The Georgia Debate Union is led by Dr. Edward Panetta and Casey Harrigan, with the help of several devoted graduate assistant coaches. Our staff's diverse backgrounds and argumentative specialities each contribute to the team's success in unique ways.
Edward Panetta has been the director of the Georgia Debate Union for the last twenty-two years. During that period the University of Georgia has qualified forty teams for the National Debate Tournament (NDT). In the 1996-1997 season UGA became one of five debate programs in the sixty-two year history of the NDT to place two teams into the semi-finals (finalist and semi-finalist). Our 2003 team became the seventeenth team in the history of the NDT to compile a record of 8-0 in the preliminary rounds of the tournament. Our 2007 team was the 1st seed at the NDT and the winner of the Rex Copeland award. UGA debate has also been active in international debating during Panetta's tenure as director. Members of the Georgia Debate Union have been selected to represent the United States in Japan, Great Britain and Eastern Europe. Additionally, Dr. Panetta was selected to coach the U.S. team that visited Russia in 1997. In 2007, he was named the National Debate Coach of the Year. Dr. Panetta is an Associate Professor in the Department of Speech Communication at UGA.
Email: epanetta@uga.edu
Casey is the Head Coach at UGA. Originally from Holland, Michigan, he completed his B.A. in International Relations from Michigan State University in 2006. While at Michigan State, Casey earned two first round bids to the National Debate Tournament (NDT) and won the 2006 NDT. Casey recently completed his M.A. in Communications Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, where he coached the 2008 NDT champions. In addition to his coaching duties, he is a member of the faculty in the Department of Speech Communication.
Email: harrigan@uga.edu
Blake is a Graduate Assistant Coach and Doctoral Candidate in Speech Communication at UGA. He is also the Director of the team's Public Debate Series. He completed his B.A. in Political Science at Mercer University. He completed his M.A. and coached debate at Wake Forest University, where he coached the 2006 National Debate Tournament runner-up . While at UGA, he coached winners of the Copeland Award, given to the top-ranked debate team for 2006-2007.
Email: abbott@uga.edu
Andrew debated at UGA from 2004-2009 and is now an Undergraduate Assistant Coach. He is currently in the process of finishing a B.A. in International Affairs, a B.A. in Geography, and a B.S.F.R in Wildlife Management. Before debating at UGA, Andrew debated for Stratford Academy in Macon, GA.
Mary is a Graduate Assistant Coach and M.A. candidate in Speech Communication at UGA. She completed her B.A. in Communication Studies at James Madison University. She is particularly interested in increasing novice participation in debate and works closely with UGA's novice debaters.
Will is a Graduate Assistant Coach and M.A Candidate in Speech Communication at UGA. He completed his bachelors in Philosophy at the University of Wyoming. He qualified to the NDT four times, participating in the elimination rounds as part of the first Wyoming team to do so in more than 30 years. He enjoys playing foosball in his copious spare time.
Rob is a Graduate Assistant Coach and M.A. Candidate in Speech Communication at UGA. He recently completed his B.A. in Political Science and English at Northwestern University, where he received a first round bid to and reached the quarterfinals of the National Debate Tournament. Before Northwestern, he debated for and attended Celebration High School in Orlando, Florida.
Len debated for UGA from 1991-1995 and was a graduate assistant at Georgia from 1995-1997. After that, he went to Samford for two seasons before leaving the activity for seven years. He is now an assitant coach at UGA and helps with the integration of new technology with debate practices. He is a partner in a web development firm in Athens called Boxkite Media and teaches Speech Communication classes at the University of Georgia. His podcast can be found at Mad About Town, and you can follow him on Twitter. He likes watching movies in the theater, and is thinking of switching back to vinyl but is afraid of the commitment.
John Turner currently studies Speech Communication as an M.A. candidate at the University of Georgia. He debated at Dartmouth College receiving a first-round bid to the 2003 NDT. He worked as an Assistant Coach at Dartmouth from 2003-2008 coaching several first-round teams as well as the 2nd place team at the 2008 NDT.
Email: jct@uga.edu
