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Meet the Staff


John Turner
Director of Debate at Dartmouth College
John Turner is the Director of Debate at Dartmouth, winner of the 2021 James Unger Award for coaching, winner of the Rex Copeland award, and the winner of the 2022 NDT Ross Smith Coach of the Year Award. His debaters won the National Debate Tournament championship in 2021 and 2022.
John Turner is the Director of Debate at Dartmouth, winner of the 2021 James Unger Award for coaching, winner of the Rex Copeland award, and the winner of the 2022 NDT Ross Smith Coach of the Year Award. His debaters won the National Debate Tournament championship in 2021 and 2022.


Brandon Kelley
Director of Debate at Georgetown University
Brandon Kelley is the Director of Debate at Georgetown University, as well as an assistant coach for the Westminster Schools.
Brandon Kelley is the Director of Debate at Georgetown University, as well as an assistant coach for the Westminster Schools.


Shree Awsare
Director of Forensics at North Broward
Shree Awsare is the Director of Forensics at North Broward Preparatory School and an Assistant Coach at Harvard University. He has an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Columbia University and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Shree's high school teams have won the Baker Award twice, the TOC, and the NDCA in the past 5 years.
Shree Awsare is the Director of Forensics at North Broward Preparatory School and an Assistant Coach at Harvard University. He has an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Columbia University and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Shree's high school teams have won the Baker Award twice, the TOC, and the NDCA in the past 5 years.


Dr. Mikaela Malsin
Director of Debate at Emory University
Mikaela Malsin is concluding her second year as the Director of Debate for the Barkley Forum at Emory University in Atlanta. She previously served as the Director of Debate at Georgetown University. She has been teaching at the DDI continuously since 2011.
Mikaela Malsin is concluding her second year as the Director of Debate for the Barkley Forum at Emory University in Atlanta. She previously served as the Director of Debate at Georgetown University. She has been teaching at the DDI continuously since 2011.


David Kilpatrick
Coach at the University of Texas, the Harker School, and the Liberal Arts and Science Academy
David Kilpatrick is a Coach at the University of Texas, LASA and the Harker School. David debated at the University of Texas.
David Kilpatrick is a Coach at the University of Texas, LASA and the Harker School. David debated at the University of Texas.


Anthony Trufanov
Assistant Debate Coach at Dartmouth
Anthony Trufanov is a debate coach at Dartmouth. He won the 2019 National Debate Tournament and Copeland Award and has coached top teams at Kentucky and Northwestern Universities. He has been in debate for nearly a decade.
Anthony Trufanov is a debate coach at Dartmouth. He won the 2019 National Debate Tournament and Copeland Award and has coached top teams at Kentucky and Northwestern Universities. He has been in debate for nearly a decade.


Nick Lepp
Assistant Debate Coach, University of Georgia
Nick Lepp is a PhD candidate and assistant debate coach at the University of Georgia where he studies critical rhetorical theory. He also works as an assistant coach at Lexington High School.
Nick Lepp is a PhD candidate and assistant debate coach at the University of Georgia where he studies critical rhetorical theory. He also works as an assistant coach at Lexington High School.


Dr. Peter Susko
Director of Debate at Calvert Hall College HS
Peter Susko is the Director of Debate at Calvert Hall College HS in Baltimore, MD. Over the last 5 years his teams have made elimination rounds at nearly every national tournament, recently finishing top 8 at NDCA, NSDA, and 2nd place at NCFL.
Peter Susko is the Director of Debate at Calvert Hall College HS in Baltimore, MD. Over the last 5 years his teams have made elimination rounds at nearly every national tournament, recently finishing top 8 at NDCA, NSDA, and 2nd place at NCFL.


Jacon Mayer
DDI Program Coordinator
Jacon Mayer was a policy debater in high school and at the University of Vermont, before transferring to Wesleyan, where he earned a degree in government. He is a professional coach, having spent nearly fifteen years coaching high-school sailing and debate teams. He is an alumnus of the DDI, and this is his fourth season returning as a coach.
Jacon Mayer was a policy debater in high school and at the University of Vermont, before transferring to Wesleyan, where he earned a degree in government. He is a professional coach, having spent nearly fifteen years coaching high-school sailing and debate teams. He is an alumnus of the DDI, and this is his fourth season returning as a coach.
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