CV/Resume

Table of Contents

Areas of Interest/Expertise

  • Diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and accessibility

  • Forensic public speaking and debating education

  • Theatre education

  • Pedagogy of teaching

  • Secondary education

  • Educational standards

  • Parliamentary procedure and Robert’s Rules of Order

  • Social media and web presence

Professional Experience

Executive Director, July 2014-present

  • Implemented equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility approaches to foster belonging among program participants

  • Facilitated strategic planning in 2021, culminating with an impending name change in 2022

  • Formalized practices for transparency, accountability, insurance/risk, and IRS standing

  • Developed online approaches to sustain programming during the COVID-19 pandemic

  • Expanded interscholastic middle/high school programming in theatre, speech, and debate

  • Designed and launched a new program in interscholastic film

  • Incorporated EdTA Thespian programming in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Theatre Festival

  • Expanded revenue streams from sponsors and grants; operated budgetary surplus each year to build reserve fund

  • Built partnerships with likeminded organizations to support advocacy efforts

  • Automated/streamlined operational processes for efficiency and cost savings

  • Facilitated strategic planning process to strengthen position of organization


Congressional Debate Workshop Director; 2010-present; Congress Tournament Director, 2012-present

  • Incepted summer institute curriculum, infused with leadership seminars and interactive digital resources, including student practice videos and journals

  • Direct largest and most innovative Congressional Debate Tournament of the school year


Director of Forensics 2015-16; Adjunct Instructor, Communication, 2010-2015; Assistant Director of Forensics, 2008-2011

  • Taught Public Speaking in the Department of Communication

  • Coached forensic public speaking, limited preparation, literary interpretation, and parliamentary debate


Debate & Speech Teacher, 2013-2014, Fall Semester

  • Taught middle and high school speech and debate courses in international programs as well as traditional People’s Republic of China schools in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province

  • Consulted with the head office in Shanghai to further develop marketing and programming


Programs & Education Coordinator, 2008-2014*

  • Developed resources, professional development programming, and coordinated strategic partnerships

  • Developed/wrote curriculum, led training workshops in China (May 2012)

  • Built/expanded middle school programming; directed National Middle School Tournament

* Left full-time employment in Aug. 2013 to teach in China; consultant, Feb.-Jun. 2014


Director of Speech & Debate, 1997-2008; Teacher, 2004-2008

  • Taught International Baccalaureate theatre, acting and speech/communication

  • Served on Learning Team and Educational Plan Committees

  • Guided students to state/national debate and speech honors, including the only three national titles in Wisconsin since 1985, and National Debate School of Excellence in 2005

  • Directed several invitational speech/debate tournaments, including corporate/community outreach


Florida Forensic Institute

Congressional Debate Senior Faculty, 2003-2011


Student Teacher, Spring 2004 Semester

  • Taught freshman English, Shakespeare, and theatre; volunteered for other school functions


Legislative Assistant, Third District, 2000-2002

  • Constituent relations and aldermanic liaison to committees and community organizations

  • Worked in Common Council’s Public Relations & Communications office, 1999-2000, 2003


Education & Training

Courageous Conversation: Beyond Diversity Workshop

  • July 2019, Colorado College: participated in a seminar facilitated by Glenn E. Singleton, sponsored by the National Speech & Debate Association


Leadership Ripon Seminar – 2011

  • Ripon, Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce symposium


International Schools Theatre Association

  • International Baccalaureate Theatre Diploma Program training workshop, Summer 2007, St. Pete Beach, Florida.


Harvard Graduate School of Education - WIDE World/Project Zero

  • Teaching for Understanding, online professional development (non-credit), Fall 2005


Marquette University

  • Teaching certificate, July 2004; Graduate courses, Communication and Education

  • Wisconsin teaching license (expired 7/2010): grades 9-12, speech (320) and theatre/drama (325)


Carroll University

  • Bachelor of Science in Communication, Public Campaigns, August 1999

  • Completed significant coursework in theatre; involved in several performance roles and production positions with the Carroll Players, as well as completing a significant centennial archival project and commemorative booklet for the Carroll Players Centennial

  • Communication Senior Project Award: Public Relations Internship, Milwaukee City Hall, 1999

  • Cultural exchange theatrical tour in 1997 to the former Soviet Union, Czech Republic, and Ireland


Service & Leadership

National Speech & Debate Association

  • 2018-present; Board of Directors; Competition & Rules Committee Co-Chair; Teaching Standards Committee; Pedagogy Ad Hoc Committee; Equity Working Group


National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

  • Speech, Debate, and Theatre Advisory Committee, 2018-present


Alliance for Wisconsin Theatre Education

  • Ex Officio Board Member, 2014-present; Website Administrator


University of Kentucky, Tournament of Champions

  • Congressional Debate Advisory Committee, 2005-present; Congressional Debate Tournament Administrator, 2008-2014


Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

  • Theatre Standards Writing Committee, 2017-2018


Ripon Rotary

  • 2009-2016; Board of Directors; Public Relations/Website Administrator, 2010-2016


Ripon Lumen Charter High School

  • Governance Committee – 2010-2016


National Communication Association – Member, 2010-2012

  • NCA Elementary and Secondary Education Section – co-authored resolution urging speech communication as high school graduation requirement, taught by instructors trained in communication


Wisconsin Communication Association

  • Secretary/Website Administrator, 2010-2012


Rufus King High School Alumni Association

  • Board of Directors, 2003-2012 (founding member)


Wisconsin Forensic Coaches’ Association

  • Executive Committee, 2000-2011; Website Administrator; Congressional Debate Tournament Director


Milwaukee Shakespeare Company

  • Board of Directors, 2007-2009; Chair, Education Committee


Wisconsin Debate Coaches’ Association

  • President, 2005-2008


International Debate Exchange Program

  • Consulting Educator, National Speech & Debate Association and U.S. Department of State, 2004

  • Helped design curriculum, materials for students/teachers from eight international student delegations

Awards & Honors

  • National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS): National Citation for Outstanding Speech, Debate, and Theatre Educator (2021; awarded 2022).

  • National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) Distinguished Service Plaque, Third Honors (2022)

  • NFHS: Outstanding Speech, Debate, and Theatre Educator, Section IV-Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin (2020).

  • Emory University, Barkley Forum for High Schools: Gold Key Society (2019)

  • NSDA Third Diamond Award (2015)

  • NSDA Distinguished Service Plaque, Second Honors (2015)

  • NSDA Accreditation: Advanced Professional Speech & Debate Educator (2012)

  • NSDA Accreditation: Advanced Professional Speech & Debate Coach (2012)

  • National Speech & Debate Association Circle of Champion Coach (2006)

  • Wisconsin Forensic Coaches’ Association Coach of the Year (2006)

  • Milwaukee Public Schools Educator Citation (2006)

  • Milwaukee Common Council Resolution (2000, 2006)

Major Publications/Presentations

“Engage Society’s Problems and Solutions Through Debate.” Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies Conference, March 2022 presentation.

“Keynote: A Glance in the Rearview Mirror Before Zooming to our Destination.” Communication, Speech, and Theatre Association of North Dakota, September 2021 presentation.

“Framing Speech and Debate Amidst Two Plagues: Racism and COVID-19.” Kansas Speech Communication Association Conference, September 2020 presentation.

“Judging and Assessing Voices Radiantly: Pedagogical Evaluation.” Accepted for NSDA Education Conference, July 2018 presentation.

“Reflective Journaling Empowers Radiant Voices.” Accepted for NSDA Education Conference, July 2018 presentation.

“Information Literacy.” WHSFA/UW-La Crosse/Wisconsin Humanities Council Professional Development Conference, October 2017 keynote address.

“Effective Ballot Writing.” NFHS State Speech, Debate, and Theatre Directors’ Conference, September 2017 presentation.

“Elevating Achievement: Maximizing Your Squad for Both In-State and NSDA Competition.” NSDA Education Conference, August 2017 presentation.

“Applying the Code of Honor to Coaching: Teaching to the Trophy.” Rostrum magazine, co-author to Dr. J. Scott Baker, January 2015.

Introduction to Debate: A Public Forum Debate Handbook. Beijing World Publishing Corporation (Beijing), 2013. Associate editor and contributing author for bilingual textbook in English/Mandarin, targeted for grades 8-12.

“Debating, Speaking & Performing: Spark Cross-Curricular Critical Thinking to Meet the Common Core.” National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Conference, June 2013 presentation.

“Speech, Literature, Social Studies, and the Common Core.” Rostrum magazine, February 2013.

“Speech and Debate in the High School Classroom.” Dipont Education, China, May 2012 presentation to 120 high school teachers in Wuxi, China.

“How Co-Curricular Speech and Debate Programs Can Bolster Standardized Test Scores, Literacy, Critical Thinking, and 21st Century Skills.” National School Boards Association: National Conference, April 2012 presentation.

“Advocating High School Speech Communication Education: Sowing Stronger Seeds for the Future.” National Developmental Conference for Individual Events, August 2010 panel/paper (National Forensic Association).

“Communication Education in the Information Age.” National Communication Association: Convention, November 2009. Panel presentation, Elementary & Secondary Education Section.

Coaching Guide: Directing Debate & Speech Activities. National Forensic League (Ripon, WI), 2009, 3rd ed. Comprehensive handbook designed for a variety of coaching/teaching circumstances.

Student Congress Debate. Rosen Publishing (New York), 2007. Speech textbook.