Your Team Captains & Brand Ambassadors.
Potomac Debate Academy is proud of our student leadership team!
Our Team Captains are among our most dedicated debate students, some of whom have been with us for the better part of a decade. They offer support, feedback and guidance to their fellow student debaters through tournament observing, mock debates, office hours, monthly workshops and team newsletters. All Potomac Debate Academy team members have access to resources and events led by our Team Captains.
Our Brand Ambassadors work to celebrate the student experience at PDA by helping document the lifelong memories debaters make at tournaments and increasing authentic student representation in our front-facing media. These students also work diligently to increase inclusion across our team by connecting students with resources outside of the classroom. We encourage you to keep an eye on our Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts to see all the great work these young professionals are doing!
Team Captains
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Grace L.
- HS Team Captain
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Grace has been with Potomac Debate since 2017, and has competed in Public Forum on the national circuit for 4 years. Since then, she has not only developed a strong passion for debate, but also become a confident public speaker, researcher, and writer. From debate, she has acquired many valuable skills and treasured friendships that will last a lifetime. As a Potomac captain, she is looking forward to meeting everyone and building our community!
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Ishan P.
- HS Team Captain
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Ishan is a current senior at Thomas S. Wootton High School and has been part of Potomac for over seven years. Throughout his time with Potomac, Ishan has championed the Silver Tournament of Champions and the Lexington Invitational while developing a passion for research, public speaking, and critical thinking. He looks forward to improving team chemistry and working on the Potomac Prep Drive this year!
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Katherine X.
- HS Team Captain
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Katherine joined debate in middle school and began competing in eighth grade. Along the way, she has developed a passion for public speaking, critical thinking skills, and many valuable friendships. Through participating in debate, she’s learned the importance of having confidence and strong communication abilities. As a captain, she is looking forward to supporting the Potomac community and creating lasting memories.
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Preston L.
- HS Team Captain
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Preston began debating at Potomac in eighth grade, where he took a profound interest in unique case writing strategies and innovative weighing tactics. Preston enjoys all the special opportunities debate offers, such as meeting new faces, acquiring more knowledge about the world around him, and enhancing his public speaking skills. With familiarity in both lay and technical debate, Preston hopes to teach students how to win the flow while adapting to all types of judges. He is extremely excited to lead the team and share his experiences with the rest of the Potomac community!
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Sherry L.
- HS Team Captain
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Sherry is a junior at Richard Montgomery High School. She started debating with Potomac in middle school and has since developed a passion for public speaking and researching global issues. Her favorite aspect of debate is learning about new topics and becoming friends with people from across the country. As a team captain, Sherry is so excited to build a community and help Potomac grow!
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Shreya D.
- HS Team Captain
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Shreya began debating as a Potomac student as an elementary schooler. Since then, she has branched out and discovered her passion in competitive speech categories. She finds thrill in the adrenaline of limited-prep events and the opportunity to develop insight about current events. Her favorite part about speech and debate is how it pulls students out of their shells; without them even realizing it. Shreya is ecstatic to lead the team alongside the other captains in tournaments throughout this year!
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Zayd P.
- HS Team Captain
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Zayd Patel is a Senior at The Heights School in Potomac, MD. Starting debate with Potomac midway through 7th grade, he has since enjoyed both Public Forum and Lincoln Douglas debate. Zayd enjoys all real-life skills debate provides, and has a particular liking for lay debate. His favorite part of debate, however, is its strategic structure and the competitive atmosphere the activity provides. Zayd is thrilled to help prepare the team through technical and experiential means and is looking forward to a great year for the Potomac team!
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Assistant Team Captains
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Veena Y.
- MS Team Captain
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Veena is an eighth grader at Eagle Ridge Middle School, and started learning debate in late sixth grade with Potomac Debate Academy. Debate had quickly turned into a passion, and something she enjoyed spending hours on. Since then she has enjoyed learning both Public Forum and Licoln-Douglas debate. Through practice and participation in debate tournaments, Veena has become more articulate and self-assured. She strongly believes debate can boost confidence and enhance communication abilities. Her favorite parts of debate include meeting amazing people from all over, and learning about different issues. As a captain, she is excited to share her love for debate with others and help them improve their skills.
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Veer P.
- MS Team Captain
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Veer’s journey in debate began in elementary school, where he has been a member of Potomac Debate Academy for over 4 years now. Year after year, Veer immersed himself in countless tournaments, constantly striving for success. As he continued competing, he emerged victorious in numerous prestigious tournaments, leaving his mark on the debate circuit. Veer has gained numerous accolades this year from winning tournaments like UMD, The University of Kentucky Season Opener, Cal State, Georgetown, and even Harvard. Veer now aims to inspire and mentor younger debaters entering the field, sharing his passion and expertise to help others excel.
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Brand Ambassadors
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Kaitlyn Q.
- Brand Ambassador
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Kaitlyn is a 10th grader from Greenwich, Connecticut. She found her passion for debate in elementary school, and shortly started competing for her school team in 6th grade. Potomac Debate Academy has been instrumental in shaping her confidence and critical thinking, thus as Brand Ambassador, Kaitlyn hopes to help others discover the organization and improve their communication skills.
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Lebene W.
- Brand Ambassador
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Lebene is an eighth grader who began public speaking at Potomac Debate Academy in the sixth grade. He soon took an interest in the prepared speech events, thanks to a love of researching and writing speeches. Lebene’s public speaking training has helped him in all corners of his academic life: from class presentations to intellectual discussions with teachers. Lebene is excited to apply his creativity and enthusiasm for speech to his role as Brand Ambassador
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Thandi D.
- Brand Ambassador
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Thandi has been part of Potomac Debate Academy since elementary school. Now a high school sophomore, she appreciates how her experience there has helped her grow not only in speech and debate but also in life. After five years of experience in Public Forum debate, Thandi has recently begun broadening her skills to include Public Speaking. Through her position, she hopes to share the benefits of Potomac Debate Academy on social media, inspiring more people to discover an activity she has come to love
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Vika V.
- Brand Ambassador
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Victoria “Vika” Vilensky is an 8th grader from Montgomery County, Maryland. After discovering her passion for debate at the PDA summer camp at the University of Maryland, she started a debate team at her middle school, where she now serves as team captain. As Brand Ambassador, Vika hopes to inspire kids to discover the excitement and benefits of debate and public speaking and to promote Potomac Debate Academy’s vision of helping every student find their unique voice as an effective communicator.
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Vivian C.
- Brand Ambassador
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Vivian is a sophomore at River Hill High School. She discovered her love for speech & debate after joining her debate team in middle school and has been part of Potomac Debate ever since, hoping to develop more effective communication skills. The skills she’s developed from speech & debate have helped her in many areas of her life, from research projects to class presentations. As a brand ambassador, Vivian hopes to share the amazing art of speech & debate with others through social media.
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