Home · Meet the Team
You’re not hiring a program, you’re hiring a person. Here’s every coach on our team, what they specialise in, and how we vet them.
Two-time NSDA national finalist in Lincoln-Douglas and a former assistant coach at Northwestern. Dana builds our curriculum and takes on a small number of championship-track students each season.
Coaches in English and Spanish, with a decade of experience in Public Forum. Elena leads our Spanish-language cohorts and the partnership work with Seattle-area community organisations.
Former broadcast journalist who moved into coaching after volunteering as a judge for three seasons. Sam specialises in extemp prep and getting nervous speakers through their first round.
Executive communication trainer and SpeechSurge alumna. Priya runs the adult public-speaking track and coaches students preparing for scholarship and college interviews.
Joined as a student in 2019, competed for four seasons, and now coaches the programs that raised him. Marcus handles most first-time competitors.
Runs tournament operations, the volunteer judge network, and tab. Grace is the person to contact about hosting, judging, or accessibility accommodations at any event.
Replace the initial blocks with real headshots. A plain photo against a neutral wall converts better than a stock image.
Every coach completes a criminal background check through a third-party provider before their first session, and repeats it every two years. We verify competition history and prior coaching references directly rather than taking a CV at face value.
Coaches working with students under 18 also complete mandatory reporter training and our internal safeguarding module. We do not make exceptions to this, including for volunteers and alumni.
No coach is ever alone with a student in an unrecorded setting. Online private lessons are recorded and the recording is shared with the student’s guardian. In-person sessions happen in public or semi-public spaces with a second adult present.
Full details are on our student safety page. If something concerns you at any point, contact our safeguarding lead directly at safety@speechsurge.org.
We hire former competitors, teachers, and communication professionals. Volunteer judges are always needed too, and judging is the easiest way to see whether coaching suits you.
Book a free 20-minute consultation. No payment, no commitment — just a conversation about where you want to go.