Coach Anirudh specializes in lay/flay/flow substance debate, round vision, and judge adaptation. Anirudh was an accomplished competitor for Durham Academy for four years, leading the debate team as a Co-Captain and was an instructor at the NOVA summer debate camp. Anirudh has a long list of accomplishments, including championing Yale University, the UK Season Opener, Duke University, and reaching late elimination rounds at many other major tournaments such as Stanford, Princeton, and Harvard. Anirudh was a Co-Champion of the Tarheel Forensic League State Championship, ranking #1 Speech and Debater in North Carolina and top 20 PF Debater nationwide. In the 2022-23 season, the NDCA ranked him #1 Public Forum Team in the NDCA Averill (PF) Standings. Coach Anirudh’s teaching philosophy caters to student’s strengths and allows them to determine which type of debater they want to be. Beyond debate, Anirudh enjoys working out, exploring new music, hiking, and playing sports.

 

Coach David competed at Campbell Hall High School for four years and is now pursuing a BA in Political Science from UC Berkeley. As a competitor, they were the 2020 NSDA Nationals runner up and 2019 California State Championship runner up, qualified to Gold TOC two times and made it to elimination rounds both years (2020 and 2021). David has coached ES, MS, and HS students across the world in World Schools Debate, Public Debate, and Public Forum Debate. David’s coaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of critical thinking over mere debate techniques. They believe that the core value of debate lies in fostering a deep understanding of the world and developing the ability to think critically. Outside of coaching, David enjoys rock climbing, bouldering, backpacking, and going to the movies.

Coach Elly competed at Marist School for three years where they accumulated seven career bids to the TOC, with a highest national ranking of 12th. As a competitor, they reached deep elimination rounds at Sunvitational, Blake, Blue Key, Barkley Forum, Nova Titan, Durham, and more. Since graduating, Elly has coached at VBI and PFA. Elly’s coaching philosophy revolves around ensuring students extract maximum value from their debate experience, focusing on skill development, enjoyment, and personal growth. She particularly enjoys witnessing students thrive and feel rewarded for their efforts. Elly is currently pursuing a major in economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, set to graduate in 2027. Beyond debate, she enjoys running, exploring new foods, traveling, and attending concerts. She is also actively involved in nonprofit work as the Head of MIT Code for Good, where she leads efforts to complete technical projects for nonprofits and addresses educational inequities through mentorship programs.

Coach Jack competed at Plano Senior HS and Clark High School for four years, participating in a wide variety of debate events. Jack served as a team leader, coaching middle school and novice students from 2021 to 2024. After graduating, Jack taught at the Plano West Summer Camp, helping students develop heir own drive for success. Jack was a National Semi-finalist and ranked 4th in the state of Texas in Congressional Debate, since coaching numerous state and national qualifiers. Their favorite part of coaching is seeing when it finally clicks for students as they begin to be even more cognizant of what they have learned and become successful in their own ways. Jack is currently pursuing a BA in International Relations from the University of Maryland. Outside of debate, they enjoy sourcing, roasting, and drinking their own coffee, following formula one racing, and mountain biking.

Coach Kevin is currently pursuing a bachelors in Computer Science at the University of Pennsylvania. A former Potomac Debate student, he previously competed in both middle and high school debate, totaling 6 years of competitive experience. He has taught at a wide variety of programs, including Kids for Code, SEEDs, Rockville Science Center, and Bethesda Country Club. Kevin’s coaching philosophy centers on growth-focused approach to coaching, which emphasizes regular feedback to evaluate skill progression, a long-term perspective that doesn’t focus on winning right now, and a holistic development that gives skills beyond just debate. Outside of debate, Kevin enjoys K-Pop and Hip-Hop music, rock climbing, and bodybuilding.

Coach Lucas is a former Potomac Debate student, having competed for four years at Richard Montgomery High School. As a competitor, he advanced to late elimination rounds at major national tournaments including Marist Ivy, George Mason, Lakeland, Cal State Fullerton, Georgetown, and more, resulting in top speaker awards and earning a bid to the TOC. As a coach, he specializes in lay appeal, weighing, and back-half strategy and his personal philosophy centers around the idea that there is a lot to be learned from every loss, and analyzing lost rounds and doing practice rounds are crucial for growth. Lucas is currently pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science at Georgia Tech. Outside of debate, he enjoys outdoor recreation, programming apps, and reading. He’s also passionate about community service, having taught coding to K-12 students through KidCoders 365 and led afterschool science labs with KAST (Kids Are Scientists Too).

Coach Mahek is currently pursuing a double major degree in Finance and Information Systems at Indiana University. Prior to coaching, she competed for four years at Palatine High School, where she served as captain for two years. As a competitor, Mahek was a PF Octafinalist at the Illinois High School State Association tournament, qualified to the NSDA National Tournament, and a finalist at the Illinois Debate Community State Championship. Her favorite part of coaching is seeing kids grow into themselves throughout debate, as it is more than just arguing, but an art of persuasion. Outside of coaching, Mahek enjoys playing board games like Monopoly, dabbling in photography, and golfing. She also hosts her own podcast and is an avid Star Wars fan—her Labrador is even named Obi-Wan! Mahek volunteers with Morgan’s Message and packs food for underprivileged communities in her community.

Coach Saif joined Potomac Debate Academy as an instructor in the summer of 2021. Saif competed for Stuyvesant High School for four years, where he reached out rounds at a number of national tournaments, including Yale, Georgetown, Scarsdale, and many others. Saif’s coaching philosophy centers on creating a collaborative learning environment, with the goal of learning exactly what a student’s strengths and weaknesses are and collectively, working together to lift those up. Saif graduated from Hunter College with a degree in Religion, Political Science and Human Rights in 2019 and is currently pursuing his JD from Yale Law School, class of 2024. Outside of debate, Saif has recently been exploring Dungeons and Dragons as well as enjoying traveling, having visited Ghana and South Korea.