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Meet the Staff
Our staff, of course, are what make DDI so special.
The debate experience and accomplishments of the DDI staff are without peer,
and unique among camps, every student at DDI has access to all of them.
John Turner - Camp Director
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 - Lab Leader
Director of Debate at Georgetown University
Brandon Kelley has been the Director of Debate at Georgetown University since 2021. As Director, he has coached multiple First Round At Large bids to the National Debate Tournament, including a team ranked 4th overall in the nation in 2024. Previously, he coached a team to the finals of the 2017 NDT. He has worked with several high-school programs including the Westminster Schools and Greenhill.
Brandon Kelley has been the Director of Debate at Georgetown University since 2021. As Director, he has coached multiple First Round At Large bids to the National Debate Tournament, including a team ranked 4th overall in the nation in 2024. Previously, he coached a team to the finals of the 2017 NDT. He has worked with several high-school programs including the Westminster Schools and Greenhill.
Dr. Mikaela Malsin - Lab Leader
Director of Debate at Emory University
Mikaela Malsin is the Director of Debate for the Barkley Forum at Emory University in Atlanta and the 2024 recipient of the James Unger Award for coaching the winners of the Rex Copeland Award. She previously served as the Director of Debate at Georgetown University, where she coached a team to the finals of the 2017 National Debate Tournament. She has coached the Top Speaker at the NDT four times, and has been teaching at the DDI continuously since 2011.
Mikaela Malsin is the Director of Debate for the Barkley Forum at Emory University in Atlanta and the 2024 recipient of the James Unger Award for coaching the winners of the Rex Copeland Award. She previously served as the Director of Debate at Georgetown University, where she coached a team to the finals of the 2017 National Debate Tournament. She has coached the Top Speaker at the NDT four times, and has been teaching at the DDI continuously since 2011.
Johnnie Stupek - Lab Leader
Head Debate Coach at the University of Georgia
Johnnie Stupek is the Head Debate Coach of the Georgia Debate Union. Johnnie previously coached at Dartmouth College and Emory University, where he earned a Juris Doctor degree. In his time coaching, he has coached several First-Round-At-Large teams to the National Debate Tournament. As a student debating at UGA, he was a finalist at the 2019 National Debate Tournament and received two First-Round-At-Large Bids to the National Debate Tournament.
Johnnie Stupek is the Head Debate Coach of the Georgia Debate Union. Johnnie previously coached at Dartmouth College and Emory University, where he earned a Juris Doctor degree. In his time coaching, he has coached several First-Round-At-Large teams to the National Debate Tournament. As a student debating at UGA, he was a finalist at the 2019 National Debate Tournament and received two First-Round-At-Large Bids to the National Debate Tournament.
Azja Butler - Lab Leader
Debate Coach at Kansas University and Shawnee Mission South
Azja Butler debated for the University of Kansas from 2018-2021, winning several collegiate debate tournaments and becoming the first Black woman to be awarded Top Speaker at the National Debate Tournament. She now coaches for KU and Shawnee Mission South high school. Her high school teams have had multiple TOC appearances, and won the NCFL National Championship in 2022.
Azja Butler debated for the University of Kansas from 2018-2021, winning several collegiate debate tournaments and becoming the first Black woman to be awarded Top Speaker at the National Debate Tournament. She now coaches for KU and Shawnee Mission South high school. Her high school teams have had multiple TOC appearances, and won the NCFL National Championship in 2022.
Nick Loew - Lab Leader
Assistant Director of Debate at George Mason University
Nick Loew is the Assistant Director of Debate at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He also coaches at The Harker School in San Jose, California, assisting students in winning a variety of national tournaments and elimination round appearances at the Tournament of Champions. As a competitor, Nick qualified to the National Debate Tournament all four years of college, and was an elimination round participant. Nick is a former DDI student, and has taught at the camp for the past 3 years.
Nick is an alum of George Mason University, and previously debated for three years at Perry High School in Ohio. In high school he won the OSDA State Championship twice, twice qualified to NSDA nationals, and won multiple speaker awards. In college, he has broken to elimination rounds of various regional and national tournaments, most notably including the Quarterfinals of the ADA championship and Doubles of the National Debate Tournament. He attended the 4 week DDI camp in 2018, and attended for 6 weeks in 2019.
Nick Loew is the Assistant Director of Debate at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He also coaches at The Harker School in San Jose, California, assisting students in winning a variety of national tournaments and elimination round appearances at the Tournament of Champions. As a competitor, Nick qualified to the National Debate Tournament all four years of college, and was an elimination round participant. Nick is a former DDI student, and has taught at the camp for the past 3 years.
Nick is an alum of George Mason University, and previously debated for three years at Perry High School in Ohio. In high school he won the OSDA State Championship twice, twice qualified to NSDA nationals, and won multiple speaker awards. In college, he has broken to elimination rounds of various regional and national tournaments, most notably including the Quarterfinals of the ADA championship and Doubles of the National Debate Tournament. He attended the 4 week DDI camp in 2018, and attended for 6 weeks in 2019.
Anthony Trufanov - Adjunct Lab Leader
Assistant Coach at Dartmouth College
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 11 years.
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 11 years.
Jacon Mayer - 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 alum of the DDI, and this is his six season returning as a staff member.
Joe Kieklak - Residence Hall Director
Joe Kieklak is a communication teacher at Cabot Freshman Academy. Joe is entering his eleventh year coaching policy debate, congress, and speech. He is the recipient of the Thomas S. Foley Ambassador’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Forensics Education. This is Joe’s third year at DDI.
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