After 15 years of coaching, Angelique Ronald has refocused her attention to advocating for matters of equity and inclusion in the world of speech and debate. Through publications (including Rostrum winter 2017 article “Women In Competitive Forensics”), national conference presentations (2018: “Fostering Inclusivity and Safe Spaces at Tournaments: Best Practices” and 2019: “Gender Inequity in Speech and Debate: A Solutions-Focused Discussion”), and advocacy in California and beyond, Angelique promotes solutions-based, culture-wide changes to make forensics a more accessible, open, and safe space for all.
Angelique currently serves as the State Tournament Director / Vice President of Activities of the California High School Speech Association, the co-President of the Southern Valley Forensic League, and a member of the Sierra District Committee for the National Speech and Debate Association.
Crawford Leavoy is the Director of Speech & Debate at Durham Academy in Durham, NC. Throughout his years coaching throughout the Southeast, Crawford has coached multiple TOC Qualifiers, NCFL Qualifiers and NSDA Qualifiers. His students have gone on to be the Runner-Ups & 3rd Place in Public Forum in NSDA, 9th Place in Lincoln Douglas, 9th Place in International Extemporaneous Speaking and multiple Semifinalists in Congressional Debate. At the 2020 NSDA National Tournament, Durham Academy was recognized as a School of Outstanding Distinction (Top-10 school).
Crawford focuses into creating a diverse team with well-rounded students. He works closely with students in Lincoln-Douglas, Congressional Debate and Interpretation.
Crawford serves on the NSDA’s Lincoln-Douglas Wording Committee, NSDA Tarheel East District Chair and the Director of Debate for the Dogwood Speech and Debate League.
Amy Lattimore is a school nurse for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Before working at CMS, Amy worked in a variety of nursing roles including in Pediatrics and the PICU in hospitals in the Charlotte and Chicago areas. At ISD, Amy lives in the dorms and is available 24/7 for any health concern that may arise for our students. She handles all medication distribution and ensures that students receive the care and attention that they need while away from home.
2024 will be Amy’s 9th summer with ISD and she cannot wait to return for another summer with her ISD Family!
Brian is the Director of Debate at Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School in New York and Director of Policy Debate at Stanford University, in addition to serving as a consultant for the National Speech & Debate Association. Widely recognized for his unrivaled talent in revitalizing traditional programs, Brian was named the 2008 Michael Bacon Coach of the Year and 2016 Val A. Browning Director of the Year. He has been coaching for nearly 20 years and was recently elected to the Executive Board of the National Debate Coaches Association.
Under his leadership, Edgemont’s debate program has flourished, winning five state championships and countless speaker awards, as well as presenting to the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill. His students championed the 2015 Georgetown Day School Invitational and 2018 Mamaroneck Round Robin in Policy Debate; 2018 Harrison Round Robin and 2019 Newark Round Robin in Lincoln-Douglas Debate; and 2016 Lakeland Round Robin, 2016 Westchester Classic, 2018 University of Michigan High-School Tournament, and 2019 Lakeland Round Robin in Public Forum Debate. After past outround appearances in Policy and Lincoln-Douglas, Edgemont will be represented in all principal debate events at this year’s Tournament of Champions. Brian has enjoyed equal success at Stanford, where he coached its first team in two decades—and fourth team ever—to qualify for the National Debate Tournament, finishing in the top 30 in both 2013 and 2015.
Over the course of his professional career, Brian has coached for Harvard University, College Preparatory School, Cathedral Preparatory School, Chattahoochee High School, Lakeland High School, and Scranton High School. His students have advanced to elimination rounds at every major national tournament, including NSDA, NDCA, NCFL, and CEDA Nationals. He also coached the champions of the 2003 Big Bronx Invitational, 2008 Barkley Forum, and 2012 Golden Desert Tournament in Policy Debate, along with the 2007 NCFL finalists, 2012 NSDA finalists, and 2013 Phyllis Flory Barton top speaker.
During the summer, Brian serves as the Academic Director at the Stanford National Forensic Institute. He previously taught workshops at the University of Kentucky, University of Michigan, Georgetown University, and Millennial Speech & Debate. Brian is looking forward to his first summer at ISD!
Meredith Deaton coached 3 national champions in United States extemp in a 4-year period, a national record. She has also coached 9 state champions in International Extemp, US Extemp, and Lincoln-Douglas debate, 3 invitees to the Montogomery Bell Extemp Round Robin, and multiple finalists at tournaments such as Harvard, UT Austin, Stanford, and St. Mark’s. In 2014, Northwestern University’s Extemp Tournament of Champions named her Coach of the Year. After studying political science at New York University, she developed first-hand knowledge of global affairs by traveling to over 40 countries, including a 2015 Fund for Teachers fellowship to research genocide recovery in Germany and Rwanda, and an independent exploration of Central Asian countries participating in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. After coaching at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa for ten years, she now coaches privately while teaching AP Government, AP Macroeconomics, and AP Human Geography at the Science and Engineering Magnet in Dallas, TX.
