BOARD & OFFICERS
At each Annual General Meeting, representatives from member organizations elect a new Board of Directors ("Board") for the Canadian Student Debating Federation ("CSDF"). The Board can include up to ten members, with nominees submitted by member organizations. To ensure regional representation, the Board must include at least one member from each of the four regions—North (YK, NT, NU), West (BC, AB, SK), Centre (MB, ON), and Atlantic (QC, the Maritimes, and Newfoundland and Labrador)—provided that willing candidates from each of these regions are available.
The membership elects a President, a Director of French Language Debate, and five to eight additional directors. The Board then appoints officers such as the Treasurer, Solicitor, Discipline Officer, Committee Chairs, Worlds Officer, and liaisons to external organizations as needed.
Throughout the year, the Board communicates with member organizations, works with the upcoming Seminar host, manages funding through the McLeese Opportunities Fund, and oversees CSDF’s administrative responsibilities.
2025-2026 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
NAME | ROLE | PROVINCE | EMAIL |
|---|---|---|---|
Gabriel Duguay | President | NS | gduguay@csdf-fcde.ca |
Rob McLeese | Director, McLeese Family; Speech and Debate Canada | ON | rmcleese@csdf-fcde.ca |
Alexander Beaumont | Director of French Debate | QC | abeaumont@csdf-fcde.ca |
Hannah Griffin | Director of Northern Development | NWT | hgriffin@csdf-fcde.ca |
Arghya Dev Biswas Aryan | Director; Secretary | BC | aaryan@csdf-fcde.ca |
Ella Waxman | Director | QC | ewaxman@csdf-fcde.ca |
Matt Edmonds | Director; Treasurer | NS | medmonds@csdf-fcde.ca |
2025-2026 OFFICERS
NAME | ROLE | EMAIL |
|---|---|---|
Vinayak Mishra | Solicitor | |
Rudi Lof | Fundraising Officer | fundraiser@csdf.fcde.ca; rlof@csdf-fcde.ca |
Meaghan Carlson | Discipline Officer |
2025-2026 WORLDS COMMITTEE
NAME | ROLE | EMAIL |
|---|---|---|
Joshua Judah | Committee Chair | teamcanada@csdf-fcde.ca |
Jason Hong | Committee Member, Worlds Voting Officer | teamcanada@csdf-fcde.ca |
Ella Waxman | Committee Member | teamcanada@csdf-fcde.ca |
Rudi Lof | Fundraising Officer | teamcanada@csdf-fcde.ca |
Alexander Beaumont | Board Liaison | teamcanada@csdf-fcde.ca |
Dena Tabyanian | Committee Member | teamcanada@csdf-fcde.ca |
Massimo Riggatto | Committee Member | teamcanada@csdf-fcde.ca |
Brent Schmidt | Co-Coach | teamcanada@csdf-fcde.ca |
Arsalan Ghaemi | Co-Coach | teamcanada@csdf-fcde.ca |