Ben Fagan, Founder

Ben has been involved with speech and debate as a competitor and a coach for the last 23 years. He has worked with a number of private and public organizations to achieve new excellence in the art of debate, expanding its accessibility and competitiveness throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. He has an extensive background in coaching students, mentoring coaches, developing custom curriculum, and serving as a political consultant for local campaigns. Ben has debated as far away as St. Andrews, Scotland and Xi'an, China.

Sadaf Zahoor

Sadaf is a distinguished debate coach with an impressive track record spanning over two decades, beginning in 2000. Her expertise has illuminated the debate circuit across the Bay Area, where she has coached students of diverse backgrounds, instilling in them a transformative approach to the activity. Her influence has transcended borders, extending her guidance to students from China, further underscoring her global impact. Beyond accolades, Sadaf's true prowess lies in her ability to cultivate critical thinking and effective communication, harnessing debate as a vehicle for holistic growth.

Jonathan MacMillan

Mr. MacMillan is a former college parliamentary debater and head speech and debate coach at Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon, CA. With over 20 years of experience, Mr. MacMillan has helped students to find their voice, develop the confidence to persuade, and become the next generation of leaders. His philosophy is that all students can learn the skills to organize their thoughts and communicate effectively. Mr. MacMillan's students have won state and national championships, attended the country's top universities, and are now filling leadership roles in America's businesses and organizations.

Beatrice Lipton

Beatrice has been involved in childcare and creative styles of learning for over a decade. Her interests stem from performing arts and communications, and translate perfectly into introducing a younger generation to public speaking and debate through improv activities and creative writing prompts. She teaches personal agency and offers gentle yet constructive critique while cultivating a fun launch pad for our grade school classes. Beatrice helps set a foundation for her students before they dive further into debate through our middle and high school programs. She is passionate about assisting children to find their voice, and giving them tools to express themselves throughout the rest of their lives.