Committee

Stephanie Thompson - Chairperson

Stephanie has served on the ASD Committee since 2009, and will continue in her role as Chairperson in 2012. In 2011, Steph ranked in the top 10 speakers in Australasia, as well as making the semifinals of many national and international tournaments.  She has previously been ranked the top female speaker in Australasia.  She is also the convenor of Auckland Regionals and coach of the Regional team, and a past President of the Auckland University Debating Society, as well as a past secretary of the New Zealand Universities Debating Council.

Glen Holm-Hansen - Treasurer

Glen continues his role on the ASD executive in 2012 after extensive involvement in both the schools and university debating communities. He has extensive adjudicating experience – at university and schools levels – and has been a Chief Adjudicator at several tournaments. Since completing his degrees, Glen has been practicing as a solicitor at prestigious Auckland law firm Simpson Grierson. In 2011, Glen coached the Auckland Schools Regional Debating Team.  As well as being treasurer for 2012, Glen will convene the Premier Junior Grade.

Jessica Storey – Committee Member

Jessica joins the ASD committee in 2012 as the convenor of the Senior Open Grade.  Jessica has had an extremely successfully career as a schools debater, having won the Russell McVeagh Auckland Schools Debating Tournament in 2010, and making the final of the New Zealand Schools Debating championships that same year.  At university, she has represented the University of Auckland at a number of national tournaments, and has also become a highly regarded adjudicator.

Sam Bookman – Committee Member

Sam has a long history of involvement in debating. He was part of Auckland Schools Regional teams in 2006 and 2007, where he reached the Russell McVeagh National Competition final and was named first reserve for the New Zealand Schools Team.  He has represented the University of Auckland as both a debater and an adjudicator at a number of national tournaments, as well as competing with success at the University Australasian Debating Championships.  In 2012, he will continue in his role as the convenor of the Premier Advanced Grade.

Corinne Marti – Committee Member

Corinne will be in her third year at the University of Auckland in 2012. While at school, she represented Northland on the regional team for three years in a row at the National Schools Debating Championships, and won the Northland Regional Championships. Corinne has continued her involvement in Northland debating, convening the Northland Schools Debating Championships.   She is very much looking forward to continuing her role as the Convenor of Junior Open.  Corinne is a respected University adjudicator, having judged the final of multiple national tournaments.   In 2012, as well as being on the ASD Committee, Corinne will be the Vice-President of the University of Auckland Debating Society Executive.

Hamish Saunders – Committee Member

Hamish is extremely familiar with the ASD competition, having debated in it at every level to considerable success. He has been a finalist in the Premier Advanced Grade and was named a reserve to the Auckland Impromptu Cup team in 2009. Hamish was also a finalist at the Russell McVeagh Auckland Regional Championships.  Since starting university, Hamish has developed into one of the University of Auckland’s premier debaters, having represented the University at a number of national and international tournaments.  In 2012, Hamish will be convening the Advanced Open Grade.

Joelle Hartley – Committee Member

Joelle has been teaching at Rosmini College since 2007. She is currently the Assistant HOD of the English Department and TIC of Debating. Joelle has four years experience to date as coach and manager of three to four debating teams each year, and her Senior Open 1 team has won the Senior Open grade. Joelle will bring a schools’ perspective to the planning of the competition in her role as co-convenor of Advanced Open this year.

Anne Rodgers – Committee Member

Anne has been very involved with ASD since its inception, and has generously hosted the Advanced Open grade for a number of years. Anne coaches and runs debating at St Cuthbert’s, and her Premier Advanced teams in particular have been very successful – they won the competition in 2010. In 2012, Anne will assist with the Advanced Open grade, as well as voicing the concerns of schools when committee decisions are made.