Council Elections
Graduate Student Representative
Lavontae Morrow, University of Illinois Chicago
Candidate Statement
Hello everyone! My name is Lavontae Morrow, and I am a Graduate Assistant and student at the University of Illinois Chicago. My journey in speech and debate began in 2016 during my freshman year of high school. Since then, that journey has been shaped by coaches who showed me the power of this activity, not just within the round but in life. It’s through that lens that forensics has continued to transform my life, and I hope it will remain a meaningful part of my journey moving forward.Serving as a GA at UIC has given me the opportunity to view this activity from a completely new perspective. I once thought coaching was just that…coaching. I was wrong. It’s a continuous, evolving role that asks us to be therapists, chauffeurs, problem-solvers, and yes, sometimes even semesters. Balancing these responsibilities while also navigating graduate school showcases just how essential graduate assistants are to the strength and sustainability of our community in a trying time. If chosen for this role, I would aim to rebuild and strengthen resources for graduate students in the activity, building a community of future coaches that will give back to the community that has given to us!
Alisa Osborne, Hofstra University
Candidate Statement
Alisa Osborne is a former competitor on Belmont University’s Forensics Team and now holds a Graduate Assistant position on Hofstra University’s Forensics Team. As an undergraduate senior, Alisa received the AFA All-American Award for District 6, showcasing her excellence in speech as well as her activism
towards the communities she advocated for each weekend. In addition to finaling at AFA, ASC, and Pi Kappa Delta, Alisa holds numerous regional, state, and local titles from her time in forensics.
As a graduate assistant, she has held great responsibility in editing and coaching interp, public address, IPDA, and limited prep events while transporting her team to tournaments. Alisa also holds a high level of competence in Speechwire software, as she was Co-Tournament Director for Hofstra’s annual collegiate tournament this past December and will act as Tournament Director for Hofstra’s high school tournament during the upcoming school year. Alisa’s graduate study of Health Administration has cultivated valuable skills in data visualization and analytics, law and ethics, inclusion, finance, economics, administrative work, and public health strategy. She is confident that her skills and self-motivation would make her a phenomenal candidate for Graduate Student Representative on NFA Council. Staying within this community after three years of competing has been such a privilege for her; she views this opportunity as a chance to significantly improve accessibility, advocacy and quality that will positively impact the Association for years to come.
After graduating, Alisa hopes to obtain a doctoral degree in Health
Communication and extend her work and advocacy globally. She also has her sights on becoming a professor and plans to give back to the institutions that supported her. This position would be a treasured experience that would further acquaint her to operations, innovations, and service. She thanks you for your time
and consideration.
At-Large Representative
Sade Barfield, University of Northern Iowa
Candidate Statement
Sade Barfield is the Director of the University of Northern Iowa Team. She has previously served the NFA committee as both member (2015-16) and chair (2017-2024) of the Impromptu committee. I was a founding member of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee. I was the NFA Treasurer for several years (2021-2023). I have also served in various capacities for regional organizations. She is very passionate about serving as she was served by this incredible organization. After some time away, she would once again like to serve as an At-Large member.
John Loo, San Diego State University
Candidate Statement
I am honored to submit my nomination for an At-Large Council Member position within the National Forensic Association. I currently serve as the Director of Forensics at San Diego State University and bring over 13 years of forensics coaching experience in speech and NFA-LD, along with 7 years in college administrative roles. My experience across programs in both Florida and California has given me a broad understanding of regional dynamics, program needs, and the evolving landscape of collegiate forensics. In my current role at SDSU, I manage program operations, student development, tournament preparation, and institutional coordination, equipping me to contribute meaningfully to Council responsibilities. I am committed to collaborative leadership, ready to chair committees as needed, and eager to support initiatives that strengthen access, sustainability, and competitive excellence. I am also fully prepared to assist with national tournament operations and serve wherever the organization needs me most. Thank you for your consideration!
Tennisha Sonsalla, Tennessee State University
Candidate Statement
Tennisha is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), dedicated to creating accessible environments and empowering women in all spheres of life. As a coach,
Tennisha strives to champion the voices of underrepresented students.
While obtaining her Master of Fine Arts in Communication & Forensics at Minnesota State University, Mankato, Tennisha’s academic focus on the experiences of people of color, queer
folks, and women in the world of forensics laid a strong foundation for her career as a coach. Much of this work, including her thesis, Continuing to Do the Work: An Examination of the Experiences of Students of Color in Collegiate Speech, involved centering the voices of students in the forensics community.
Now, as the Assistant Director of Forensics at Tennessee State University, one of the few remaining Historically Black Colleges and Universities within collegiate forensics, Tennisha seeks to continue her work and hopes to assist in implementing the policies students have recommended throughout her research.
Tennisha’s experiences as a Queer Black Woman in the forensics community influence the way she approaches the activity as she works to make the forensics community a more equitable
and inclusive space.
Vice-President of Tournament Administration
David Daye, Bradley University
Candidate Statement
David Daye is a master’s candidate at Bradley University, where he also competed in collegiate forensics for four years as a member of the Bradley University Speech Team. During his time on the team, David served as team president and distinguished himself as a speaker, ranking in the top five individual speakers at both AFA and NFA. He is an AFA National Champion in Communication Analysis and a two-time AFA National Champion in Persuasive Speaking.
Now an assistant coach at Bradley, David has gained valuable experience in tournament management, helping plan and run both the Norton and HFO — two of the largest regular season tournaments. He also serves as the Mid-America Forensic League Tournament Director. Most recently, he served as one of the Tab directors at the 2026 NFA National Tournament while also helping facilitate accommodation requests. From the tab room to hiring judges and announcing awards, he has developed a strong grasp of tournament logistics, giving him a firm foundation to help NFA maximize its potential for growth and expansion.
As an At-Large Council member, David has helped shape decision-making at the national level while building meaningful relationships across the community. He has proven to be a bold and outspoken advocate for students, coaches, and the future of the activity.
Ryan Rigda, Saginaw Valley State University
Candidate Summary
I am currently an Assistant Professor of Communication and Co-Director of Forensics at Saginaw Valley State University. For most of the eight years I’ve spent at SVSU, I have served as the Individual Events Director for the Michigan Intercollegiate Speech League. This fall, I will transition from that role to serve as the organization’s Executive Director. In addition to working with college speech, I also volunteer with my local high school as a forensics coach.
As the Vice President for Administration, I would bring my experience as Tournament Director and student mentor to the position. As the Individual Events Director, I have cultivated years of tournament administration experience, which could be applied to the NFA National Tournament. I am organized, detail-oriented, and a meticulous planner. Furthermore, as the coach of a program with a limited budget and a former competitor on a student-run team, I am deeply connected with the student experience and understand many of the unique challenges students face. I hope to use these experiences to foster a positive relationship with the students and give them a space to advocate for their ideas within the NFA organization.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate Committee
Jared Anderson, California State University, Sacramento
Candidate Statement
Jared Anderson is the head coach and director of forensics for the Sacramento State Speech & Debate Team. Jared has been at Sacramento State since 2013, joining NFA in 2015. Prior to this, Jared coached CEDA/NDT debate both with Sac State and with Los Rios Community Colleges since 2007. In the last 10 years of attending NFA, the Sacramento State team has had elim round participants 6 times and regularly finishes in the top 10 of LD sweepstakes. Jared is passionately dedicated to ensuring a quality topic. He has co-authored multiple topic papers, two of them being voted as the seasons topic (Latin America and Nuclear Posture). He also has a topic paper on this years ballot. Even when he was not on the committee, Jared has regularly showed up to help construct the resolution ballot. Outside of just topic construction, Jared has thought a lot about the LD rules, how they effect debaters and the debate, and ensuring that LD remains a highly competitive, thoughtful, and accessible debate event for ALL students.
Shanna Carlson, Illinois State University
Candidate Statement
My name is Shanna Carlson and I am the current Director of Debate at Illinois State University. I have been involved with debate for over 20 years and hope to stay involved for at least another 20 years. I would like to continue to serve on the NFA-LD committee so that I can help the activity to continuously grow and evolve. As a member I am already involved in open forum discussions that occur within the community. In my time I have seen many improvements to the rules and I believe that it is our duty to continue this tradition of evolution.
Additionally, I would love to be part of the committee that helps ensure that NFA-LD grows and attracts more debaters. We are in a time where many forms of debate are shrinking in their memberships, but NFA does not have to be one of those forms. I have international debate teaching and coaching experience and I believe that I could bring a unique view to the committee to ensure that NFA stays on the positive course it finds itself currently on. I also believe that student input is extremely important and I love to hear the ideas that students have. We ought to create a dialogue between more students and coaches around the country. As a committee member I see my job as one to listen, respond, and advocate for the best debate activity possible.
Stephen Doubledee, Washburn University
Candidate Statement
National Forensic Association 