James Russell is the Director of DFW Speech and Debate and an NCFCA alumni with over ten years of coaching experience. As a long-time contributor to the DFWSD family, James has been directly involved with coaching over 1000 students and adults from across the United States. James’ coaching experiences have ranged from helping novice speakers attain regional and national qualification to coaching advanced speakers into the final round at national championships. James has lead several teams of policy researchers to create the DFWSD’s Tools for Team Policy Sourcebook which has sold over 2000 licenses in the last five years. James has served on the NCFCA Resolution Committee for multiple years, contributing resolutional analysis and research that informs the league’s families. Passionate about unlocking the core principles behind public speaking, James specializes in helping students understand communication at a foundational level. Debate coaching is primarily about helping students know how to think and how to communicate, not lecturing students on what to think and what to communicate. Whether working with novices to experience the joy of debate or working with experienced debaters to unlock their full potential, James loves coaching and pouring into his students. He would love to get in contact with you and help you achieve your goals!

Events Coached: TP

Noah Foster is an NCFCA alumni with 6 years of speech and debate experience. In 2015, Noah won the NC National Open in Lincoln-Douglas (LD) Debate and qualified to the 2015 National Championship. In 2016, Noah became one of the first competitors to win a National Open in both styles of debate when he and his partner took first place in Team Policy at the San Diego National Open. In 2017, Noah’s students took all four of the Regional Championship semifinal spots. Noah also won Extemporaneous, IE Sweepstakes, LD Speaker, and LD Debate at the 2017 Regional Championship. He qualified to the Nationals in 5 speeches and 2 debate styles. In 2018, Noah became the first NCFCA competitor to win a national tournament in all three styles of debate. Before Noah jumped head first into speech and debate, he was an avid Taekwondo student, earning his 3rd degree black belt. Noah is a capable coach and the former Assistant Director of DFWSD Team Policy Camps, and is excited to lend his expertise to your students!

Events Coached: TP, LD

Joshua Tryon spent six years in Region VIII, all of which were spent debating team policy. During the 2019 season, Joshua and his partner Jack Singer won more than ninety-five percent of their ballots and five tournaments, with a trifecta at the regional championship. Currently, Joshua is enrolled at Georgia State University, pursuing a degree in economics and computer science. Josh served on the nationally recognized 2019-2020 Tools for Team Policy Debate Sourcebook as a contributing author and will lead the 2020-2021 edition as the executive editor. During his free time, Joshua enjoys reading, long runs, and longer board games. He plans to live in a van, one of these days.

Events Coached: TP

Elsa Castro is a seasoned speaker and debater who graduated with a B.A. in Paralegal Studies and a minor in Piano Performance with highest honors from Texas A&M University-Commerce. She is currently serving as a Government Relations and Advocacy intern with the largest international anti-slavery organization in the world, International Justice Mission. In high school, Elsa competed in speech and debate for three years, winning multiple awards at the local, regional, and national level. She qualified to Nationals in Team Policy debate as a novice debater, and earned multiple slots to the National championship each year. Some of her top accomplishments include winning the title of State Champion during her first year of competition, taking second place in the Nation during her first year of Lincoln Douglas debate, and taking four speeches to finals at Nationals in 2014. She has also been a speech and debate coach in some capacity for seven years, including being the Head Speech Camp Instructor for DFW Speech and Debate's summer camps in 2016. Elsa is known for telling the story about how her speech and debate coach changed her life and put her on the life path that she is now on. For this reason, she is motivated by a desire to give people the tools to think critically and to become confidant to tell their stories.

Events Coached: Platforms, Limited Prep

Stefanie Klaves is studying political science at Grove City College. She competed in team policy debate for four years, placing 3rd and 2nd at the 2014 and 2015 National Championship respectively. Stefanie also finished 1st in Team Policy debate at the 2016 NC National Open, 2016 Kentucky Regional Qualifier, and 2014 Regional Ohio Regional Qualifier. She placed in the top 10 Team Policy debate speakers at the 2015 National Championship, 1st place speaker at the 2016 Kentucky Regional Qualifier, and 1st place speaker at the 2016 Ohio Regional Qualifier. In addition to debate, Stefanie qualified to Nationals in apologetics, persuasive, informative, and biographical narrative. She won numerous speech events, including apologetics at 2016 Regionals and persuasive at the 2014 Minnesota National Open. Stefanie has worked with debate sourcebook companies and interned as a legal assistant at the Hildebrand Law Firm LLC for over a year. She enjoys coaching! She is known for her enthusiasm for research and her passionate speaking style, and is dedicated to helping her students to excel in competition.

Events Coached: TP

Ben Olin is currently pursuing a Bachelors of Social Work at Howard Payne University. He plans on achieving a Masters in Social Work and advocating for the disabled community. Over the course of seven years, he has competed in both high school and collegiate speech and debate leagues. In the NCFCA, Ben placed 7th at NCFCA Nationals in Biographical Narrative in 2016, won 1st place Lincoln Douglas Speaker at Tulsa Qualifier in 2018, and received multiple final, semi final, and quarterfinal placements in Lincoln Douglas Debate. In the collegiate circuit, Ben placed 6th at University of Louisiana at Lafayette Moot Court Competition and 9th place at A&M Moot Court Competition in 2019. Ben is passionate about coaching because he enjoys helping students build confidence, develop critical thinking ability, and hone rhetoric skills. Ben’s students have qualified to both the regional and national level. Ben is excited to work with students of any experience level.

Events Coached: LD

Ian Mikkelsen is pursuing his doctorate in Public Policy at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He competed in high school and collegiate speech and debate for 7 years at the National level. In high school, Ian won the 2011 Kansas State Championship in Lincoln Douglas debate and concluded his high-school career as the National LD Runner-up at the NCFL 2011 championship. In speech, he made it to finals in Impromptu for his Junior and Senior year, and Extemporaneous for his Senior year, at the Kansas State Tournament, winning the Impromptu State Championship his senior year. In college, Ian competed in Parliamentary Debate winning multiple National Invitationals and took 2nd and 3rd place in the 2014 and 2015 National Parliamentary Debate Association Tournament. Ian also coached several top high-school competitors, helping the Seaman High School team close out the Public Forum National Qualifiers, win its second LD State Championship, and break to late out rounds in Public Forum at Nationals. Recently, he coached students out rounds at NSDA Nationals, qualifying bids to the TOC Lincoln Douglas Tournament, as well as the 4th place speaker and 2020 National Champion in LD for NSDA. In collegiate debate, his students have 2016 IPDA National Championship, as well as several late out round placements in Team IPDA Nationals. He also worked with multiple high school Congressional debate teams and helped to write pieces of legislation for the national tournament. Ian serves as a private coach for DFWSD where he enjoys working with students to help them excel in both speech and debate competition!

Events Coached: TP, LD, Parli, Public Forum, Platforms, Limited Prep

Jack Singer competed in the NCFCA for six years in Region VIII. He spent the majority of his time competing in Team Policy debate, beginning to compete in Moot Court his senior year of High School. Jack has advanced to elimination rounds at every Moot Court competition he has competed in, qualifying to the National Championship at his first ever Moot Court competition with a third-place finish at the 2019 North Carolina National Open. During his time as a Moot Court competitor, he demonstrated his aptitude for oral advocacy by winning numerous individual commendations throughout the 2019 season. Jack took second place oral advocate at the 2019 Rome Mixer, third place oral advocate at the 2019 Northfield Mixer, and third place oral advocate at the 2019 NCFCA National Championship. Jack and his partner Joshua DeVlieger completed their season by ranking seventh in the nation at the National Championship in moot court. In Extemporaneous, Jack ranked consistently well on a national level, ranking eighth at the National Invitational Tournament of Champions and sixth at the 2019 NCFCA National Championship. Jack is a rising sophomore studying at Patrick Henry College where he is pursuing a degree in American Politics and Policy and a minor in Philosophy. When he isn’t coaching, competing in, or talking about debate, Jack spends his time planning trips around the world and buying ridiculously expensive shoes. Jack greatly enjoys sharing his love for debate with others and cannot wait to help your students achieve and excel beyond their goals in competition!

Events Coached: Moot Court, Extemporaneous

Angelle Halvorson has over 5 years experience coaching and 6 years experience competing in every category of Speech and Debate. During her competitive career Angelle won hundreds of awards including placing as the 2014 National Impromptu Champion and 3rd Place Apologetic Speaker. Her consistency allowed her to qualify to Nationals 5 out of the 6 years she competed. Angelle has helped hundreds of students learn to hone their communication skills and improve rankings at tournaments they attend. Angelle's passion hinges around teaching students to quickly understand the audience they are addressing and learn to effectively communicate to that audience. She is excited to get started on that journey with you!

Events Coached: Limited Preparation

Cody Dedon is a NCFCA alumni with 5 years of competitive speech and debate experience. He holds 28 first place titles, 14 straight Humorous Interpretation victories, back to back H.I. national championships, an After Dinner championship and a national sweepstakes championship. After high school, Cody’s love of communication continued as he assumed the role of Head Speech Instructor for DFWSD where he coached over 1000 students. Today, Cody and his sister co-run a video and photography production company which conducts business around the world. Recently, Cody’s love of communication extended onto the big screen when he secured a lead role in a cowboy feature film entitled The Wanderer which will be out soon. For Cody, communication is not just a pastime, it is a powerful and invaluable art form to which he has dedicated his life. He would be honored to walk with you on your journey to become the best communicator that you can be!

Events Coached: Interpretive Speeches