NATIONAL CONGRESS INSTITUTE STAFF

ZACHARY WU

VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY '27
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Zach Wu is a Chancellor’s Scholar at Vanderbilt University. He debated for Naperville North in Illinois, where for three straight years, Zach was one of the top debaters in the country. He championed Harvard twice, the Princeton Classic, and the UPenn Liberty Bell Classic, in addition to placing 2nd at the Tournament of Champions in 2021 and 2023. Along the way, he accumulated 23 bids, including top-6 placements at Glenbrooks, Emory, and both chambers of NSDA. In Illinois, he is the most decorated debater in state history, having championed the Illinois Congressional Debate Association, the Illinois Tournament of Champions, and the Illinois High School Association. Each twice! As a co-founder of Youth Voices, Zach has built the most successful extracurricular debate program in the country from the ground up. His students, this past year, have won Harvard, Bronx, UPenn, and Durham, and placed in the top 6 of every major championship. Outside of debate and school, Zach loves golf and cooking.

NICK CHEN

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY '25
MIDDLE SCHOOL COACH

Nick is a junior at American University studying International Relations and Data Science. As a Congressional debater, he was captain of James B. Conant High School Debate in Hoffman Estates, IL. There, he won the 2021 IHSA State Championship, placed 3rd at the 2020 Sunvitational, 4th at the 2021 Stanford Invitational, and qualified to the Tournament of Champions twice. By the numbers, Nick is one of the, if not the most accomplished Congress coaches at the middle school level. He has coached back-to-back champions at the 2023 and 2022 Middle School Harvard National Forensics Tournament and the 2022 Middle School Tournament of Champions. Nick's coaching philosophy centers around developing incisive analysis, speaking extemporaneously, and effective pre-round planning. In his free time, Nick is an underground freestyle rapper and enjoys sampling new pan-Asian cuisine's.

BRECK DUPAUL

HAWKEN SCHOOL '25
MIDDLE SCHOOL COACH

Breck DuPaul has been involved in Speech & Debate for three years as a competitor. Over the course of his career, Breck has placed 3rd at Emory, 2nd at Yale, 6th at Florida Blue Key, championed Durham, finaled the TOC, and semifinaled both Harvard and NSDA Nationals in the Senate. He was also invited to the Harvard, FBK, and Durham Round Robins, where he placed 2nd. He has always loved teaching having taught sailing, English, and math to kids in Virginia and Ohio.

HELIOS LUNG

MONTE VISTA HIGH SCHOOL '25
MIDDLE SCHOOL COACH

Helios is a semi-professional congressional debater and amateur food reviewer. When he’s not munching on lamb & beef shawarma and biryani, he’s busy competing at tournaments. So far in his junior season, he’s champed the Harvard Invitational, runner-upped at the Harvard Round Robin, and placed 5th at Glenbrooks. His sophomore season, he placed 5th in California State and championed the 2023 Stanford Invitational. Helios wants his students to find what style works for them in a round and to be effective extempers so they can adapt to a round. He’s looking forward to working with his students this summer. As an alumnus of NCI 2023, he’s looking forward to passing on the torch and working with his own students this summer.

SWATHI BODDULURI

PENNSBURY HIGH SCHOOL '25
MIDDLE SCHOOL COACH

Swathi Bodduluri is a rising senior at Pennsbury High School in Pennsylvania. Over the course of her high school career she has served as the Congressional Debate captain at her high school (for the past two years), creating one of the strongest congress teams in all of Pennsylvania and going undefeated on her local circuit. This year alone, Swathi has placed 5th at Yale, 6th at Glenbrooks, 4th at the Barkley Forum, and 5th at Harvard. Additionally, she has championed tournaments like UPenn and Bronx, as well as receiving a Harvard round robin invite! In her free time, she can be found rowing, reading a good book, or hanging out with friends!

GEORGIA LIU

HENDRIX UNIVERSITY '27
MIDDLE SCHOOL COACH

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