TO OUR SVUDL COMMUNITY
“So often our understanding of history and the world has been shaped by a dominant narrative that excludes and erases alternative stories. Having immigrated to the U.S. at nine, I never felt like experiences like mine were part of the history and curriculum taught in schools. This changed when I discovered critical literature in Policy Debate.” - Vu Quang
Through the rigor and excitement of debate, the Silicon Valley Urban Debate League (SVUDL) helps students like Vu Quang uncover and hone the power of their voices, and develop critical thinking, resilience and preparation so they can confidently step into their full potential as professional and community leaders.
This past year we reached nearly 2,500 students - our highest participation ever - with a 6% increase from last year. We also saw significant growth in deep engagement—students attending at least 10 preparation events plus a culminating tournament or capstone classroom assignment. And, as you’ll see within this report, independent research conducted this past year continues to illustrate that SVUDL programming is correlated with academic success. Moreover, nearly one hundred percent of SVUDL participants advance to college.
More than that: the true measure of our impact lies in transformation stories like Vu’s. His journey of feeling excluded from dominant narratives to discovering powerful counter-narratives through Policy Debate demonstrates what happens when students find their voices. SVUDL fundamentally altered his view of both the world and himself. This fall, Vu is headed to pursue Asian American Studies at Stanford University.
In this report, you’ll also learn about our amazing teacher partners, who are infusing their existing curricula with Speech and Debate every day, as well as coaching our students after school to local and national success.
Because of your generous support, students become equipped not only with the essential skills of Speech and Debate, but also with the knowledge that their lived experiences are invaluable and that their voices deserve to be heard. These SVUDL tools of empowerment have a ripple effect on their communities and the world at large. It is our honor to share more stories like Vu’s in this annual Impact Report, reflecting the impact of your support of SVUDL’s students, teachers, alumni, and mission.
With Gratitude,
RYAN: JOHN DAWSON LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNER
Ryan Nguyen, a Yerba Buena High School senior, is this year’s recipient of the prestigious John Dawson Leadership Award—an honor recognizing students who embody the leadership vision of SVUDL Co-Founder John Dawson.
Ryan’s journey with SVUDL began almost by accident during his freshman year. What started as casual curiosity quickly transformed into passionate commitment, beginning with his first tournament at the SVUDL Sojourner Truth Invitational in 2021.
He credits the organization’s “community of receptive coaches, staff members, volunteers, and fellow debaters who fostered a space where I can speak without fear of being discriminated against or silenced.” This supportive environment allowed him to explore his own perspectives and develop his voice.
SVUDL transformed Ryan as a person. “If there is one core tenet of my life I attribute to SVUDL, it is empathy,” he states. The program made him “a more loving and compassionate person,” continuously exposing him to diverse perspectives. Ryan’s understanding of leadership reflects John Dawson’s vision: “Leadership, to me, is not about being the most knowledgeable instructor, commanding the most respect from the greatest number of people, or developing the best curriculum; it is about fighting right alongside those I serve as peers and comrades.”
SVUDL PROGRAMMING
SVUDL’s Speech & Debate programs provide high school students with leadership development opportunities rarely found elsewhere. Our programs teach students how to analyze and solve complex problems, research information and evaluate evidence, and speak and persuade. All of these are skills that will serve students in college and in life – and to address the complex problems of our time. Our programming offers regular Speech and Debate practices and opportunities to compete. Our dedicated coaches mentor the students in a variety of ways as they navigate the path through high school and beyond.
2024 - 2025 TEACHER COACHES
Andrew Hill High School, Michael Winsatt
Downtown College Preparatory, Maya Favela
East Palo Alto Academy, Peter Otte
Independence High School, Debbie Huynh and Gretchen Larese
KIPP San Jose Collegiate, Aleesha Kashif
Latino College Preparatory Academy, Melissa Aguilar
James Lick High School, Michael Ghali
Mount Pleasant High School, Mark Hartung
Oxford Day Academy, Latrice Bennett
Silver Creek High School, David Brodsky and Mitchy Rene
Yerba Buena High School, Emily La
William C. Overfelt High School, Luz Torres
THE PEDAGOGY AND PRACTICE OF DEBATE CENTERED INSTRUCTION
This year, 1,900 students participated in Debate Centered Instruction (DCI) across 11 partner schools in San Jose and East Palo Alto. DCI equips students with essential skills—formulating claims, analyzing evidence, asking rigorous questions, and respectfully engaging multiple perspectives—that prepare them for advanced academic work and professional collaboration in the workplace. As an instructional approach, it also fosters students’ habits of civic dialogue, equipping them to participate thoughtfully in conversations about the public good.
To support the use of DCI activities, SVUDL provided schoolwide professional development (PD) at Mount Pleasant High School and the Foundation for Hispanic Education, as well as a two-day district-wide training for the East Side Union High School District. Teachers praised the training enthusiastically: Ragiah El Shantaly (Evergreen High School) called it “one of the best PDs I have ever attended,” while Allison Liang (Silver Creek High School) found it “engaging with examples and modeling.” Jan Gliozzo (Evergreen Valley High School) summed it up best as “a great way to have students dive deep and analyze content.”
For teachers wishing to dive deeper, SVUDL offered a Debate Centered Instruction (DCI) Fellowship, fostering a vibrant community of practice, building upon the skills teachers acquired in our professional development sessions. This year, 16 dedicated teachers from 8 schools joined as DCI Fellows to develop engaging Debate Centered Activities across diverse subject areas. In English classes, students explored character motivations in Golding’s Lord of the Flies, crafted original persuasive speeches tailored for English Language Learners, and analyzed the meaning of a fulfilling life through literary works, including Shakespeare. Social Science classrooms debated diverse perspectives for interpreting history, compared governmental systems, and proposed reforms for jury selection processes and the juvenile justice system. STEM educators created DCI activities tackling public health topics, such as the ethics of gene mapping and antibiotic regulation in Biology, and evaluating the health benefits of vitamins in Chemistry. Geometry students even applied debate techniques to build arguments about the Pythagorean Theorem, demonstrating the versatility and impact of DCI across curricula.
As a community, the Fellowship provided dedicated support as educators integrated debate into their classrooms, enabling them to reflect, collaborate, and draw insights from peers facing similar opportunities and challenges. East Palo Alto Academy (EPAA) teacher Lucia Gonzalez Cabrera described the experience, “As a Fellow in the program, I had the privilege of collaborating with two other EPAA teachers to . . . plan interdisciplinary work.” During Fellowship meetings, SVUDL staff “shared debate centered resources and sample lessons, and facilitated meaningful group discussions” anchored in “a human-centered approach that acknowledged the complexities of the current teaching climate.” The Fellowship emphasized “the importance of naming and processing our emotions as we navigate the sociopolitical realities affecting our classrooms, our students, and ourselves” and focused on ”the need for student-centered, culturally sustaining curriculum and instructional practices.”
In exit surveys, one teacher noted, “Before this Fellowship I thought debate was intimidating and now I don’t feel that way anymore. I appreciate the scaffolds that were shared. I can now identify how to prep students for full-on debates and can incorporate low stake debate centered instruction strategies.” Another summarized, “I really enjoyed having time to learn new strategies and adapt them to my classroom. I think having time before the start of the school year to design lessons is really going to improve my teaching.”
2024-2025 DEBATE CENTERED INSTRUCTION FELLOWS
Melissa Aguilar, Latino College Prep Academy, Social Sciences
Dr. Mohammed Ali, Andrew Hill High School, Chemistry, Forensic Science
Lucia Gonzalez Cabrera, East Palo Alto Academy, Ethnic Studies
Alessandra Cain, Yerba Buena High School, CTE: Law Pathway
William Cavada, Mount Pleasant High School, Media Studies
Christina Dobbins, East Palo Alto Academy, Language Arts
Andrew Garcia, Latino College Prep Academy, Social Sciences
Mark Hartung, Mount Pleasant High School, Language Arts
Emily La, Yerba Buena High School, Language Arts
Kathleen Leal, Accel Middle College, Social Sciences
Huan Lee, Evergreen Valley High School, Language Arts
Damien Quach, Andrew Hill High School, CTE: Law Pathway
Oram Ramirez, East Palo Alto Academy, Spanish
Carmen Reyes, Apollo High School, Mathematics
Roberto Solis, Mount Pleasant High School, Biology
Kevin Tran, Evergreen Valley High School, Language Arts
ALESSANDRA CAIN: LAWYER TURNED TEACHER
Alessandra Cain’s interest in law began in middle school while working in her mother’s law office, where she learned “the value of hard work and taking care of others during periods of great stress.” Though she had also considered teaching as a career, she was determined to pursue law school first. She began to find the similarities between legal and teaching professions. Both require similar skill sets and center on caregiving—teachers ensure students have the right environment and resources to reach their potential, while lawyers guide clients through difficult situations and help them make informed decisions.
Now leading the Law Pathways program at Yerba Buena High School, Cain combines her passions for teaching and law. The program exposes students to legal careers through academic classes, field trips, debates, simulations, mock trials, and moot court.
Cain’s commitment to education stems from her family legacy. Her paternal grandmother earned physics and math degrees when higher education for women was uncommon, eventually becoming a teacher. Her mother instilled the belief that “education is the one thing in life that cannot be taken away from you.”
Independent research conducted this year by a PhD candidate at the University of Virginia illustrates that participation in any of SVUDL’s three programs was correlated with higher GPAs for participating students compared to their non-participating peers. Students reported notable improvements in argumentation, problem-solving, and executive functioning. Each hour of participation was associated with greater self-reported cognitive engagement and resilience. All of these findings continue to demonstrate SVUDL’s tremendous impact on the hundreds of students it reaches on a daily basis.
Diving a little bit deeper, our researcher found a strong correlation between students’ participation in SVUDL’s DCI programming and higher GPAs when compared to their counterparts who did not participate in DCI programming (schools have been anonymized for privacy purposes), compared to either single year or cumulative GPAs.
Looking beyond academic measures, data from last school year illustrates another correlation that a student participating in 20 hours of SVUDL programming (roughly the average amount of hours of participation) would self-report their skills higher in 6 key areas as compared to a student participating in 0 hours of SVUDL programming:
No single SVUDL programming activity alone appears to account for the associated higher self-reported skills—it is only the students’ total time spent in SVUDL programming that is consistently associated with higher self-reported skills.
SVUDL will continue to measure its impact on students and teachers in the coming year, continuing to build off learnings from prior years of research. These findings continue to strengthen the argument that SVUDL’s programming is related to positive outcomes in participating students - both academically and in life skills that will contribute to students’ success in higher education and the workforce beyond.
CHLOE: THE POWER OF EMBRACING DISCOMFORT
Chloe Truong, SVUDL student and 2025 NAUDL Debater of the Year, initially faced cultural barriers that discouraged self-expression. Embracing discomfort became her unexpected superpower, enabling her to combat imposter syndrome and develop confidence in expressing her opinions. According to Chloe, the greatest gift SVUDL offered her was the chance to learn how to sit with discomfort. “In order to debate, you have to be willing to be uncomfortable. At first, discomfort feels like something to avoid. But SVUDL showed me that discomfort is an opportunity for growth.”
One pivotal moment came during her sophomore year. Chloe was paired with the team captain for a Moot Court event. “I was the newbie being carried by others,” she recalled. “But at that event, something changed. I was terrified, unsure if I’d even make it to the finals. But we did, and when I found out I would be presenting to 300 people, I had to make a choice: either back out or take the leap. I chose the latter, knowing it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. What I didn’t realize was how powerful that moment would be until I stood in front of everyone.”
As Chloe faced the three prestigious judges, something clicked within her. “It felt like time slowed down. I was nervous, yes, but I was also comfortable with who I was and how I sounded. I was my own speaker, my own person. That moment was a breakthrough.”
Through her participation in SVUDL, Chloe gained more than just speaking skills. “I began to find confidence in my values and my beliefs. In the past, I used to change the way I acted or spoke based on who I was with. But now, I’m grounded in my beliefs and confident enough to voice them with conviction. SVUDL helped me become more articulate, and that’s something I will carry with me forever.”
Chloe plans to major in political science, a bold decision in her family. “My parents had their heart set on me going into medicine or computer science because they have resources in those areas. It was through SVUDL that I found my voice and the confidence to pursue it. SVUDL gave me the tools to speak up and say, ‘I’m going to become a lawyer and go into politics.’”
“The most powerful tool I gained from SVUDL is a sense of audacity,” Chloe explained. “In tournaments, especially at the national level, I often felt small. Sometimes I felt judged for how I looked, and I began to see the parallels between the debate world and the outside world—women face the same kind of scrutiny everywhere. Imposter syndrome is real for many women, and it’s disproportionately felt compared with our male counterparts.”
Chloe reflected on how SVUDL helped her confront these feelings of discomfort. “I used to try to change who I was to make myself more ‘digestible.’ But through those experiences, I learned that I would never compromise my values or my identity for success. Now, I understand the importance of staying true to myself, even when it’s uncomfortable.”
VU: FROM INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY TO STANDFORD-BOUND SCHOLAR
Yerba Buena High School Vu Quang’s journey with SVUDL exemplifies how Speech and Debate can transform not just communication skills, but also worldview and identity. “SVUDL opened countless doors and connections for me,” Vu reflects. Through Policy Debate, Vu developed what he considers his most valuable skill: articulating complex ideas with clarity and precision while remaining thoughtful and empathetic.
SVUDL fundamentally altered Vu’s worldview. As a Vietnamese immigrant who arrived in the U.S. at age nine, he never felt his experiences were reflected in traditional curriculum. Through Policy Debate’s critical literature—reading works by Malcolm X, Paulo Freire, and Viet Thanh Nguyen—he discovered counter-narratives that reflected his struggles and aspirations as an immigrant.
This exposure sparked Vu’s passion for amplifying marginalized voices. Having read cases about survivors of violent interventions and performed poetry about Vietnamese refugee experiences, he witnessed firsthand how powerful these often-silenced perspectives can be. “For too long we have looked past these counter narratives and lived experiences,” he states, driving his commitment to studying Asian American Studies and contributing to the growing body of empowering counter-narratives. This fall, he will attend Stanford University to study Asian American Studies—a path directly inspired by his debate journey.
KEVIN TRAN: THE ALCHEMIST AND LA LA LAND
“I’ll never forget how inspiring my own sophomore year teacher was when I was in high school. Everyday in chemistry, he’d offer life advice,” Kevin Tran, Evergreen Valley High School English teacher, reflected. “It was through teachers like him that I realized I wanted to teach. They genuinely cared and made a real impact on our lives.”
When Kevin first introduced Debate-Centered Instruction (DCI) into his classroom, he began with a small-scale debate. “I was nervous because I had seen how difficult debate could be to manage without proper structure. Without clear instructions, debates can easily become disorganized, with some students doing all the work while others contribute little,” he admitted.
“But with DCI, everything changed. Every student had a role, and they stayed engaged. The activity was challenging, but they found it rewarding. They appreciated the opportunity to build arguments. The time constraints were challenging, but they still enjoyed the challenge,” Kevin said.
He assigned his students a project on The Alchemist, focusing on the themes of dreams and reality. The class watched La La Land and analyzed the connections between the two works. Students wrote essays exploring the question, “What does it mean to be a teen in 2025?”
In today’s political climate, teaching DCI feels particularly relevant. “Teaching is inherently political. It’s an act of protest. When we teach students to be critical thinkers and analyze current events, we’re empowering them to engage with the world thoughtfully. Avoiding those discussions would undermine the very purpose of education,” Kevin stated. “SVUDL has been an invaluable resource. It has helped me become a better teacher.”
I RESOLVE highlights the partnership between the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues (NAUDL) and both the Bay Area Urban Debate League (BAUDL) and SVUDL to amplify youth voices and develop confidence for future success. Four high school debaters—Emily Ng and Christsean Bardell from Oakland Technical High School, Katie Hion from Independence High School, and Daniel Isaiah Bernal Garcia from Roberto Cruz Leadership Academy—participated in a structured debate on AI’s impact on democracy. The students presented well-researched arguments spanning the spectrum from AI regulation to outright bans, addressing key concerns about misinformation, digital equity, and democratic transparency.
The 90-minute program featured expert panelists Ryan Beiermeister (VP of Product Policy, OpenAI) and Shannon Bond (NPR Correspondent), who provided professional insights and challenged students with real-world questions about AI governance, corporate responsibility, and global implications. The panelists praised the students’ sophisticated understanding of complex issues around bias, privacy, and technological regulation.
SVUDL participants shared their perspectives on the event: “One of the biggest takeaways was learning how to handle unexpected challenges under pressure. Having the expert panelist ask direct questions really tested my ability to think on my feet, which I think is essential in every part of our lives,” said Daniel.
Katie shared this insight from her I RESOLVE experience: “I enjoyed a productive discussion on two topics I care about deeply: AI and democracy. Although debate is where one team usually wins, it felt like everyone won that night. My highlight was having the opportunity to talk to the panelists and hearing from experts about their opinions on this evolving topic.”
DR. MOHAMMED ALI: A LIFELONG PASSION FOR TEACHING
Dr. Mohammed Ali, PhD, teaches Chemistry and Forensic Science at Andrew P. Hill High School in San Jose, where he also serves as a SVUDL Debate Centered Instruction Fellow.
The seeds of Dr. Ali’s teaching passion were planted early. As a young student in Bangladesh, he naturally gravitated toward helping classmates. “Teaching my friends helped me learn even more myself,” he discovered—a revelation that would shape his entire career path.
But it wasn’t until a district initiative introduced him to SVUDL that Dr. Ali found the perfect marriage between his love of teaching and his own background as a debater. He was excited to bring those same tools into his classroom of 180 students across six sections.
The transformation was remarkable. Shy students who rarely spoke began finding their voices. Newcomers discovered pathways to establish themselves in the school community. Students learned to “listen to learn”—actively absorbing arguments, critically analyzing content, and building upon each other’s ideas through collaborative research.
“It’s vital to teach my students the importance of civic responsibility,” he explains. “I greatly enjoy the art of research, and I want everyone to learn how to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge available,” he says, encouraging students to apply critical thinking to everyday decisions—from researching cellphone purchases to analyzing current events.
KATELYNN NGUYEN MAKES LEAGUE HISTORY AT CHSSA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
This year marked a historic milestone for SVUDL as Katelynn Nguyen, a junior at Silver Creek High School, became the first student in SVUDL’s eleven-year history to qualify for the California High School Speech Association (CHSSA) State Championships. In a state where over 300 high schools compete, her qualification represents a significant achievement.
Competing in Informative Speaking at the state tournament in Culver City, Katelynn advanced to the semifinals: her speech explored the cultural impact of reality television, examining how the genre has shaped media consumption, online engagement, and public perception of authenticity.
After competing primarily in Impromptu Speaking during her first two years, Katelynn’s transition to prepared speech events demonstrates the breadth of opportunities available within Speech and Debate. She hopes her success will inspire other students to explore prepared speeches, noting the unique reward of “performing a piece personal to you, across the span of a year.”
Katelynn’s achievement represents more than individual success; it demonstrates SVUDL’s growing impact and the rising competitiveness of its students on the state level. Her historic qualification paves the way for future SVUDL competitors.
Students in better resourced schools often have plenty of opportunities modeled for them in their day-to-day lives, but exposure to different career paths and opportunities is not something often offered to students in Title 1 schools. These students benefit immensely from deliberate exposure to future possibilities.
SVUDL’s Professional Access & Mentoring program engages high school students and SVUDL alumni in activities aimed to broaden their horizons, opportunities, and networks. Whether from learning interview skills at Orrick; visiting Superior Court Justices in Santa Clara and San Mateo Courts; exploring the Stanford Business Graduate School or networking at Google and BILL, students enjoyed experiences that exposed them to diverse professions and work settings that built their social, cultural, and professional capital and showed them how the skills they learn through Speech and Debate can propel them in the professional world.
PROFESSIONAL SPEAKERS INSPIRE SVUDL STUDENTS
SVUDL students had exceptional opportunities to learn from accomplished professionals who credit Speech and Debate with shaping their careers. These speakers demonstrated the diverse pathways available to debate alumni and the lasting impact of competitive speaking skills.
During the 2025 Larry Itliong SVUDL Tournament, Senior Program Specialist Kwodwo Moore and longtime supporter Annie Matheu held a fireside chat in front of nearly 100 SVUDL students. A former high school debater who now works at Google after starting her career on Wall Street, Annie shared her inspiring journey and discussed career options.
Annie’s story began with her parents, who immigrated from China with little more than a few suitcases. Starting school without speaking English, she faced challenges common to many children of immigrants. However, she found her voice through debate, which became a life-changing experience that opened many doors.
Debate served as the training ground for Annie’s career, providing unparalleled opportunities to develop confidence and practice invaluable skills including public speaking, critical thinking, research, and active listening. She emphasized that while many assume debate only leads to law careers, the skills it teaches are essential in any field, whether navigating corporate environments or improving everyday interactions.
SVUDL students also benefited from a career session with Eric Lin, who shared his professional journey from nervous high school debater to accomplished corporate attorney. Eric discussed how Speech and Debate prepared him for college at UC Berkeley and ultimately his career. Drawing from his experience at Genentech, Eric explained how his STEM background from UC Berkeley proves crucial in his current role. He reassured students that no single undergraduate field provides ideal preparation for law, and any field a student is passionate about can be integrated into a legal career.
When asked about defending clients regardless of personal beliefs, Eric noted that debate prepares students for this professional requirement by teaching them to advocate for positions they don’t always agree with—situations that frequently arise in professional practice.
Both speakers reinforced that Speech and Debate skills are universally transferable and valuable. Whether students pursue technology careers like Annie, legal paths like Eric, or entirely different fields, the foundation built through competitive speaking and debate creates opportunities for success across sectors.
THANKS AND APPRECIATION
SVUDL is grateful to the following individuals, foundations, and corporations for their generous cumulative support in 2023. Special thanks to the Sobrato Family Foundation for providing in-kind office space for SVUDL at the Sobrato Center for Nonprofits in Milpitas, CA.
$25,000+
Anonymous
James Basile
The Campbell Foundation
John Dawson
Google
Steve Harrick and Jennifer Min
Kirkland & Ellis Foundation
The LaureL Foundation
Jennie Savage
John M. Sobrato
Leslie Spencer
Intermedia Cloud Communications
Leo M. Shortino Family Foundation
The Makahakama Foundation
PwC Foundation
Rick and Carol Tinsle
The William and Charlene Glikbarg Foundation
$10,000 - $24,999
Dave Babulak
Meg Bannick
Desmarais LLP
Alison Elliott and Steve Blank
Iris Chen and Richard Jackson
HP Inc.
Christopher and Ali Keegan
Kwok Lau and Jon Goulden
Mark McKane
Meta Local Community Fund
National Association for Urban
Debate Leagues
PwC
Robins Kaplan LLP Charitable Foundation
Bryson Santaguida and Annie Pogue
John Sheputis and Susan Campbell
Sobrato Philanthropies
Jeanie Waltch
Keith Wolff Zimmermann
$5,000 - $9,999
Matt Abrahams
David Andrews
Sahil and Ambica Bhardwaj
Brandon Brown
Atkinson Foundation
County of Santa Clara
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Elizabeth Deeley
Diversity Lab
Staffan Encrantz
Dave Ferdman
John and Laura Fisher
Lisa Guerra
Intuit
David Kung
Law Office of Andrew Gold, Esq.
Mark Lemley and Rose Hagan
Mortenson Family Foundation
Palo Alto Weekly
Perkins Coie
Primary Digital Infrastructure
Kian and Amy Sandjideh
Shineon.org Foundation
Venable LLP
Carrie Williamson and Marvin Pena
Winston & Strawn LLP
$1,000 - $4,999
Julia Alloggiamento
Adam Alper
Naomi Andrews
Anonymous
Apple
Karen Boyd
Noah Boyens
California Judges Association
James Carranza
Stuart Casillas
Jody Chang
Arup Chatterji
ConnectSafely
Deborah Dauber
Davis & Gilbert LLC
Paru Desai
The Flourish Collective
Michelle Galloway
Chris Gebert-Parikh
James and Kathleen Gillespie
Andrew and Jocelyn Gold
Mary Greenwood
Gabrielle Grenier
Nancy Grove
Christopher Hersey
Matthew Irwin
Rich Kelley
Denny Kwon
Victoria Lee
Cynthia Lie
Sal Lim
Mahncy Mehrotra
Iris Mejias
Larry Orr and Nicole Lederer
Mike Orsak
Pace Able Foundation
Adam Phillips
Nicole Ring
Devan Vincent Rosdahl
Clement Roberts
Barbara Trachtenberg
San Jose Earthquakes
$500 - $999
Cynthia Bright
Cindy Chavez
Pattie Cortese
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Tracey Fecher
Marc Fernandez
Gary Gitelson
Matt Hengehold
Clay Lambert
Claudia Lohnes
Grace Mah
Annie Matheu
Joanne Mills
Tiffany Mirchandani
Linda Murphy
Sangeeth and Sindhu Peruri
Nadine Rambeau
Laura Robert
Jessica Speiser
Lisa Van Dusen
Elizabeth Wells
$499 and below
Nancy Allred
Jeffery Bae
BainCapital
Marianne Barba
Robert Barlett
Emmanuel Bediako-Kissi
Alexander Beger
Christian Beaumont
Eymon Binesh
Kathy Bo
Matthew Boente
Jay Boyarsky
Dominique Brichard
Justina Brown
Alison Brunsdon
Frank Caggiano
Nicole Casem
Stuart Casillas
Elsie Cheang
Cathy Chen
Elissa Darnell
Celine De Villa
Mary Ann Dewan
Jennifer Doan
Sharif Shekarchizadeh Esfahani
Amy Everitt
George Fisher
Akemi Flynn
Michelle Fulcher
Timothy Gale
Amelia Galvez
Veronica Garcia
Rak Garg
Give Lively Foundation
Michael and Jill Gold
Alexander Guo
Olivier Habimana
Anthony Hale
Liz Hartrich
Nancy Heinen
Mary Janice Hengst
Hipatia Hernandez
Rita Hernandez
Aaron Hilliker
Diane Hughes
Audra Ibarra
Intuitive Foundation
Ellen Kamei
Jill Kaplan
Brad Kegebein
Margaret Kempton
Amy Koch
Arnav Kothari
Susan Krumplitsch
Cristine LaMontagne
Gretchen Larese
Raeena Lari
Linda Lazor
Elizabeth Lee
Mi Lee
Misook Lee
Victoria Lee
YongWook Lee
Yanan Li
Jia Liao
Camelia Lim
Robert Lloyd
Kathleen MacLennan
Dolly Mah
Chris Major
Jenet Manuel
Asha Marathe
Betsy McClain
Katia McClain
Christine McElhaney
Kelly McKane
Microsoft
Roberto Millan
Carlos Mino
Christophe Mosby
Tamara Mozahuani Alvarado
Ballari Mukherjee
Sheamus Mullen
Bryan Neider
Hoang Minh Tu Nguyen
Tien Nguyen
Margaret O’Connor
Esmeralda Paez Olivares
Tanya O’Malley
One Hope
Laurie Orosco
Micah Osgood
Andrew Park
Angela Passarelli
Sachi Patel
Kelley Paul
Lori Pegg
Dr. Linda Prieto
Ryan Park
Shebani Patel
Balamurugan Shanmugam Ramanan
Aubyn Redmond
Ann Wang Reed
R. Reese
Cheryl Reiss
Clara Roa
Shelley Roberts
Devan Vincent Rosdahl
Greg Ryckman
Michelle Ryckman
Saroop Sandhu
Shahram Seyedin-Noor
Kayvan Shahabi
Rebekah Shapiro
Ji Shen-Weafer
Fatehbir Singh
Vaishali Sirkay
Tara Sreekrishnan
Johnene Stebbins
Carolyn Straub
Caro Sundermeyer
Megan Toeniskoetter
Ha Tran
Robert Trout
John Tynefield
Melanie Ventura
Venture Leadership Consulting
Priya Viswanath
Andrea Vlahos
Zachary Wallerich
Alison Watkins
Charles Wilson
Darren Wolstein
Virgil Wong
Paul Work
Barbara Wortham
Wendy Yale
Skip Yenchik
Edward Yu
Pak Yan Yuen
Justyna Yung
Tong Zhang
Li Zhu
Irma Zoepf
David Zott
THE SVUDL TEAM
SVUDL Board of Directors
Served during the 2024-2025 program year
James Basile, Chair
Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Matt Abrahams
Lecturer, Stanford Graduate
School of Business
The Honorable Julia Alloggiamento
Judge of the Superior Court,
Santa Clara County
Sahil Bhardwaj, Vice Chair
Partner, Strategy& (a PwC company)
Iris Chen
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
Vaishali Sirkay
President, Santa Clara County School Boards Association
Leslie M. Spencer, Secretary
Partner, Desmarais LLP
Rick Tinsley. Treasurer
Tech Entrepreneur and Investor
Carrie Williamson
Partner, DLA Piper LLP
Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee brings together leaders from the Silicon Valley legal community to help students realize their dreams of becoming successful lawyers. Thank you to these members who mentor, host firm visits, and provide internships.
Brandon Brown
Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Graham “Gray” Buccigross
Partner, Intellectual Property, Mayer Brown LLP
Marc Fernandez
Lead Counsel - Workforce Solutions, Intuit
Christopher Hersey
Partner, Ventura, Hersey & Muller LLP
Matthew Irwin
Associate General Counsel, Gap, Inc.
Jennifer Kim
Associate, Davis Polk & Wardell LLP
Denny Kwon
Partner, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
Eric Lancaster
Partner, Paul Hastings LLP
Ballari Mukherjee
Associate Legal Counsel, Google DeepMind
Ash Nagdev
Counsel, Sidley Austin LLP
Usha Narayanan
Senior Legal Counsel, HP
Shayne O’Reilly
Associate General Counsel, Intellectual Property,
Facebook, Inc.
Carlos Orellana
District Counsel, Valley Water
Ajwang Rading
Lead AI Attorney, Cole-Frieman & Mallon
Bryson Santaguida
Senior Director, Global Product Counsel, eBay
Leslie M. Spencer
Partner, Desmarais LLP
Caren Ulrich Stacy
CEO, Diversity Lab
DeMarcus Williams
Associate, White & Case
Carrie Williamson
Partner, DLA Piper LLP
Li Zhu
Partner, Robins Kaplan LLP
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
Gaganpreet Kaur
Administrative and Program Coordinator
Jenet Manuel
Administrative & Operations Manager
Christopher McGinnis
NAUDL Fellow
Kwodwo Moore
Director of Programming
Rachel Zubrin
Program Specialist