2010 Executive

President: Max Harris

Max is in his final year of a Law/Arts conjoint, and is a veteran of the Debating Society executive, having served in the past as a General Executive member, Schools’ Officer, and Vice-President.  Max was not a member of a regional schools’ team when at school in Wellington, and so is living proof that you can succeed at debating without having been involved at school: since starting debating proper at university, Max has reached the knock-out rounds of every major national and international tournament, including Australs and Worlds.  He also sits on the committee charged with hosting the Australs tournament in 2010, and outside of debating is involved with the Auckland University Law Review and the Equal Justice Project.  He is keen to chat to anyone interested in joining the club or getting more involved in 2010.

 

 Vice-President: Steph Thompson

Steph Thompson is going into the third year of her Law/Arts conjoint, in which she is majoring in English and Politics.  Having been heavily involved in school debating, since arriving at university Steph has attended every domestic debating tournament and performed outstandingly.  Last year Steph broke to the semi-finals of the Australian BP Women’s Tournament, and reached the octo-finals of Australs.  This year Steph will also be chair of Auckland Schools Debating (ASD), a position that involves her co-ordinating debating and adjudicating what is now New Zealand’s biggest school debating competition.  She has a passion for getting women involved in debating, and is also aiming this year to work on long-term fundraising issues for the Debating Society.

Treasurer: James Ruddell

James is also doing a Law/Arts conjoint, majoring in Politics and History.  But aside from the Arts subjects he studies normally, James harbours a talent for sound management of money: an attribute that makes him a perfect Treasurer.  James is also the resident nice guy on the executive (although all members of the executive are approachable): he is always keen to hear from members about ideas as to how the Debating Society might be improved.  He brings to the executive past experience with leadership in the Management Consulting Club (MCC), and this experience – alongside his sharp and creative thinking – makes him a very good debater.

Executive Member: Rupert Nelson

Rupert Nelson is in the third year of a Medicine degree, and his medical background allows him to bring a quite different perspective to the workings of the Debating Society executive.  His debating prowess proves that you don’t have to be a Law student to succeed at debating – he has attended all major domestic tournaments, and has broken at Thropy twice – and Rupert is also one of the club’s top adjudicators, having accredited nationally in 2009.  A former Head Boy of Auckland Grammar, Rupert leads the social charge when we are away on tournaments, and is especially keen to make the Debating Society an accessible and fun club for first year debaters joining in 2010.

 

Executive Member: Akif Malik
Akif is in the fifth year of his Law/Commerce conjoint degree, and brings an international flavour to the executive by often reminding them of his Pakistani roots.  He also brings to the executive a wealth of experience in other activities on campus at university: he is a past Treasurer and Education Vice-President of the Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA), and is CEO of SAVY, a financial literacy group that operates in schools across the Auckland region.  On top of this, Akif is one of the club’s most experienced and successful debaters and adjudicators – having broken to the octo-finals at the World Universities’ Debating Championship and placed highly at every domestic debating tournament – and is eager to chat to anyone new to debating who is keen to get involved.

 

Executive Member: Gretta Schumacher

Gretta is energetic and always enthusiastic (whether she is debating, organising, or going about her studies in the second year of her Law/Arts conjoint, majoring in Politics), qualities partly furthered by an exchange in Germany that she did in her final year at Baradene College.  But Gretta is also a superb debater, and immersed herself in debating in 2009.  She broke to the semi-finals of Joynt Scroll in Otago with Auckland 2, broke to the semi-finals of the Australian BP Women’s Tournament (even in spite of coming up against former winners of the World Universities Debating Championship), and was named Most Promising Female Speaker in the club at the end of year dinner.  She is keen to push the club’s community profile in the coming year, and is open to any ideas people might have!

Exec Member (in charge of Women and Minorities): Nupur Upadhyay

Nupur is entering the second year of her Law/Commerce degree, and her second year on the Debating Society executive, having served admirably last year as the First Year Representative.  Debating is in Nupur’s bones: she has been heavily involved since school, when as Head Girl of St Cuthbert’s College she was a member of the Auckland Regional Schools’ Debating Team, and in 2009 broke at Thropy and was the best speaker in the Auckland University British Parliamentary Open tournament held in second semester.  But she is also a very friendly person to talk to, and this makes Nupur well-suited to her role as the executive member with responsibility for women’s and minorities’ issues. 

Executive Member (First Year Representative): Aria Newfield

Aria was recently elected your First Year representative for 2010.  She comes with a wealth of debating experience and a bundle of enthusiasm.  She was a member of the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Debating Team in 2009, and was named 11th best speaker in the world at the World Schools’ Debating Championship.  She attended St Cuthbert’s College for her high school years, and is now starting a Law/Arts conjoint degree.  She is very keen to assist first years so please approach her if you are a first year and have any issues or questions!