Bio TBA
Akeem is a Panamanian and Guyanese scholar from Brooklyn, NY. He is currently a dual-degree seeking J.D. and Ph.D. student at the University of Minnesota. Akeem brings 14 years of multifaceted debate experience to the summer speech and debate camp. He is consistently inspired by the convergence of creativity and critical thinking in the debate community. Outside of debate, Akeem enjoys working with various plants and exotic animals.
Bio TBA
Dr. Keith Bistodeau is the Head Debate Coach at Eden Prairie High School. He is very excited to join you all at camp this summer to work on learning about speech and debate and growing as public speakers and debaters. To him, debate camp is an opportunity to come together as a community, meet new people, make new friendships, and grow within this activity. His goal as a coach has always been to help students find what they are passionate about and to develop confidence in their ideas and their voice in order to help them advocate for their beliefs and for themselves and others.
Dr. David Cram Helwich is a Senior Lecturer and serves as the University of Minnesota’s Director of Forensics. He earned his doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh, where he completed a dissertation analyzing public debates about the role of nuclear weapons and deterrence in the post-Cold War period. His research interests include security and foreign policy rhetoric, discursive ethics, argumentation pedagogy, and public argumentation & debate.
Bio TBA
Matthew Davis has been the director of Speech and Debate at St. Croix Preparatory Academy, as well as a ninth grade English teacher, for over ten years. He has coached multiple formats (LD, CX, PF, World Schools, Speech) and has also taught elective courses on speech and debate. He has coached students at the local, regional, and national level. His goal for all levels of Lincoln-Douglas debate camps is to help students gain a stronger understanding and appreciation for the activity in an environment of positivity, while ensuring that students are better prepared to compete at whatever level they desire, be it beginner or advanced.
In high school, Ryan competed for 4 years for Saint Michael Albertville where she competed in mostly Lincoln Douglas but also Congress and Public Forum. Ryan qualified to nationals twice in both Congress and LD, and qualified to state in LD. Currently, Ryan is a senior at University of Minnesota studying biology on a pre-pharmacy track. She has debated for the UMN policy team for multiple years and helped coach the Saint Michael debate team.
Dr. Bill Heinze completed his PhD in at the University of Minnesota in 2020, where he coached their speech team for 7 years. He is excited to help students in the Twin Cities learn the core skills to be great performers and communicators, including finding scripts, writing drafts, and practicing speeches over the first week of camp. As a coach, he believes it is crucial students learn how to advocate for themselves and others, and Speech and Debate are instrumental to teaching those skills.”
Bio TBA
Tom Mickelson is the current head coach for Roosevelt High School. He is going into his 10th year of being in debate. He’s a well rounded debater with experience running all types of arguments and coaching all forms of arguments as well.
Jamie Maiers is excited to be working at MDAW again this year as a senior staff member and honorary camp “mom”. This will be her fourth season coaching novice debate for the UDL and Tartan High School. She is looking forward to all the fun we will have this summer. Currently, she is a PhD student at the University of Minnesota studying Curriculum and Instruction and previously taught high school English in California, Arizona, and Minnesota. Prior to teaching, she was a legal assistant for a federal judge. She loves to learn about current events and politics.
Teddy is an undergraduate student at UMN majoring in Women and Gender Studies with a minor in Political Science. He’s beginning his 4th season of coaching policy debate and 3rd summer working at MDAW! He was a top 5 MSHSL State competitor for Farmington High School and nationally competitive debater on the UMN policy team. Teddy has coached teams at both the MSHSL State Debate tournament and National Speech and Debate Championship. This spring, they headed up a new debate program at John Glenn Middle School. He’s looking forward to continuing their work as JV/Varsity coach at Tartan Senior High School.
Marshall has been with the MNUDH In some way for 8 years, debating and then coaching at Central they have spent plenty of time on both sides of every policy round. They are most interested in the research side of the debate and happy to talk through any argument idea especially when the idea is a little out there.
Amara is an upcoming Junior at the University of Minnesota, majoring in Political Science with a minor in Communications. She has been involved in speech since 2019 and specializes in Interpretation Categories. She is excited to meet and support students in speech, and pass on her knowledge and ideas for them to use in their future pieces.
Bio TBA
Bio TBA
Bio TBA
