2024 PF Staff — The Victory Briefs Institute (2024)

Arnav Mehta

Arnav Mehta debated for 4 years at Seven Lakes High School. During those 4 years, Arnav accumulated 23 total TOC Bids and was ranked as high as number 2 in the nation. Arnav won Grapevine twice, won UH twice, won UT, won ALTA, reached finals at Glenbrooks and Blake, and got 3rd at TFA. In addition, Arnav reached late rounds at TOC, Emory, Blue Key, Apple Valley, Churchill, and many more. He looks forward to teaching at VBI!

Arnav Nigam

Arnav debated for 3 years and enjoys teaching economics/IR policy topics. His accomplishments include: ranked 1st in the Nation in Public Forum this season, 11 TOC Gold Bids in 2 years; championing Stanford Invitational, Lakeland Westchester Classic, TOC Digital 2, Arizona District, and most Arizona local tournaments; reaching finals at Season Opener and ASU (2023); reaching semis at Cypress Bay, Nano Nagle, and La Costa Canyon; reaching octos at Harvard, Bellaire, Sunvite, ASU (2024), and John Lewis; earning 1st Seed at John Lewis and La Costa Canyon; and earning 1st speaker at Cypress Bay. As Captain of his debate team in junior year, Arnav led novices to outround appearances at every tournament attended, and one of his novice teams are TOC-qualified this year. Arnav is very excited to teach at VBI this summer!

Arnav Ratna

Arnav debated at College Prep for 4 years under the code ER. During that time, he amassed 8 bids, qualifying for the TOC three times. Along the way, he reached late outrounds at tournaments, including winning the Cal Invitational and Round Robin, semifinaling Jack Howe, quartering Stanford, getting first seed at Columbia, and reaching octas of TOC, Glenbrooks, Sunvite, and Bellaire. Arnav has had lots of experience coaching and working with teams, and he's thrilled to work at VBI this summer!

Ava Dasari

Ava Dasari debated at Westwood High School for four years as the captain of her PF team. During her career, she amassed 10 total TOC bids, making her a 3-time TOC qualifier. Experienced in debating on the state and national circuit, Ava has made it to late out rounds at Blake, UT, Grapevine, UH, Churchill, Colleyville, Berkeley, and more. During high school summers, Ava taught other aspiring debaters at the Austin Debate Institute while specializing in technical debate. Ava is super excited to teach at VBI this summer!

Bailey Koh

Bailey debated for four years at Southlake Carroll where he served as the Co-President of Speech and Debate. He has amassed a total of 9 bids to the Tournament of Champions in his career, qualifying three times and reaching the semifinals of Silver TOC his junior year. Additionally, he has attended NSDA Nationals twice, placing 6th as a sophom*ore and winning as a junior. Other notable achievements include, championing CSU, semifinaling UT, and getting speaker awards at TFA state, TOC, and Glenbrooks.

Ben Hodges

Ben debated for Durham for three years where he achieved extensive success both on the local and national level. Most notably, he was the national runner-up at the NSDA National Tournament, semi-finalist at the gold TOC, and 2023 NC state champion. On the national circuit, Ben achieved a top—10 national ranking for two back-to-back seasons, was the champion of Princeton, Yale, Duke, and the King Round Robin, and amassed over 10 gold bids. He’s incredibly excited to work with and help you grow this summer!

Ella Zhang

Ella competed in PF at Cary Academy for 4 years, serving as co-team captain of the speech and debate team senior year. During that time Ella acquired 11 TOC bids, was ranked up to the 3rd PF team in the nation, and was invited to 8 round robins. Notably, Ella won GMU, semifinaled Yale and the Harvard Round Robin, quarterfinaled UK and Durham, and broke to deep outrounds at many other tournaments. Ella enjosy lay and K debate, and is excited to work with everyone at VBI!

Cherie Wang

Cherie debated at Westlake High School in Texas for 4 years, where she was captain her junior and senior year. Throughout her career, she has earned 3 bids to the Tournament of Champions and reached quarterfinals of Plano West, Apple Valley, and TFA State and cochampioned James Logan and Grapevine. She can’t wait to teach at VBI again this summer!

El Contreras

El Contreras is the head coach of LC Anderson High School in Austin, Texas. They’ve been involved in speech and debate since their freshman year of high school in 2013. In high school, they did UIL policy, Congress, and extemp. They’ve judged every event, including bid rounds at national tournaments at Blue Key, Longhorn Classic, Grapevine, and more! As a second year coach, their students have received bids in duo, oratory, LD, Congress, and Extemp! Their favorite part about debate is giving students a voice and a platform. El is so excited to spend time in California this summer!

George Tiesi

George Tiesi debated for Poly Prep in New York City for 7 years. In his career, he attended the TOC three times and earned 11 career bids. Serving as PF captain, his notable achievements include breaking and reaching double octafinals at Gold TOC, winning the VBI camp tournament in 2022, and semi-finaling the UK season opener and Nano Nagle. He made elimination rounds at Emory, Upenn, Princeton, and a myriad of other tournaments. Overall, George was ranked 3rd in the state of New York and 7th in the country. Additionally, he made it to round 11 of NSDA nationals. He is ecstatic to work at VBI for the second year in a row this summer.

Henry Anastasi

Henry Anastasi is a former VBI student who debated at J.R. Masterman for 4 years, getting 12 gold bids to the Tournament of Champions in the process. During this time debating, he won Penn and Mid America, reached finals at Harvard, came second at the Ivy Street Round Robin, semied Durham and Bronx (getting first speaker along the way), and quartered Yale, NCFL, UK (twice), and Columbia while also being the top speaker. Henry is from a much smaller program so he is an expert in running a team, using all the resources available to him, and teaching novices. He also taught at Outreach Debate Camp. He enjoys the variety debate offers, being primarily a tech substance debater with lay and progressive experience to go along with it. Outside of debate, he loves playing video games, listening to and playing music, and watching Philly sports. He is excited to teach debate this summer!

Ryan Love

Ryan debated for 3 years at Dripping Springs high school and 3 years at the University of Houston. In high school he was a TOC finalist and UIL state champion in congressional debate, a TFA state semifinalist in Domestic Extemp, a UIL state qualifier in CX, and an NSDA qualifier in PF. In college he represented UH’s varsity policy team at NDT districts, CEDA nationals, and numerous other regional and national tournaments. As a coach, Ryan was voted 2023 district assistant coach of the year by his peers in the NSDA Heart of Texas district. He has helped coach PF,CX, LD, World Schools, and congressional debaters to local, state, and national success. He has also judged out-rounds in PF at prestigious tournaments such as Harvard, Churchill, and Grapevine. With over a decade of experience in debate Ryan prides himself on keeping his thumb on the pulse of PF. As such Ryan loves coaching debaters to develop a diverse debate skill set, adapt to a variety of judges, actualize their endless potential, and most of all find their voice in debate. He is super excited to coach at VBI San Diego!

Melinda Li

Melinda debated for A&M Consolidated in Texas for 4 years, serving as her team's co-president her junior and senior year. Throughout her career, she has competed at the Tournament of Champions (3x), NSDA Nationals (3x), and TFA state (3x). She has reached semifinals at Bellaire and elimination rounds at NSDA Nationals, TFA state, and every national tournament her senior year. After working at VBI last year, Melinda is super excited to teach again this summer!

Mercy Wah

Mercy Wah is a junior at Rutgers University Newark. Mercy debated for six years, and during high school, Mercy qualified to the TOC with three bids and five bid rounds. Mercy won a regional debate tournament and a round-robin.Mercy is super excited to teach at VBI this summer and interact with many eager debaters. See you soon!

Sabrina Huang

Sabrina Huang competed under College Prep HP for two years. In her career, she won Glenbrooks, Cal, Minneapple, and Jack Howe, and reached deep elims/received speaker awards at many other invitationals, including quarterfinaling the GTOC in 2022. Overall, she was ranked 4th and 7th in the years 2022 and 2023. She likes clean, fast and technical debate but can coach almost any style. This is her first year at VBI, and she's excited to meet you all!

Christina Xu

Christina Xu debated at Lincoln East High School in Lincoln, Nebraska for four years. She has earned 7 career bids, making her a three-time Tournament of Champions qualifier. She has also qualified for NSDA Nationals three times, placing 18th in 2023. Christina has reached outrounds at Dowling, Milo Cup, and more. As Team Captain, she has coached novices to champion multiple national circuit tournaments. With experience debating on the national and local circuit, Christina is well-versed in lay and technical debate. After attending VBI, she is excited to return and teach this summer!

Esha Venkat

Esha has debated for Westwood High School for four years and as the team’s co-novice coordinator during her senior year. During her career, she earned 8 career bids to the TOC, making it to late outrounds at Blake, Churchill, Grapevine, Berkeley, and UT. She is super excited to teach this year!

Ishraq Hossain

Ishraq Hossain has debated for four years at Del Norte High School in San Diego, California. Over his career, he has amassed 15 bids to the Tournament of Champions, breaking at the TOC as a sophom*ore and placing top-20 at the NSDA Nationals. Ishraq has also first spoken at tournaments like UC Berkeley, Nano Nagle, and Peach State. He has received numerous invites from round robins, notably semi-finaling at the California Round Robin. As President of his Speech and Debate team, he has years of coaching experience, and looks forward to working with students this summer!

Sadie Wolf

Sadie debated for the Chapin School in New York City for four years, serving as captain of her team. Throughout her career, Sadie amassed 12 bids, qualifying to Gold TOC twice and NSDAs, as well as ranking as high as 8th in the nation. Some tournament highlights include: reaching finals of ASU, Pennsbury, and Villiger, semifinals of Durham, and quarterfinals of Harvard (2x). She also reached elimination rounds at Florida Blue Key, Princeton, UKSO, Yale, Mid America (2x), Lexington, Columbia (2x), UPenn, TOC Digital #1, and Ridge. She was also invited to compete at the Flordia Blue Key and Harvard (2x) Round Robins. Sadie specializes in lay/flay debate, and is very excited to coach at VBI LA this summer!

Sasha Cara

Sasha debated for four years at Princeton High School in New Jersey. Throughout her career, she accumulated 9 bids to the Tournament of Champions. Most notably, she reached octafinals at UPenn, quarterfinals at Sunvite and Cypress Bay, semifinals at Columbia and the NJ State Championship, championed Pennsbury (2x) and Bingham, and sixth spoke at Gold TOC. Sasha has extensive experience coaching students and is excited to see everyone at VBI this summer!

Shreeya Gogia

Shreeya debated for Southlake Carroll for 6 years, serving as Public Forum Captain her senior year. Throughout her career, she qualified to TOC and TFA state three times, receiving 10 TOC bids. Notably, she reached quarterfinals of TFA state her junior year and received top 10 speaker awards at Sunvite, Glenbrooks, TFA state, and Grapevine. Shreeya specialized in framing, substance, and theory debates with experience reading all sorts of arguments throughout her three years debating on the national circuit. She is looking forward to VBI as an instructor this summer!

Spencer Burris-Brown

Spencer debated PF for 4 years at St Paul Academy and currently coaches at Bergen County Debate Club. During his debate career, he most notably placed in the top 20 at NSDA nationals, reached quarterfinals and semifinals at the Minnesota State Tournament in consecutive years, reached finals at Badgerland, and championed Lakeland. This will be his second year instructing at VBI, he had a blast last summer and couldn’t be more excited to return.

William Hallward-Driemeier

William debated for four years at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland. As a debater, he amassed 7 gold bids and 6 silver bids. He broke at NSDA nationals his sophom*ore year and reached TOC octofinals his junior year. He received multiple top-10 speaker awards at large national tournaments. He was ranked as high as 4th in the nation per the NDCA ranking. He reached the semifinals of multiple tournaments, most notably, Blake and Princeton. William coached at VBI last summer and had a blast and couldn't be more excited to be coming back!

Vivek Yarlagedda

Vivek Yarlagedda debated for four years on the national circuit for Southlake Carroll, where he accumulated 11 bids (8 gold, 3 silver). During his senior year, Vivek won both Bronx and Blue Key, semifinalled Emory & UT, and was ranked as high as the #1 team in the country. Across his career, Vivek was the top-seed at Emory & TFA State (twice), semifinalled Blake and was invited to both the Harvard and Kandi King Round Robins. As Co-President of Southlake’s debate program, Vivek has mentored various teams and specializes in teaching high-level prep skills, technical substance debate and progressive debate. He is very excited to teach at VBI LA this summer!

Vivian Zhu

Vivian debated for four years at Ridge High School in New Jersey, competing in PF in her junior and senior year. During her time in PF, Vivian qualified twice to the Tournament of Champions and NCFL Nationals, accumulated 8 career bids and has been ranked as high as 7th in the nation. Notably she has championed UPenn, quartered Bronx, quartered and top spoke Princeton, and Octofinals at NCFLs and Glenbrooks. Vivian is also the President of her school's Speech and Debate team and has experience coaching at Outreach Debate and her team's summer debate camp. Vivian specializes in substance debate and she is excited to teach and meet everyone at VBI this summer!