Our Team

Ishan Saxena debated Public Forum at Livingston High School for four years, serving as Team Captain and building the team up to the largest membership in its history. He is a senior at the University of California, Berkeley. Ishan is the first debater in the history of his high school to qualify for the Tournament of Champions, National Catholic Forensics League Grand Nationals, and the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament in the same season. Recently, Ishan placed in the top 30 at NSDA nationals. He is also Livingston’s first-ever debater to secure multiple gold bids to the Tournament of Champions. Ishan has earned a multitude of individual and team accolades. Some of his notable accomplishments include reaching the quarterfinals of the University of Pennsylvania Liberty Bell Classic, the Scarsdale Invitational, and the Ridge Invitational, as well as reaching the Round of 16 at the Sunvitational and the Columbia Invitational. Ishan also earned a silver bid at the Princeton Invitational Tournament. Additionally, Ishan championed two consecutive NCFL qualifying tournaments in order to qualify for the NCFL Grand National Tournament. Individually, Ishan’s numerous competitive accomplishments include winning the award for Top Speaker at the Villiger National Tournament as well as the award for Fourth Best Speaker at the Blake Invitational. In terms of experience in the realms of coaching, Ishan has previously taught fifth through eighth-graders at a debate academy in the Fall and Winter. Additionally, he has privately taught debate to individual students. Finally, he was tasked with teaching the novice debaters at his high school. His instruction enabled them to reach elimination rounds at multiple local and national tournaments!