Institute Faculty and Staff

Dr. Jake Thompson, Director of Debate at UNLV. Dr. Thompson debated in high school and college, where he advanced to the elimination rounds of the NDT. He formerly coached at the University of Kansas, and The University of Northern Iowa, which he turned into the most improved university debate team in America in 2005. Dr. Thompson directed the JDI at the University of Kansas for two years and has taught at other debate camps around America. In just two years, Dr. Thompson has coached the UNLV debate team to the upper echelons of NDT/CEDA competition.

Grace Saez, Former Silverado HS (Las Vegas Native!) debater, former Gonzaga University debater, and current Assistant Coach at UNLV. As a college debater, Grace qualified for the elimination rounds of most major national college tournament. She qualified for the NDT twice and advanced to the elimination rounds of the NDT both times that she qualified. Grace also advanced to the double octafinal round at the CEDA National Tournament, the quarterfinal round at Wake Forest University, and was crowned the tournament champion at the Northwest CEDA Champs Tournament.

James “JT” Taylor - Assistant Director of Debate, Emporia State University. JT has coached college debate for the past thirteen years at Truman State University, Southern Illinois University, and Emporia State University. He has coached many teams to elimination rounds of CEDA Nationals and the NDT. JT has taught at prestigious high school debater camps across the nation, including the University of Kansas (JDI), UMKC, Michigan State University (SDI), and the Gonzaga Debate Institute.

Paul Montreuil - Debates at Idaho State University, and has been an assistant high school debate coach for the past two years. Paul has attended the NDT three times and has cleared at every major national college debate tournament. Paul was selected as a first round to the NDT in his sophomore year, and has advanced to semis at Harvard, finals at USC, octafinals at CEDA Nationals, and double-octafinals of the NDT.
*Matt Coleman and Eric Robinson– Have debated at Wichita State University for four years and have been assistant coaches at various Kansas high schools. Matt and Eric may be the best college debate team that high school students (outside of Kansas) have never heard of. This year (As of November 1, 2008), Matt and Eric have lost a cumulative total of 3 debates. They won the UNI Season Opener, advanced to the semifinals at UNLV, and advanced to the final round at Emporia State University. Eric was the 6th speaker at UNI, the 9th speaker at UNLV, and the 3rd speaker at Emporia State. Matt was the top speaker at UNI, the top speaker at Emporia State, and was the 3rd speaker at UNLV.

Bill Smelko -Bill Smelko debated at the University of Redlands, and has been practicing California lawyer since 1980. Bill was the 1972 Novice National Debate Champion and was a two time NDT Elimination Round participant, reaching the Final Round in 1975. A former faculty member at the Redlands, Georgetown and Harvard Debate Institutes, Bill was the debate advisor at St. Augustine HS in San Diego, a member of the TOC Policy Debate Advisory Board, he works with the policy team at La Costa Canyon HS.

Chris Stone – former Wichita State University debater, and current debater at the University of Kansas. Chris has advanced to the elimination rounds of every major national high school debate tournament, last year he advanced to the final round of the CEDA National Tournament

Justin Eckstein – Former University of Denver debater and current assistant coach at UNLV. Justin advanced to the elimination rounds at the CEDA National Tournament, and was the first debater since the 1980s (from the University of Denver) to qualify for the NDT In his senior year, Justin advanced to the elimination rounds of several tournament and was the 17th speaker at CEDA nationals out of a field of more than 400 debaters.

Travis Cram – Debated at Macalester College and the University of Wyoming. Travis also was an assistant coach Cheyenne East High School (WY), and currently is an assistant coach University of Kansas. As a college debater, Travis advanced to the deep elimination rounds of several major national tournaments, including Wake Forest, the University of Kentucky, both California Swing tournaments, and Northwestern University. Travis finished his senior year as an octafinalist at the CEDA National Tournament and was the ninth seed at 2008 NDT.

AND MANY OTHERS!!!