CURRENT TEAM

UK Debate Staff

David Arnett

Director of Debate

Dave is the Director of Debate at the University of Kentucky. He coached the 2019 national champions and the runners up on two separate occasions (2004, 2005). Dave has coached 14 teams to a top five national ranking. He was selected the Ross Smith National Coach of the Year in 2009 and voted runner-up for Coach of the 2000s. He was voted the 2015 American Debate Association coach of the year. He is the Director of five national college and high school tournaments including the Tournament of Champions which collectively bring over 3000 participants annually to the UK campus. Dave has spearheaded UK Debate’s international outreach effort which has included projects in China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Kathy Pickett

Office Manager

Kathy comes to the team with a varied background rich in people skills. With 30+ years experience, she is a hardworking, motivated, and enthusiastic Office Manager with a proven track record of success. She always strives to achieve the highest standard possible, at any given task and in any situation. She is beyond thrilled to join the UK debate staff and is looking forward to many successful years for the students!

Devane Murphy

Head Debate Coach

In 2017, he and his partner were the second team in American Collegiate Debate history to win both the National Debate Tournament (NDT) and the Cross Examination National Debate Association National Championship (CEDA) in the same season. Devane also won the Ross K. Smith NDT Top Speaker Award in 2017. Devane has coached on the collegiate and high school level of policy debate and has coached multiple qualifiers to the Tournament of Champions, CEDA National Championships, and the NDT. He has coached the winners of the Mukai Classic at Weber State, JV/Novice National Championships, the United States Military Academy West Point Invitational, Kathryn Klassic at California State University-Fullerton, and the NDT. He has previously coached at Rutgers University-Newark and Dartmouth College.

Linda Barker

Budget Office Liason

Linda began working in the UK Debate Office on September 25, 1989, just in time for her first Kentucky Thoroughbred Round Robin and Henry Clay Debate Tournaments. J. W. Patterson was the Director of Debate at that time. She has enjoyed becoming friends with the UK debaters through the years and still stays with touch with many of them.

Katie Humphries

PF Debate Coach

Katie Humphries is the PF debate coach at the University of Kentucky, as well as the Associate Director of the Bluegrass Debate Coalition and Outreach Coordinator for the Collegiate Public Forum Debate League. Katie competed for the University of Akron, where they received their B.S. in Political Science and Criminal Justice. Throughout their career, they have coached students at every level of debate - local, state, and national in half a dozen debate events. Passionate about expanding access to debate, in 2019 Katie founded TD provide free learning resources and has since helped thousands of students.

Brian Manuel

Tournament Administration

Hometown: Alpharetta, Georgia

Major: Finance

Chase Stevens

Class of 2025

Hometown: Madison, Connecticut

Major: Political Science and Pre-Law

CURRENT TEAM

UK Debate Staff

David Arnett

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Director of Debate

Kathy Pickett Office Manager

Devane Murphy Head Debate Coach

Linda Barker Budget Office Liason

Katie Humphries PF Debate Coach

Brian Manuel Tournament Administration

UK Student Debaters

Sophia Del Pra

Harry Sanjeevan

Eriel Burns

Lauren McBlain

Ariel Gabay

Marcus Williams

Holly Netzley

David Griffith

Jordan Di

Dash Weinhardt

Caroline Koontz

Austin Kiihnil