GMIF 2009: Faculty Bios

Peter Pober, GMIF Director - Dr. Peter Pober, the founder of the University of Texas National Institute in Forensics is now the founder of the GMIF. Peter spent numerous years coaching high school forensics before moving on to the college circuit. While a Director of Forensics at both the University of Texas and George Mason, Peter's teams have garnered 16 AFA Individual Event National Championships, 3 AFA Individual Sweepstakes National Championships, 4 AFA Team Sweepstakes National Championships, and 10 consecutive AFA Overall National Program Championships in Speech and Debate. Peter’s participation and passion for forensics are unrivaled in the country and he looks forward to bringing a first-rate forensics experience to the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Debbie Simon, Director of Coach'es’ Symposium - Deb coaches forensics at Milton Academy in Boston, MA. Recipient of the 1987 NFL Coach of the Year and 1997 Bruno Jacob Coaches' Commendations, her students have advanced to the final rounds of every NFL and NCFL speech event at the national tournaments, culminating in 12 event national championships in Dramatic Interpretation, Extemp, and Oral Interpretation, just to name a few. Under her direction, the Milton Academy Speech Team has won the NFL Team Championship, multiple NFL Excellence Awards, the NCFL Team Championship, and multiple NCFL Masterson & Founders' awards for speech & debate.

Tony Figliola, Coaches Institute - Holy Ghost Prep. A founding member of the St. Joseph's University Forensics team, Tony was recently inducted into the Pennsylvania Speech League Hall of Fame and the NFL Hall of Fame. Tony has coached a record number of finalists at NCFL and has coached numerous students into NFL final rounds in every forensics event (including six in oratory!) As a director of a competitive and successful program, Tony's experience will help his students at GMIF become successful immediately.

Brandon Cosby, Coaches Institute- Brandon joins the GMIF staff from Evansville-Reitz HS, IN, where he coached three NFL National Champions, three in interp and one in oratory. He also directed the largest NFL Chapter in the US and was the coach of the Bruno E. Jacob cumulative championship for the National Forensic League.

Meg Howell, Co-Director of Interp – Meg is the Director of Forensics at Albuquerque Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico. While her students have excelled in all events, she has been fortunate to have 7 students reach NFL & CFL National Final rounds in LD Debate, Dramatic Interpretation, and both Extemps to name a few. Her teams have won numerous Team State Championships in both New Mexico and Arizona and the NFL Excellence in Speech Award.

Stacy Endman, Co-Director of Interp - A graduate from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, and a coach at Stuyvesant High School for the past seven years, Stacy has coached numerous national finalists, including the 2000 NCFL National Champion in Oral Interpretation and the 2004 NCFL National Champion in Original Oratory.

Jason Warren, Director of Extemp - Jason is a two-time national champion in extemporaneous speaking in college and multiple high school and college state champion across many events.  He is this year’s recipient of the American Forensics Association New Coach Award, and last year’s recipient of the TOC Extemp Excellence in Coaching Award.  Currently serving as assistant director of forensics at GMU, Jason has coached over ten national finalists in extemp, persuasion, and poetry.  

Katelyn Wood, Co-Director of Oratory– The 2006 AFA national champion and 2007 NFA national champion in Duo, Katelyn takes a break from her graduate studies at the University of Texas-Austin to join us and co-direct oratory.  Katelyn is a multiple national finalist in a variety of public speaking events in college, and her institute sand college students have gone on to multiple final rounds across the country.

Ryan Hubbell, Co-Director of Oratory– In 2005, Ryan Hubbell was the AFA national champion in Communication Analysis and the nation’s top rated speaker at the AFA.  While pursuing doctoral research, Ryan coaches at Stuyvesant HS in New York, where his students have achieved final rounds and championships at various national tournaments.

Josh Berrier, Interp - Josh is formerly a member of the GMU Team, where he was a national finalist last year in Poetry Interpretation and competed in multiple elimination rounds throughout his college career. In his senior year of high school he advanced to the national semifinal round of Oral Interpretation at the NCFL Grand National Tournament, among his many other accolades. 

Casey Garcia, Interp - Casey is a professor of Speech Communication at Mt. San Antonio College. While competing in college, Casey was a national champion in Dramatic Duo, 3rd place overall speaker, and multiple national finalist in Dramatic Interpretation. During his tenure as a coach, his students advanced to the national final rounds almost every year, winning two AFA Sweepstakes Championships.

Roslyn Terre, Interp - Roz was an 8 time AFA national finalist and 3rd overall speaker while a student at University of Texas, and a former Texas high school state champion. After graduating from UT, Roz was accepted into the prestigious National Theatre Conservatory where she received her MFA, and now performs on-stage in New York and in television spots.

Mark Banks, Interp - Mark has won the Texas State Championship and NFL National Championship in Humorous Interpretation, as well as the AFA National Championship in Program Oral Interpretation. Mark was a top 10 overall speaker, and he has also been a national finalist in 5 other events.

Kris Barnett, Oratory - Kris advanced to the national elimination rounds in After-Dinner Speaking at the 2000 AFA National Tournament and is a former coach of the UT Individual Events Team.

Patrick Barton, Oratory - Kansas State University.  Beau Becerra, Interp - Arizona State University.  Al Bender, Interp - George Mason University.  Laila Ameri, Interp - Johns Hopkins University.  Duval Bodden, Interp - George Mason University.  Richard Brophy, Dorm Staff - Eastern Michigan University.  Matt Cavanaugh, Minor Co-Director - University of Louisiana - Lafayette.  Rebekah Chatellier, Peter’s Assistant - George Mason University.  Sophia Chumpitaz, Office Assistant - George Mason University.  Mickey Cox, Interp - George Mason University.  Paul Davis, Interp - Arizona State University.  Joe Ferris, Extemp - Seton Hall University.  Matt Friedman, Interp - George Mason University.  Tyler Fruge, Interp - George Mason University.  Rowena Gasmen, Interp - George Mason University.  Rikki Goldenberg, Interp - Wesleyan University.  Diane Gomez, Dorm Staff - Eastern Michigan University.  Michele Goodson, Interp - Elon University.  B.A. Gregg, Photographer/Web Designer - Randolph-Macon Academy.  Christine Haynes, Dorm Staff - George Mason University.  Mike Hilkin, Extemp - University of Northern Iowa.  Michelle Hill, Interp - Illinois State University.  S.R. Hilliard, Dorm Staff - George Mason University.  Jeremy Hodgson, Interp - George Mason University.  Ryan Hubbell, Oratory - State University of New York—Stonybrook.  Tim Janas, Interp - New York University.  Matt Johns, Extemp - Seton Hall University.  C. Ryan Joyce, Interp - Stuyvesant High School.  Ben Kaufman, Interp - Elon University.  Chrissy Kendall, Oratory - George Mason University.  Steven Kochevar, Dorm Staff - Yale University.  Chris Koth, Oratory - George Mason University.  Jud Lewis, Minor Co-Director - Eastern Michigan University.  Ashley Mack, Oratory - Arizona State University.  James McGraw, Oratory - St. Joseph’s University.  Jeff Moscaritolo, Interp - George Mason University.  Merry Regan, Extemp - University of Texas at Austin.  Tony Romm, Extemp - George Mason University.  Tiffany Schloesser, Interp - New York University.  Becky Shuster, Interp - George Mason University.  Ron Staniec, Dorm Staff - George Mason University.  Ian Summers, Extemp - George Mason University.   Christyn Wallace, Interp - George Mason University.  Jason Warren, Extemp - George Mason University.  Jessica Watkins, Interp - University of Evansville.  Katelyn Wood, Oratory - Illinois State University