SACHIN JAIN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
Sachin is the founder of Athens Debate. Sachin has 20 years of experience competing and teaching Speech and Debate. His students have achieved great success at the local, state, and national levels.
He completed his undergraduate degree Summa Cum Laude from UC Berkeley and his Masters of Public Policy from the top ranked policy school in the country, UC Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy. Sachin has taught undergraduate students at UC Berkeley, debate at Stanford University, and at various debate academies in the Bay Area.
Most notably, Sachin uses his experience in Speech and Debate to find success in the real world. He has worked in political and policy capacities at the United States Senate, White House, San Jose City Council, the Governor of California, President of the UC System, and the Mayor of San Jose.
He enjoys teaching students how to make debate come alive for them and be applicable to their future pursuits. Debate changed his life and he hopes to do the same for all of his students.
Sachin is the founder of Athens Debate. Sachin has 20 years of experience competing and teaching Speech and Debate. His students have achieved great success at the local, state, and national levels.
He completed his undergraduate degree Summa Cum Laude from UC Berkeley and his Masters of Public Policy from the top ranked policy school in the country, UC Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy. Sachin has taught undergraduate students at UC Berkeley, debate at Stanford University, and at various debate academies in the Bay Area.
Most notably, Sachin uses his experience in Speech and Debate to find success in the real world. He has worked in political and policy capacities at the United States Senate, White House, San Jose City Council, the Governor of California, President of the UC System, and the Mayor of San Jose.
He enjoys teaching students how to make debate come alive for them and be applicable to their future pursuits. Debate changed his life and he hopes to do the same for all of his students.
MICHAEL EPLEY
Mike Epley has taught with Athens Debate for nearly three years and is one of those instructors that students talk about with reverence for years. Mr. Epley has coached speech and debate since 2013. Mike has a degree in Communication Studies with an emphasis on Rhetoric at University of San Francisco, where he earned a scholarship to captain the debate team. A successful competitor, Mike earned gold medal at state and national tournaments in Parliamentary, Lincoln-Douglas, and Parliamentary-LD debate, and was voted 2013 Northern California Forensics Association Debater of the Year.
Mike joined speech and debate for the love of competition, but the activity has given him so much more than just trophies. Thanks to speech and debate, Mike is a skilled communicator and a confident, vocal advocate. The passion for effective, confident advocacy that Mike developed as a competitor is what drove him to become an educator, with the belief that the study of speech and debate transforms the way we engage with the world, making strong critical thinkers and better communicators. There’s no subject he’d rather teach.
Mike Epley has taught with Athens Debate for nearly three years and is one of those instructors that students talk about with reverence for years. Mr. Epley has coached speech and debate since 2013. Mike has a degree in Communication Studies with an emphasis on Rhetoric at University of San Francisco, where he earned a scholarship to captain the debate team. A successful competitor, Mike earned gold medal at state and national tournaments in Parliamentary, Lincoln-Douglas, and Parliamentary-LD debate, and was voted 2013 Northern California Forensics Association Debater of the Year.
Mike joined speech and debate for the love of competition, but the activity has given him so much more than just trophies. Thanks to speech and debate, Mike is a skilled communicator and a confident, vocal advocate. The passion for effective, confident advocacy that Mike developed as a competitor is what drove him to become an educator, with the belief that the study of speech and debate transforms the way we engage with the world, making strong critical thinkers and better communicators. There’s no subject he’d rather teach.
ZAHRA ALAMIRE
Zahra Alamire is an upcoming law school graduate from UC Hastings School of Law. Zahra has over 7 years of debate teaching experience. She has taught at numerous academies and is highly sought after. As a debater, Zahra was a U.S. National Champion in debate, a California State Champion in college through the College Forensics Association, and won 1st Place in Parliamentary Debate at the National Parliamentary Debate Association tournament. Zahra holds a Bachelor's in Political Science and International Relations from UC Berkeley. We are very excited to have Zahra on the teaching team!
Zahra Alamire is an upcoming law school graduate from UC Hastings School of Law. Zahra has over 7 years of debate teaching experience. She has taught at numerous academies and is highly sought after. As a debater, Zahra was a U.S. National Champion in debate, a California State Champion in college through the College Forensics Association, and won 1st Place in Parliamentary Debate at the National Parliamentary Debate Association tournament. Zahra holds a Bachelor's in Political Science and International Relations from UC Berkeley. We are very excited to have Zahra on the teaching team!
PAUL VILLA
Paul Villa has a masters in communication education and a wide variety of forensics experience. He competed in college parliamentary and Lincoln Douglas debate at the University of the Pacific. Most notably, Paul and his debater partner finished the fall semester ranked 1st in the nation in back-to-back years winning 6 tournaments and ultimately reached the semi-final round of the national championship tournament in consecutive years. Following his debate career, Paul was offered a full ride as a graduate assistant coaching the University of the Pacific speech and debate team. In the years since Paul has coached students of all levels to high degrees of success, his students include top 5 finishers in the nation at the college level in parli and LD as well as middle school state champions and national semifinalists in public forum. When he isn’t teaching students at Athens Debate, Paul is the director of debate at Diablo Valley College where he also serves as a Professor of Communication teaching public speaking and argumentation and debate.
Paul Villa has a masters in communication education and a wide variety of forensics experience. He competed in college parliamentary and Lincoln Douglas debate at the University of the Pacific. Most notably, Paul and his debater partner finished the fall semester ranked 1st in the nation in back-to-back years winning 6 tournaments and ultimately reached the semi-final round of the national championship tournament in consecutive years. Following his debate career, Paul was offered a full ride as a graduate assistant coaching the University of the Pacific speech and debate team. In the years since Paul has coached students of all levels to high degrees of success, his students include top 5 finishers in the nation at the college level in parli and LD as well as middle school state champions and national semifinalists in public forum. When he isn’t teaching students at Athens Debate, Paul is the director of debate at Diablo Valley College where he also serves as a Professor of Communication teaching public speaking and argumentation and debate.
NICKY SMITH
Nicky holds a PhD and a Master of Arts in Sociology from UC San Diego and UC Berkeley, with their intercampus scholarly research focusing on social movement theory and strategy surrounding criminal injustice advocacy and literature. Nicky received their Bachelor of Science in Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University where they were a Clinton Fellow, Udall Scholar, Humanity in Action Fellow, and Critical Language Scholar. They completed additional scholarly and advocacy work at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, Universidad Panamericana, Tongji University, and the University of Jordan. Nicky has 19 years of experience coaching and competing in Debate, with multiple state championships and late elimination rounds at the nation's most prestigious tournaments, including Harvard, Valley, the NSDA/NFL National Championship, and the Grand National Tournament. Nicky specializes in case construction, rebuttal speeches and rhetorical skills, adapting to a variety of judges (traditional/circuit/different regions), extemporaneous argumentation (with their background in improvisation/acting), unique kritiks, and building on intersectional perspectives that can expand the Forensics arena.Nicky has led and looks forward to continuing to lead countless students to use debate to become more engaged in the classroom and articulate, informed, and active leaders in their schools and wider communities.
Nicky holds a PhD and a Master of Arts in Sociology from UC San Diego and UC Berkeley, with their intercampus scholarly research focusing on social movement theory and strategy surrounding criminal injustice advocacy and literature. Nicky received their Bachelor of Science in Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University where they were a Clinton Fellow, Udall Scholar, Humanity in Action Fellow, and Critical Language Scholar. They completed additional scholarly and advocacy work at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, Universidad Panamericana, Tongji University, and the University of Jordan. Nicky has 19 years of experience coaching and competing in Debate, with multiple state championships and late elimination rounds at the nation's most prestigious tournaments, including Harvard, Valley, the NSDA/NFL National Championship, and the Grand National Tournament. Nicky specializes in case construction, rebuttal speeches and rhetorical skills, adapting to a variety of judges (traditional/circuit/different regions), extemporaneous argumentation (with their background in improvisation/acting), unique kritiks, and building on intersectional perspectives that can expand the Forensics arena.Nicky has led and looks forward to continuing to lead countless students to use debate to become more engaged in the classroom and articulate, informed, and active leaders in their schools and wider communities.
BEN UNANAOWO
Mr. Unanaowo is a seasoned Forensics Speech Coach with 20 years of experience. He had the pleasure of competing for two of the most storied programs in the history of Speech and Debate. The James Logan High School Forensics team and the Western Kentucky University Forensics team. His pedigree afforded him a wealth of knowledge due to the Hall of Fame and championship coaches who mentored him. Mr. Unanaowo specializes in finding diverse and challenging performance material. However, Mr. Unanaowo's true passion is writing. Creative writing, persuasive and informative is his specialty. Competitively, Mr. Unanaowo was the CHSSA State Champion in Original Oratory, the Emory University Barkley Forum Champion in Original Oratory, NSDA National Finalist in Oratory, and is a 6-time College Forensics Finalist. Mr. Unanaowo has coached champions of the Kentucky TOC Informative Speaking Champion (2020), NSDA National Finalist Program Oral Interpretation (2019), National Champion in Dramatic Interpretation NIETOC (2018), and the CHASSA State Champion in Dramatic Interpretation (2017). Mr. Unanaowo holds Bachelors of Arts in History w/ Minor in Broadcasting. Mr. Unanaowo will lead the Athens Speech program for the upcoming year.
Mr. Unanaowo is a seasoned Forensics Speech Coach with 20 years of experience. He had the pleasure of competing for two of the most storied programs in the history of Speech and Debate. The James Logan High School Forensics team and the Western Kentucky University Forensics team. His pedigree afforded him a wealth of knowledge due to the Hall of Fame and championship coaches who mentored him. Mr. Unanaowo specializes in finding diverse and challenging performance material. However, Mr. Unanaowo's true passion is writing. Creative writing, persuasive and informative is his specialty. Competitively, Mr. Unanaowo was the CHSSA State Champion in Original Oratory, the Emory University Barkley Forum Champion in Original Oratory, NSDA National Finalist in Oratory, and is a 6-time College Forensics Finalist. Mr. Unanaowo has coached champions of the Kentucky TOC Informative Speaking Champion (2020), NSDA National Finalist Program Oral Interpretation (2019), National Champion in Dramatic Interpretation NIETOC (2018), and the CHASSA State Champion in Dramatic Interpretation (2017). Mr. Unanaowo holds Bachelors of Arts in History w/ Minor in Broadcasting. Mr. Unanaowo will lead the Athens Speech program for the upcoming year.
ADAM TOMASI
Adams Tomsai was a high-school Lincoln-Douglas debater, He was a three-time elimination round participant at the Tournament of Champions (TOC). He reached the Quarterfinals of TOC his sophomore and senior years, and Octafinals his junior year. His senior year, Adam was the #1 seed at the TOC after prelims. Throughout his LD career, Adam was invited to multiple round robins at Harvard University, the Bronx High School of Science, West Des Moines Valley High School, and Presentation High School. Adam was a two-time Massachusetts State Debate Champion - his sophomore and senior years, and championed the Wake Forest invitational as well. Adam has displayed versatility in traditional LD, Policy arguments, Kritiks, and theory debate. As a college Policy debater, Adam reached elimination rounds at multiple national tournaments and was considered for a second-round bid to the National Debate Tournament (NDT) in my sophomore, junior, and senior years. His senior year, Adam and his partner were the Second Alternate team at the NDT. He was also a two-time ACC debate champion and three-time finalist.Adam has also been a briefs writer for Champion Briefs since 2015. Adam earned his Bachelors in History and Communication from Wake Forest University and is now pursuing his PhD in World History at Northeastern University.
Adams Tomsai was a high-school Lincoln-Douglas debater, He was a three-time elimination round participant at the Tournament of Champions (TOC). He reached the Quarterfinals of TOC his sophomore and senior years, and Octafinals his junior year. His senior year, Adam was the #1 seed at the TOC after prelims. Throughout his LD career, Adam was invited to multiple round robins at Harvard University, the Bronx High School of Science, West Des Moines Valley High School, and Presentation High School. Adam was a two-time Massachusetts State Debate Champion - his sophomore and senior years, and championed the Wake Forest invitational as well. Adam has displayed versatility in traditional LD, Policy arguments, Kritiks, and theory debate. As a college Policy debater, Adam reached elimination rounds at multiple national tournaments and was considered for a second-round bid to the National Debate Tournament (NDT) in my sophomore, junior, and senior years. His senior year, Adam and his partner were the Second Alternate team at the NDT. He was also a two-time ACC debate champion and three-time finalist.Adam has also been a briefs writer for Champion Briefs since 2015. Adam earned his Bachelors in History and Communication from Wake Forest University and is now pursuing his PhD in World History at Northeastern University.
NINA RAMCHANDANI
Nina attends Stanford University. She competed in a wide array of Speech and Debate events in high school, including Policy debate, LD debate and Expository speaking. Nina was most notably known for kritikal type argumentation in high school, and reached elimination rounds at tournaments like Long Beach and Alta. In addition to her competition on the national circuit, Nina competed in the Coast Forensic League for Presentation High School. She also received wildcards at multiple CFLs in Policy.
Nina credits debate as the spark of her intellectual curiosity and drive to enhance communication among people, both in policy and at an individual level. She has taken these skills from debate into the real-world by interning for the Vice-Mayor of Mountain View, serving as a Teaching Assistant in school, and writing Public Policy memos to send to legislators. Nina loves working with others, learning, and sharing her knowledge - teaching our beginner students is a joy for her!
Nina attends Stanford University. She competed in a wide array of Speech and Debate events in high school, including Policy debate, LD debate and Expository speaking. Nina was most notably known for kritikal type argumentation in high school, and reached elimination rounds at tournaments like Long Beach and Alta. In addition to her competition on the national circuit, Nina competed in the Coast Forensic League for Presentation High School. She also received wildcards at multiple CFLs in Policy.
Nina credits debate as the spark of her intellectual curiosity and drive to enhance communication among people, both in policy and at an individual level. She has taken these skills from debate into the real-world by interning for the Vice-Mayor of Mountain View, serving as a Teaching Assistant in school, and writing Public Policy memos to send to legislators. Nina loves working with others, learning, and sharing her knowledge - teaching our beginner students is a joy for her!
KUHUK GOYAL
Kuhuk Goyal is a graduate of UC Berkeley. Kuhuk was a successful lincoln-douglas debater in high school with a reputation for coming up with creative argumentation. He qualified to the prestigious Tournament of Champions and competed in elimination rounds at national tournaments like Greenhill, St. Mark's, Stanford, Berkeley, VBT, Harker, and the College Preparatory School Invitational. In college, Kuhuk coached the national renowned Mission San Jose debate team. Kuhuk proved that he wasn't only a good debater, but also an excellent teacher. Several of Kuhuk's students qualified to the Tournament of Champions themselves and went on to win prestigious debate titles and most importantly found their way to prestigious universities where they are pursuing even greater things that extend beyond debate. We are lucky to have Kuhuk.
Kuhuk Goyal is a graduate of UC Berkeley. Kuhuk was a successful lincoln-douglas debater in high school with a reputation for coming up with creative argumentation. He qualified to the prestigious Tournament of Champions and competed in elimination rounds at national tournaments like Greenhill, St. Mark's, Stanford, Berkeley, VBT, Harker, and the College Preparatory School Invitational. In college, Kuhuk coached the national renowned Mission San Jose debate team. Kuhuk proved that he wasn't only a good debater, but also an excellent teacher. Several of Kuhuk's students qualified to the Tournament of Champions themselves and went on to win prestigious debate titles and most importantly found their way to prestigious universities where they are pursuing even greater things that extend beyond debate. We are lucky to have Kuhuk.
ANAND SUNDARAM
Anand comes to Athens from UCLA where he studied Applied Math. Anand's was a nationally renowned debater in high school, reaching semifinals at UC Berkeley twice, late elimination rounds at Stanford, and qualifying for the State Championships and the Tournament of Champions. Anand has several years of teaching experience and has coached at prestigious programs like the Monta Vista High School debate program.
Anand comes to Athens from UCLA where he studied Applied Math. Anand's was a nationally renowned debater in high school, reaching semifinals at UC Berkeley twice, late elimination rounds at Stanford, and qualifying for the State Championships and the Tournament of Champions. Anand has several years of teaching experience and has coached at prestigious programs like the Monta Vista High School debate program.
VANESSA NGUYEN
Vanessa Nguyen is a student at the University of Southern California. In high school, she competed in Policy debate and LD debate, where she won multiple speaker awards and tournaments. Vanessa is a Kansas State Debate Champion, reached late elimination rounds at national circuit tournaments such as Blake, Berkeley, KCKCC, Blue Valley Southwest, and the JW Patterson Invitational. In addition to her success at debate tournaments, she took on the additional role of being a coach for younger debaters where she created the curriculum for and facilitated team practices throughout the season.Vanessa’s debate experience has given her a real sense of leadership and continues to help her grow, intellectually and socially. The importance of strategic argumentation, communication, and advocacy extends outside of tournaments. These skills have proven to be invaluable in her work experience at immigration and healthcare firms, as a policy analyst at think-tanks, and in her consulting clubs at college. Vanessa is thrilled to be a part of Athens Debate and work with students to help them reach their goals!
Vanessa Nguyen is a student at the University of Southern California. In high school, she competed in Policy debate and LD debate, where she won multiple speaker awards and tournaments. Vanessa is a Kansas State Debate Champion, reached late elimination rounds at national circuit tournaments such as Blake, Berkeley, KCKCC, Blue Valley Southwest, and the JW Patterson Invitational. In addition to her success at debate tournaments, she took on the additional role of being a coach for younger debaters where she created the curriculum for and facilitated team practices throughout the season.Vanessa’s debate experience has given her a real sense of leadership and continues to help her grow, intellectually and socially. The importance of strategic argumentation, communication, and advocacy extends outside of tournaments. These skills have proven to be invaluable in her work experience at immigration and healthcare firms, as a policy analyst at think-tanks, and in her consulting clubs at college. Vanessa is thrilled to be a part of Athens Debate and work with students to help them reach their goals!