Alex Yoakum graduated from Emory University with a BA in philosophy in 2020. They have worked the past 7 summers at NSD. As a private coach, their debaters achieved local and national successes which include: semi-finalist at TFA State, champion of the Harvard RR, co-champion of UH (in back to back years), champion of Alta, and other elimination round appearances at most major national tournaments. In 2020, Alex became the director of debate at the Woodlands High School. In their first year, their students made it to elimination rounds of nearly every bid tournament they attended and ultimately had a third seed showing at the TOC. Alex firmly believes that the best debaters are those that are extremely flexible strategically and stylistically, so their teaching practice reflects that. They’re debate specialties include: analytic and post-structuralist philosophy, queer theory/kritiks, and theory. After taking a brief break from debate in 2022-2023 to work at a large regional law firm, they will start as a lead teacher at the Bergen County Debate Club in the fall of 2023.

‍