2025-26 Officers

Founding the Debate Team at UCSB has been an adventurous rollercoaster of which I'm is so thankful to be a part of. This journey has been deeply meaningful to me, as it provided the opportunity to foster a culture of diverse ideas, acceptance, and communication. I love the thrill of the round and the unique way debate challenges us to view the world through multiple perspectives while building lifelong connections with my teammates. I look forward to even more incredible times with my friends and seeing this team continue to grow and evolve for years to come.

Gohan Huynh is in his third year of Speech and Debate Forensics and is a fourth-year communication studies and sociology double major. He is this year's speech captain that specializes in public address. As a two-time national champion in After Dinner Speaking, he's a pretty funny guy. Outside of forensics, Gohan enjoys games of all types, going to the beach, and listening to music.

Hudson Palmer is a first year economics and political science student from San Diego. When he isn't debating or doing a speech event he enjoys playing chess, reading, and running along the beach. He also works as a Caseworker for the Office of the Student Advocate in student government. A fun fact about Hudson is that he has six pets, including three dogs, a tortoise, a snake, and a hedgehog. 

Finley Arreola-Chavez is a second year History major with a double major in Philosophy. In their free time, they participate in Drum Corps International and the Gaucho Pep Band. In Speech and Debate, they compete in IPDA, NPDA, Extemperaneous Speaking, Impromptu, and help manage logistics for the team. A fun fact about Finley is they worked at a dance studio and know how to tame birds.

Barbara Lopez is a fourth year Economics major, from Cupertino. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering with the National Alzheimer's Buddies, producing music, songwriting, mixed martial arts, and playing guitar at the beach. In Speech and Debate, she competes in IPDA, Extemperanous Speaking, and impromptu speaking, and helps out with planning and organizing within the club. A fun fact about Barbara is that she lived in Costa Rica for a year, and speaks fluent Spanish among other languages, (like basic ASL).