TO OUR SVUDL COMMUNITY
Ask SVUDL students what they love most about their experience, and you might expect stories of a tournament win, or qualifying for a national championship tournament. But inevitably, the answer that comes back most often might surprise you: community.
“SVUDL is a place where you can meet role models and build connections. Every time my legs shake when I first start speaking, I push through it and come out stronger. I will be reminded of my SVUDL journey every time I face a challenge, and I will push myself to try new things that intrigue me, even if I’m terrified at first,” said Trea Li, who is headed to UC Berkeley.
Isabella Hernandez, who will attend The University of San Francisco, says that SVUDL “creates a safe space where you don’t just fail. You always learn something new. We’re not competing against each other; we’re competing with each other. We push each other to discover parts of ourselves we didn’t know existed. During college applications, my coaches pushed me to be the most authentic version of myself. In the moments I didn’t believe in myself, their refusal to let me play it safe was the best support I could have received.”
William Nguyen, incoming freshman at Stanford University, says SVUDL shaped him into a more caring person. “I struggled to connect with others and didn’t have many friends. Debate became one of the only places where I felt I belonged. Practices became venues where we shared stories from our lives.”
That sense of belonging doesn’t stay confined to high school. SVUDL’s Annual Alumni Dinner brought together SVUDL alumni, and Board and Advisory Committee members across generations. As alum Kierra Jackson reflected, “It’s been 10 years since I joined SVUDL as a high school sophomore, and I see how many people devoted their time to my success.”
Your investment in SVUDL builds the community that is the foundation of students’ experiences. Even when a first tournament goes badly, or a performance doesn’t go the way they’d hoped, it’s the community that brings them back — not just throughout high school, but for a lifetime.
This year, that community grew larger than ever before. We reached 3,500 students - the most in SVUDL’s history in a single year. Our Debate Centered Instruction program has driven much of that growth, continuing to expand the SVUDL family, student by student.
Having access to a community that brings people together during a time of division and isolation is invaluable. The capacity to face a hard moment and grow from it is among the most important things a young person can learn. Your support makes this possible. We are grateful that you are a part of our community.
With gratitude,
Students attended 17 tournaments, both online and in-person, from around the country. This includes 6 tournaments hosted by SVUDL, as well as national Speech and Debate tournaments hosted by Stanford, the University of Kentucky, and others. We had 4 teams compete at the Urban Debate National Championship Tournament at Harvard University, and one additional student qualified for the first time in SVUDL’s history to compete at the National Speech and Debate Association’s Championship Tournament in Richmond, Virginia.
Congratulations to our 15 seniors who graduated this spring and are headed to college! Some of the schools our recent alum have matriculated to include: UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC San Diego, Stanford University, De Anza College, Evergreen Valley College, and the University of Chicago.
SCHOOL PARTNERS
Accel Middle College
Andrew P. Hill High School
East Palo Alto Academy
Evergreen Valley High School
Independence High School
James Lick High School
KIPP San Jose Collegiate
Latino College Preparatory Academy
Luis Valdez Leadership Academy
Mount Pleasant High School
Oak Grove High School
Oxford Day Academy
Pegasus High School
Piedmont Hills High School
Santa Teresa High School
Silver Creek High School
Summit Preparatory Charter School
William C. Overfelt High School
Yerba Buena High School
SVUDL’s Speech and Debate programs empower high school students to become confident communicators, thoughtful leaders, and engaged problem-solvers. Through debate and public speaking, students learn to think critically, analyze complex issues, evaluate evidence, construct compelling arguments, and communicate with confidence and purpose.
Our programs combine classroom learning, weekly practices, competitive tournaments, and year-round coaching to help students develop skills that extend far beyond the classroom. Along the way, dedicated coaches provide mentorship, encouragement, and guidance as students grow academically, personally, and professionally.
The result is more than stronger speakers and debaters—we are helping cultivate the next generation of leaders who are prepared to succeed in college, thrive in their careers, and make meaningful contributions to their communities.
SVUDL programs include:
• Afterschool clubs that offer opportunities to learn and practice Speech and Debate.
• Two A-G approved Curricula that can be taught as electives in schools.
• Debate Centered Instruction, where we work with teachers to incorporate Speech and Debate techniques into their everyday teaching.
2025 - 2026 TEACHER COACHES
Andrew P. Hill High School, Ahrin Lee and Michael Winsatt
Independence High School, Sara Mock and Jordan Stone
James Lick High School, Adi Mendoza
KIPP San Jose Collegiate, Aleesha Kashif
Latino College Preparatory Academy, Melissa Aguilar
Luis Valdez Leadership Academy, Patrick Hightower
Mount Pleasant High School, Mark Hartung
William C. Overfelt High School, Luz Torres
Oxford Day Academy, Latrice Bennett and Kyra Brown
Silver Creek High School, Mitchy Rene
Yerba Buena High School, Emily La
2025 - 2026 DEBATE CENTERED INSTRUCTION FELLOWS
Abel Vera, Oak Grove High School
Abhi Arora, Silver Creek High School
Alessandra Cain, Yerba Buena High School
Carmen Reyes, Apollo High School
Chrissy Dobbins, East Palo Alto Academy
Damien Quach, Andrew P. Hill High School
Dang Sia, Yerba Buena High School
Dominic Rizzi, Oak Grove High School
Emily La, Yerba Buena High School
Epifanie Fenton, Evergreen Valley High School
Gretchen Larese, Independence High School
Harsukh Saini, Piedmont Hills High School
Hwan Lee, Evergreen Valley High School
Irene Preciado, William C. Overfelt High School
Jan Gliozzo, Evergreen Valley High School
Joe Lovato, Mt. Pleasant High School
Jordan Stone, Independence High School
Kathleen Leal, Accel Middle College
Kayla Navarro, Piedmont Hills High School
Kevin Tran, Evergreen Valley High School
Luz Torres, William C. Overfelt High School
Mark Hartung, Mt. Pleasant High School
Matt Kwong, Oak Grove High School
Melissa Aguilar, Latino College Preparatory Academy
Mohammed Ali, Andrew P. Hill High School
Nonglak Prasopook, Piedmont Hills High School
Oram Ramirez, East Palo Alto Academy
Roberto Solis, North Salinas High School
Rowena Vocal, Piedmont Hills High School
Ruth Brevnov, Evergreen Valley High School
Sarah Anderson, Independence High School
Sheila Lacanaria, James Lick High School
Shelley Moneymaker, Piedmont Hills High School
STUDENT WILLIAM NGUYEN
Debate Became One of the Only Places Where I Felt I Belonged
“I remember competing in my very first SVUDL tournament and placing 37th place out of 37 teams! I questioned whether I wanted to continue competing in debate, but my team reassured me. Offering me strategic advice and stories of their own losses, they showed me that I had the potential to improve in my performance and grow over time. Now, three years later and qualifying to represent SVUDL at the 2026 Urban Debate National Championship, I can see that I did grow; my first tournament is now the first story I tell to new members!” exclaimed SVUDL student William Nguyen, a Yerba Buena High School alum who will attend Stanford University this fall.
What strikes William most is how SVUDL has shaped him into a more caring, thoughtful person. “During my freshman year, I struggled to connect with others and didn’t have many friends. Debate became one of the only places where I felt I belonged. Learning from my teammates changed my perspective on what it meant to be a debater. It wasn’t just about competing in tournaments, but also enjoying our time together. I saw how much my team cared about my well-being over the years, and I hope they know how much I care about them, too.”
His favorite part of SVUDL has been the community. “Practices became venues where we shared stories from our lives. It was always meaningful to connect during both struggles and successes. This debate community is what I’ll miss most after graduation.”
STUDENT TREA LI
Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable
Yerba Buena High School SVUDL student Trea Li was worried about her lack of extracurriculars when her great aunt offered a piece of advice that changed everything. “She emphasized how oral skills were crucial, not just academically, but for every aspect of life. That’s how I found myself inside my school’s Speech and Debate room, ready to try something new even if it was slightly nerve-racking.”
Trea found something many people spend years searching for, a sense of where she belongs, surrounded by teammates who became family. “When I first discovered this safe space, I was surprised by how underground it seemed, because it was a whole elaborate society I didn’t know about before,” she says. “We’re pretty small, but also tight-knit.” The rituals are unmistakably their own: downing soy sauce packets after tournaments, sending seniors off on scavenger hunts, and holding conversations that swing freely from silly gossip to heartfelt life advice. “SVUDL is a place where you can find so many talented people in just one room, meet role models, and build new connections.”
She learned a phrase from her advisor that became a personal north star: get comfortable with being uncomfortable. “Every time my legs shake when I first start speaking, or when my brain blanks during a sentence, I push through it and come out stronger,” she says. “I will be reminded of my SVUDL journey every time I face a challenge — and will push myself to try new things that intrigue me, even if I’m terrified at first.”
It’s a mindset she’ll be carrying with her this fall when Trea heads to UC Berkeley to study Materials Science and Engineering.
IMPACT
New independent research conducted this year by a PhD graduate of the University of Virginia illustrates that participation in any of SVUDL’s three programs was correlated with higher rates of graduation when compared to their non-participating peers. In addition, when they examined the Cumulative GPAs of SVUDL participants versus non-participants, they had similar findings as in previous years - participation in SVUDL programming is correlated with higher academic success. Here is an anonymized sampling of some of the schools SVUDL served during the 2024-2025 school year to highlight that correlation.
Diving a little bit deeper, our researcher was also able to begin a longitudinal examination of how SVUDL participants self-reported their skill development over the course of 3 years. These students reported higher levels of skills and life outcomes over time, which suggests that the benefits associated with SVUDL have strengthened over time, with students reporting stronger outcomes and greater benefits from their participation in more recent years.
The figures below document average self-reported skills and life outcomes among SVUDL students who completed surveys across all three school years, from 2023–2024 through 2025–2026. Outcomes are measured on a five-point scale, with higher scores indicating higher levels of self-reported skills and life outcomes. By 2025–2026, these students reported higher average levels of both skills and life outcomes compared with their 2023–2024 responses.
While these findings alone cannot establish that SVUDL caused these changes, these patterns provide encouraging evidence that SVUDL may be increasingly effective in supporting students’ skills and life outcomes. Notably, students self-reported a strengthening in skills related to writing, listening, leadership, and collaboration. They also reported feeling more fulfilled, self-confident, civically engaged, and cognitively engaged.
These findings support the argument that SVUDL’s programming is correlated to positive outcomes in participating students - both inside and outside the classroom.
Currently, SVUDL staff and Teacher Coaches are helping students identify and strengthen specific skills during practice and Speech and Debate tournaments. This focus will enable our independent researchers to analyze how much skill development happens as it relates to the number of hours of participation in SVUDL programs.
MARYBELLE UK - A STORY OF BELONGING
What drew SVUDL alum and recent Santa Clara University School of Law graduate Marybelle Uk to SVUDL wasn’t solely ambition - it was belonging. “Everyone at SVUDL is passionate about helping students succeed while also having fun. It was important for me to have a space after school where I didn’t have to worry about parents, chores, or other responsibilities. It was critical for me to be around other people who also wanted to learn.”
She describes her younger self as someone who could barely ask for ketchup at a fast food counter. “SVUDL gave me the tools I needed to just put myself out there and try. A lot of the conversations that matter are scary. SVUDL gave me the power to have those conversations.”
That shift shaped more than her confidence. It shaped her direction. “SVUDL encouraged me to pursue law school. It gave me the push from being that shy kid who couldn’t really speak up for herself to being able to advocate for others who really need help. SVUDL shaped me as a person by showing me how to push through fear. It taught me that I could do it even if I was scared. SVUDL gave me the power to make the changes I want to see in the world.”
Ultimately, she sees her own story reflected in current SVUDL students. “You can see the impact by how many alumni come back to help as staff and judges. SVUDL has changed the lives of every student that comes through the program.”
STUDENT ISABELLA HERNANDEZ
SVUDL Showed Me that the Only Person Limiting Me is Myself
For Latino College Preparatory Academy graduate Isabella Hernandez, Speech and Debate turned out to become the space where she learned to trust herself. “I used to depend on the opinions of others. I developed the ability to believe in myself. My experiences at SVUDL showed me that the only person stopping me — and limiting me — is myself.”
What’s surprised her most isn’t the trophies or the tournament wins. It’s the growth she didn’t see coming. “I never thought I’d be here telling others about my experience with Speech and Debate,” she reflects. “It’s an invisible kind of growth. It’s the confidence I’ve developed, and the friendships I’ve made.”
Central to that experience has been community. Isabella describes the bond among SVUDL students as something genuinely unique. “We’ve all seen each other grow and root for one another, because we all have the same goal: to try as hard as we can. SVUDL creates a safe space where you don’t fail — you just learn something new.”
That ethos extends to competition itself. “The excitement after countless late nights researching and a win is real,” she says. “But so are the bonds you build working with your team. Competition within SVUDL creates a deep level of respect, because we’re not competing against each other. We’re competing with each other. We push each other to grow and discover parts of ourselves we didn’t know existed.”
When college application season arrived, her coaches were there for more than proofreading. “They pushed me to be the most authentic version of myself,” Isabella says. “They understood my goals and my dreams. Having my coaches beside me meant I wasn’t standing alone. In the moments I didn’t believe in myself, their refusal to let me play it safe was the best support I could have gotten.” Isabella is bound for the University of San Francisco this fall, starting a pre-medicine program.
I RESOLVE 2025
The I RESOLVE series, a partnership between the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues and SVUDL, brings the most pressing issues in society into sharp focus through the eyes of tomorrow’s leaders.
When Katelynn Nguyen (Silver Creek High School graduate) and De’Angelo Quintero (Andrew P. Hill High School graduate) took the stage at DLA Piper in Palo Alto, they didn’t only debate about this year’s topic of affordable housing, they also demonstrated why the art of Speech and Debate itself is so powerful.
Katelynn Nguyen made a compelling case for Housing First, an approach that prioritizes getting people off the streets immediately. De’Angelo Quintero focused on solutions to implement rent control and expand development opportunities. Debate panelists were Mariam Ahmed, SVUDL Program Specialist and SVUDL alum, and Erin Baldassari, Senior Editor on Housing Affordability at KQED. Both panelists praised the students for their understanding of the topic. I RESOLVE demonstrates that students aren’t just learning the skills of Speech and Debate. They’re becoming the voices our communities need to address difficult problems while providing nuanced potential solutions.
TEACHER COACH ALEESHA KASHIF
Meeting People Where They Are
Aleesha Kashif, former Teacher Coach at KIPP San Jose Collegiate, started college as a psychology major, drawn by a deep curiosity about how diverse minds work. Her career path from Registered Behavior Technician to Education Specialist included developing individualized education plans for students with mild to moderate disabilities.
At KIPP, Aleesha co-taught English, math, and biology, identifying skill gaps and reteaching in a resource lab through diverse forms of instruction. Both English and biology wove in Debate Centered Instruction through Socratic seminars, where students discussed current issues and built on each other’s reasoning in real time.
She also revived the Speech and Debate Club. What started as a handful of students has grown into a team of roughly 30, in only two years. The club has become a place to belong. Timothy Phan captured it: “Many turn to clubs as a way to escape their home and their pressures, but I come to Speech and Debate to go home and feel welcome instead.”
Student Stanley Tran reflected on the kind of transformation that outlasts any single tournament result: “SVUDL has pushed me to explore my own abilities and expand my skills and confidence into a philosophy that has shaped how I think and communicate beyond competitions.”
For Aleesha Kashif, that’s the whole point: meet people where they are, and help them find what they’re capable of achieving. At KIPP San Jose Collegiate and SVUDL, she found a team and a community doing exactly that. This summer, Aleesha joined SVUDL as its newest Program Specialist, where she will rely on her teaching and coaching experience to support Speech and Debate programs across Silicon Valley.
SVUDL hosted its Annual Alumni Dinner, an evening centered on community connection. Alumni from across generations joined, from those who competed in Speech and Debate over a decade ago to students completing their first year of college, alongside members of the SVUDL Board of Directors and Advisory Committee, community partners, and staff.
For many, the night was also a moment of reflection. As alum Kierra Jackson shared, “It’s been 10 years since I joined SVUDL as a high school sophomore, and I truly see how many people devoted their time and energy to my success. It always feels good to come home and see those who laid a foundation for the young professional I would eventually become.”
Throughout the evening, alumni also had the opportunity to build relationships with SVUDL Board and Advisory Committee members, gaining firsthand insight, mentorship, and connections to support their academic and professional paths.
Director of Programming Kwodwo Moore reflected, “I saw alumni, both old and new, sharing their stories of debate and how those stories have carried them through their lives. It was a demonstration of the power of not only debate, but the community that their presence created.”
Success after high school is shaped not only by academic achievement, but also by access to mentors, professional networks, and opportunities to explore future careers. Through SVUDL’s Professional Access & Mentoring program, students gain firsthand exposure to the people, workplaces, and experiences that help them envision—and pursue—their future.
Throughout the year, high school students and SVUDL alumni connected with professionals across a wide range of industries, building relationships and learning skills that will serve them well beyond graduation. From practicing interview skills at Orrick, to meeting Superior Court judges in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, to exploring workplaces ranging from Waymo to law firms, participants had experiences that expanded their perspectives and inspired new possibilities.
These experiences help students build the social capital, confidence, and professional skills needed to navigate college, careers, and civic life. Just as importantly, they reinforce a powerful message: the communication, critical thinking, and leadership skills developed through Speech and Debate can open doors to virtually any path they choose.
PARENT AMIT GANDHI
A Parent’s Perspective
When parents think about their child’s extracurricular activities, they often focus on the immediate benefits like keeping kids busy, building friendships, and adding something to a college application. But some experiences go deeper, fundamentally shaping not just the student, but impacting the entire family.
For Amit Gandhi, father of Ojas Gandhi (who graduated from Independence High School last year and is attending UC Santa Cruz), Speech and Debate became exactly that kind of transformative journey. “SVUDL is a tight-knit environment where students feel truly seen and heard,” Amit observes. “My son connected with remarkable individuals from diverse backgrounds and surrounding schools, forming valuable friendships. He was given multiple unique opportunities to build memorable experiences. SVUDL created a sense of community and belonging where high school students and staff who care deeply about Speech and Debate could discuss their opinions openly without fear of judgment.”
From watching his son develop confidence and communication skills to expanding his own perspective on complex issues, the debate experience created ripple effects that continue to benefit the entire family. “My son brought up fascinating facts and insights about the American political landscape that helped our family better navigate news and media while understanding biases in different sources.”
The SVUDL Legal Advisory Committee has always championed diverse legal career pathways, and now, the Committee will support exploration of an even wider range of career paths. The SVUDL Advisory Committee, the group’s new name, reflects this evolution.
The skills that SVUDL students acquire unlock far more than legal careers. These foundational abilities open doors across countless fields: engineering, technology, advocacy, public service, education, and beyond. Leading this expanded vision are two new members of our SVUDL Advisory Committee: Michael Caulkins, Associate at Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP, and Annie Matheu, Senior Finance Partner at Waymo.
“What resonates most about SVUDL’s mission is its focus on giving young people a real chance to be heard and to succeed, no matter their background,” said Michael. “I spent ten years working with Bridges to Community, helping build homes for earthquake victims in Nicaragua. That experience showed me how much it means for someone to know that others believe in their potential. SVUDL’s work feels like a natural extension of those values.”
Annie Matheu’s life story began with her parents immigrating to the United States from China. She learned English when she started school, and leveraged skills learned in debate to land jobs on Wall Street and Waymo. “In debate, I learned how to recover from loss and disappointment. I went from ‘fake it until you make it’ to developing true confidence through repetition and continued practice,” she emphasized.
$25,000+
Anonymous
The Campbell Foundation
James Basile
Jennie Savage
Jennifer Min and Steve Harrick
John M. Sobrato
Kirkland & Ellis Foundation
The LaureL Foundation
Leo M. Shortino Family Foundation
Leslie M. Spencer
The Makahakama Foundation
Rick and Carol Tinsley
The William and Charlene Glikbarg Foundation
$10,000 - $24,999
Anonymous
Christopher and Ali Keegan
County of Santa Clara
Dauber Foundation
DLA Piper LLP
Google Inc.
Intermedia Cloud Communications
Iris Chen and Richard Jackson
John Sheputis and Susan Campbell
Kwok Lau and Jon Goulden
Mark McKane
National Association for Urban Debate Leagues (NAUDL)
PwC Foundation
Robins Kaplan LLP Charitable Foundation
Sobrato Philanthropies
SVP Seattle
$5,000 - $9,999
Adam R. Alper
Alison Elliott and Steve Blank
AlphaX RE Capital
Andrew and Jocelyn Gold
Ann Miura-Ko
Anonymous
Apple
Atkinson Foundation
Brandon Brown
Bryson Santaguida and Annie Pogue
Carrie Williamson and Marvin Peña
Christine Heiss
Darren Wolstein
Elizabeth Deeley
HP Inc.
Husch Blackwell
Intuit
Jung Choi
Kian and Amy Sandjideh
Mark Lemley and Rose Hagan
Meta Local Community Fund
Palo Alto Weekly
Perkins Coie
Peter Hopper
Polsinelli Law
Primary Digital Infrastructure
Rak Garg
Sahil and Ambica Bhardwaj
Shineon.org Foundation
The Triumph Philanthropy Fund
Venable LLP
THANKS AND APPRECIATION
SVUDL is grateful to the following individuals, foundations, and corporations for their generous cumulative support from 2025-2026. Special thanks to the Sobrato Family Foundation for providing in-kind office space for SVUDL at the Sobrato Center for Nonprofits in San Jose, California.
$1,000 - $4,999
Ajay Juneja
Alicia Del Valle
Barbara Trachtenberg
Bryson Santaguida
Cheryl Jordan
Christopher Hersey
ConnectSafely
Dave and Lien Babulak
Davis & Gilbert LLC
Deborah Dauber
Denny Kwon
Diane Rosenberg
ebay
Edward Yu
Elaine Dai
Grace Lam
Greg Haskell
Hon. Cynthia Lie
Hon. Julia Alloggiamento
James P Gillespie
Joanne Mills
Kari Schrader
Kathryn Zekus
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Larissa Cantanho
Larry Orr
Marc Fernandez
Mel and Lato Ramos Family Foundation
Naomi Andrews
Pace Able Foundation
Rich Kelley
Susan Radulovacki
The Flourish Collective
Tom Loverro
Tracey Fecher
Vaishali and Vinai Sirkay
Victor Gomes
$500 - $999
Anonymous
Alison Watkins
Andrea Noseda
Cynthia Bright
Davey Nickels
David Cattivera
Devan Vincent Rosdahl
Elizabeth Lee
Francisco Jacoby-Rivera
Gap, Inc
Jeetil Patel
Jocelyn Goldfein
Justina Brown
Kim Overton
Laura Roberts
Linda Lazor
Lisa Van Dusen
Matthew Irwin
Nadine Rambeau
Philip Damberg
Tamara Mozahuani Alvarado
$499 and below
Amy Everitt
Ann Wang Reed
Anonymous
Ashley Hitchings
Ashley Littlefield
BainCapital
Ballari Mukherjee
Barry Witt
Bob Rosenberg
Brittan Heller
Carolyn Herzog
Dr. Chris Gebert-Parikh and Dr. Sachin Parikh
Craig Reiss
David Zott
DeEtte Baise
Diane Gabl Kratz
Dolly Mah
Emilio Rojo
Eric Gorin Regan
Ernest Fernandez
Ethan Boneh
Eunice Lee
Gerald Seeger
Gregorio Hernandez
Heej Won
Henry Huang
Hon. Audra Ibarra
Hon. Charles Wilson
Honey Gubuan
Jacob Harris
James Claussen
Jane Lin
Jenet Manuel
Jennifer Lee
Jillian OrRico
Josh Singh
Leslie Phillips
Lucy Zheng
Marlene Spencer
Melissa Aguilar
Mercedes Alvarez
Michael Avila
Michael Hoffman
Michelle Bryan Oroschakoff
Nancy Allred
Nancy Heafey
Natalie Garcia Lashinsky
Natalie Theodore
Pia Roeser
R. Anthony Reese
Regi Young
Rob Lloyd
Ryan Park
Sally Loverro
Scherm Tang
Seth Northrop
Sophia McGoldrick
Steve Preminger
Sunil Maheshwari
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Trinh Thi Ngoc Nguyen
Usha Narayanan
Wendy Yale
Whitney Lemmon
THE SVUDL TEAM
SVUDL Board of Directors
Served during the 2025-2026 program year
James Basile, Chair
Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
The Honorable Julia Alloggiamento
Judge of the Superior Court, Santa Clara County
Sahil Bhardwaj, Vice Chair
Partner, Strategy& (a PwC company)
Iris Chen, Secretary
General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Moloco Inc.
Alison Elliott
Former Educator and Community Volunteer
Rak Garg
Partner, Bain Capital Ventures
Andrew Gold, Chair Emeritus
Managing Director, Corporate Development and General
Counsel at Primary Digital Infrastructure
Mark Lemley
William H. Neukom Professor of Law at Stanford Law School
Jennifer Min
Educator, School Leader, and Community Volunteer
Kian Sandjideh
Angel Investor and Startup Founder and Entrepreneur
Bryson Santaguida
Senior Director, Global Product Counsel, eBay
John Sheputis
Managing Director and Co-Founder, Primary Digital
Infrastructure
Leslie M. Spencer, Vice Chair
Partner, Desmarais LLP
Rick Tinsley, Treasurer
Tech Entrepreneur and Investor
Michael Whiteman
Principal, PWC
Carrie Williamson
Partner, Winston Taylor
SVUDL Team
Mariam Ahmed
Program Specialist
Addis Arciniega
Program Specialist
Dr. Robert Burns
Director of Education
Sofia Funk
Program Specialist
Rolland Janairo
Chief Executive Officer
Aleesha Kashif
Program Specialist
Gaganpreet Kaur
Administrative and Program Coordinator
Jenet Manuel
Administrative & Operations Manager
Kwodwo Moore
Director of Programming
Angelina Rodriguez
Tournament Tabroom Assistant
Devin Rodriguez
SVUDL Coach
Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee brings together leaders from the Silicon Valley business and legal community to help students realize their dreams of becoming successful professionals. Thank you to these members who mentor, host site visits, and provide internships.
Brandon Brown
Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Graham “Gray” Buccigross
Partner, Intellectual Property, Mayer Brown LLP
Michael Caulkins
Associate, Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP
Marc Fernandez
Assistant General Counsel, Intuit
Payton Fong
Intellectual Property Attorney, White & Case
Christopher Hersey
General Counsel, Devcon Construction
Matthew Irwin
Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Gap, Inc.
Jennifer Kim
Associate, Davis Polk
Denny Kwon
Partner, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Eric Lancaster
Partner, Paul Hastings LLP
Annie Matheu
Senior Finance Partner, Waymo
Ballari Mukherjee
Employment Legal Counsel, Google DeepMind
Ash Nagdev
Counsel, Sidley Austin LLP
Usha Narayanan
Senior Legal Counsel, HP.
Carlos Orellana
District Counsel, Valley Water
Ajwang Rading
Associate, Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP
Bryson Santaguida
Associate General Counsel, Moloco
Vaishali Sirkay
President, Santa Clara County School Boards Association
Leslie M. Spencer
Partner, Desmarais LLP
Carrie Williamson
Partner, Winston Taylor
Li Zhu
Partner, Robins Kaplan LLP