Our Team

Marissa Hao is a sophomore at Lexington High School in Lexington, MA. Marissa was named the Champion of Cross-Examination Debate at the Mamaroneck Tournament in New York. Marissa attended YDA as a student for two years, and has since returned to Youth Debate Academy as an instructor!

Hiya Singh is a sophomore at Lexington High School in Lexington, MA. Hiya loves public speaking and debating, and she is excited to share her passion with everyone at YDA! Hiya wants to help students improve their debate skills!

Lilac Nguyen is a sophomore at the Winsor School in Boston, MA and has five years of speech and debate experience. She has received numerous awards for speech and debate, and represent Winsor at Internationals in Fall 2025. Lilac is very passionate about public speaking and is excited to share her experience with others.

Isabella is currently a sophomore at the Winsor School in Boston, MA. She competes in both the MSDL and DANEIS leagues, and has earned multiple awards at regional tournaments. Passionate about public speaking and debate, Isabella is eager to help students develop the same confidence and skills!

Serena Song is a sophomore at Lexington High School in Lexington, MA. She and her partner Marissa Hao (also a YDA counselor!) placed first at the Mamaroneck Tournament in New York. Serena is excited to share her knowledge and curiosity with others! 

Shashi Pokhrel is a freshman at Everett High School. Through her experience as a student at Youth Debate Academy, Shashi discovered her passion for public speaking and debating. This experience inspired her to return to YDA as a volunteer, and to help other kids discover that same passion!

Ghazal Mohamed Elgendy is a sophomore at Beckham High School. Growing up in an immigrant family, she had to teach herself debate—a skill that became one of her greatest passions. At Youth Debate Academy, Ghazal is excited to help others find their voice!

Andrew Xin is captain of the debate team at Sharon High School. Having competed at regional and national tournaments, Andrew placed 5th at the New Tech Coppell National Tournament. His favorite part of teaching is inspiring first-time debaters and helping them achieve competitive success!

Sophia is a sophomore at the Newton Country Day School in Newton, MA. She hopes she can share her experience with students like herself, who might not have the opportunity to pursue their interest in school. She is excited new people!

Irene Pang is a sophomore at Newton South High School in Newton, MA. In addition to competing at national and international competitions, Irene has accumulated numerous awards in Public Forum Debate and is excited to learn more about herself and others!

Iris Pang is a sophomore at Newton South High School in Newton, MA. Most recently, she was a State Finalist in Public Forum Debate. Iris is enthusiastic about public speaking and loves to coach others!

Amber Lan is a senior at the Winsor School in Boston, MA. Bringing in years of debate experience in parliamentary, cross-examination, and public forum debate, Amber offers a fresh perspective and unique feedback to students. Today, she serves as a guest judge for our summer and year-round programs!