NAUDL Team Recruits New Members
The National Association for Urban Debate Leagues (NAUDL), a national leader in expanding participation in academic debate for as many urban students as possible, today announced that three new members have joined the team. The new recruits include Diana Dunker (Chief Program Officer), Kathleen Petitti (Financial Officer), and Mandela Okere (Director of Operations).
The NAUDL also bids farewell to Anthony Jardina, who is now moving on to the graduate program in communication at Wake Forest University. We wish Mr. Jardina the best.
"We are thrilled to have these three professionals join the NAUDL's leadership team," said NAUDL Executive Director Scott Deatherage. "The NAUDL is a respected leader with a strong track record of results building and strengthening Urban Debate Leagues, developing breakthrough strategies to expand access to policy debate, and leading efforts to connect the Urban Debate Network. With these additions to our team, we will be able to make an even greater contribution to advancing the urban debate mission. Please join us in welcoming them to our family."
Diana Dunker joins as the Chief Program Officer, and will lead the NAUDL's core programmatic effort to bring debate to more students, schools, and cities into the Urban Debate Network. She is primarily responsible for increasing the breadth, depth sustainability, and local ownership of each of the UDLs with which she will work.
Ms. Dunker joins the NAUDL from Legal Services of New Jersey, where she serves as Chief Section Counsel for Child Welfare and Supervising Attorney for the Youth Law Project. She has twice argued in front of the New Jersey Supreme Court, securing major advances in the protection of family bonds for urban and/or poor children.
Ms. Dunker currently serves as the Chair of the Jersey Urban Debate League (JUDL) Advisory Board, in which capacity she has successfully shepherded a diverse local UDL Advisory Board into creation, adoption and ownership of its strategic plan. JUDL serves eight high schools and 21 middle schools in the greater Newark area and is one of the strongest and most vibrant UDLs in the country. Ms. Dunker debated for Science High School of Newark from 1985-89 during a time when very few urban school debaters competed on the high school national circuit. During her varsity years she and her partner were invited to numerous national round robins and qualified for the NFL National Tournament as well as the Tournament of Champions. During her undergraduate years she worked extensively with the Science High School debate program, including coaching the team to the national finals.
Leaders around the Urban Debate Network have heralded this move.
"Ms. Dunker lives the mission of the urban debate movement", says Brent Farrand, the founder of the Jersey UDL. "She will be an awesome addition to the powerful voices already advocating for urban students who seek the discipline and benefit of urban debate."
Roger Leon, Assistant Superintendent of Newark Public Schools, describes Ms. Dunker as "highly intellectual, aggressive, and purpose driven", concluding "New Jersey's loss is the nation's gain."
Reflecting on the importance of Ms. Dunker's new role, Melissa Maxcy Wade, the Director of Forensics at Emory University, Co-Founder of the Atlanta Urban Debate League, and the Executive Co-Director of the National Debate Project, says, "The real power of the urban debate movement is reflected when urban debate alumni become leaders in the organization, when empowered voice generates empowered leadership for all those students who have yet to participate in this profoundly important program."
Financial Officer Kathleen Petitti oversees the financial management, budgeting, reporting, accounting, and controls of the NAUDL. She joined the NAUDL after a career at JPMorgan Chase, where she served in a number of roles in reporting, forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis. As Vice President / Finance Manager, she provided in-depth financial analysis for the Law, Compliance, and Government Relations Department and the commercial bank. She also managed the Legal Billing Units, and provided financial support for projects sponsored by JPMorgan Chase's Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Petitti brings to the NAUDL a steadfast commitment to prudent fiscal management of our investors' resources. She guides our efforts to maintain the highest financial and management standards.
"The NAUDL Board and staff are delighted that Kathy is willing to make the move from trusted volunteer to integral staff member. Her knowledge and experience, including managing the finance function of an over-$100 million department within the former Bank One (now JPMorgan Chase), has already been invaluable as the NAUDL has professionalized its budget and accounting responsibilities," says Leonard A. ("Lenny") Gail, Board Chair of the NAUDL and Ms. Petitti's former colleague at Bank One. Mr. Gail continued that "The NAUDL takes pride in the professional and focused way in which we monitor and plan our financial present and future, and we look forward to Kathy's direction of that effort going forward."
In addition to her work with the NAUDL, Ms. Petitti works with Advance Illinois, is the Chairperson of her parish Finance Council, and the Treasurer of the local St. Vincent DePaul conference. Kathleen holds a M.B.A. in Finance and a Bachelor's Degree in History from DePaul University.
Director of Operations Mandela Okere joined the NAUDL in August 2009. Mr. Okere is a Chicago native who has previously worked at the City of Chicago's Department of Human Resources in City Hall. He was also a coach of the debate team for two years at Lane Tech College Preparatory High School, where he had previously been a student and debated. There, he coached the 2008 Chase Urban Debate National Championship winners and served as a mentor to many urban debaters.
Curt Maslanka, the long-time former coach at Lane Tech, writes that, "even as a student on Lane Tech's debate team, Mandela always placed the interests of the team above his own. Then, through his college years, he contributed so much time and effort organizing and coaching our team. I am thrilled that Mandela is beginning his professional life working for the urban debate movement."
A graduate of DePaul University, Mr. Okere received his bachelor's degree in Business Management with another focus in Political Philosophy. He was the Chicago Debate League's 2004 Most Valuable Debater.
