President: Alice Lang

Alice shares interesting similarities with her predecessor, Tom Bowes.  Both came to the presidency having previously been Development Officer and Internals Coordinator, and both spent time on exchange in France.  Alice returns from Lyon in 2009 to rediscover English and to lead the Debating Society to greater heights.  Living on campus gives her plenty of time to stake out the best arenas for intellectual battle, and on hand to conduct it.


Vice President: Anh Tran-Nam

After barely surviving the experience of convening Women's last year, Anh is now ready to steer debsoc through a financial crisis, hopefully with the help of corporate benefactors.  There are (at least) three proud UNSW debating traditions Anh is committed to continuing – developing distinguished debaters, providing a friendly and inclusive debating environment, and breaking it down on the dance floor of intervarsity tournaments.

Secretary and Treasurer: Boris Waldman

Boris' motto is 'Money Money Money', by ABBA.  Yes, the entire song.  He likes to think big, especially when it concerns our bank account.  Boris' cunning financial brain will help Anh concoct profitable plans to make sure the Society can continue to give out nice subsidies and pay whatever we need.  Boris will also be involved in doing paperwork in his second role as Treasurer.  The pitfalls of wealth.

 
External Competitions Officer: Sean Lawson

Sean is a rather eccentric man.  However, far from being a fool, his oddness masks a mind which seems more machine than man; such is the speed of its operation.  Rumours of Sean actually being a robot started when people noticed he seemed to live on alcoholic beverages, like Bender in Futurama.  This intriguing quality allows him to manage the demands of conducting our externals programme - conducting trials, organisational logistics, correspondence etc. - whilst ignoring the emotional toll.

Co-Internals Officer: Mariel Barnes

Whilst Sean focuses on organising external things, Mariel knows where the real fun is - right here at DebSoc Internals.  Fun is what is promised in 2009.  Mariel will channel her past form as Socials Officer to make Monday nights the (debating) party it really should be.  Yes, no-one else in the universe has fun nights out on Mondays, due to restrictive social paradigms.  Not us.  We like to think different, and Mariel is the leader of our revolution.

Co-Internals Officer: Angela Kintominas

Ange also likes to party, but too much partying is bad for your health.  Or is it?  That's debatable.  Incorporated into the party that is Monday night will be lots of debating.  And debating about debating.  In conjunction with Mariel, she will be helping to deliver a fine menu of brain food to satiate the hungry minds of DebSoc.

Co-Development Officer: Jennifer Wu

Jen has many legendary tales to tell about high school debating.  Rumour has it she can make fun of any well-known school if you ask her nicely enough.  The fact that she is much too professional to contemplate such a dastardly act has not put paid to this vile rumour.  Whatever the truth, Jen's extensive involvement in school debating will stand us in good stead in school diplomacy.

 
Co-Development Officer: Zulpha Styer

Zulpha, sick of degenerates mispronouncing such her simple name, wanted to change her name to 'Z'.  That's what people call her anyway.  Unfortunately, it sounded the same as the name of the leader of the ACT Liberals, Zed Seselja.  Not being fond of the Liberal Party, she chose to ignore it all by endeavouring to be a cult figure amongst school kids.  Organising school debating tournaments with Jen seems like a perfect move for her.


Membership Officer: Alex To

Being Membership Officer involves running the O-Week stall and then spending the entire year filling out forms and being otherwise mangled in bureaucracy.  Alex will attempt to use his physical prowess and debating nous to manage the demands of this role.  Arc@UNSW may think they are the kings of the hill, but their headquarters is actually at the bottom of campus.  It looks like Alex won't be needing to move too many muscles to out-muscle restrictions and red tape.


Publicity Officer: Justin Rassi

In charge of promoting the virtues of DebSoc to the universe is Justin, a man small in stature, but powerful in terms of mental acuity.  Legend has it that he once wrote an essay by just looking at a printer and transmitting words through telepathy.  If he could do that with DebSoc publicity, no more will noticeboards be covered with posters about communist lectures, militant protests and cars for sale.  With Justin, DebSoc will gain its rightful place in noticeboard hierarchy.  On top.



Public Debates Officer: Ben Williams

Ben shares his name with the first winner of Big Brother Australia.  This interesting fact seems, at least tangentially, to indicate that public debates in 2009 will reach new heights in hilarity and ridiculousness.  Some say he will stage a Big Brother style event.  Others say he will...not.  All we know is that 2009 will be a good year for public debating.



Chief Adjudicator: Bart Cummings

Despite popular belief, Bart actually doesn't have the same name as the racehorse trainer Bart Cummings.  The first given name of the elder Cummings is actually James.  Rather than training horses, Bart will focus his attention on humans, establishing an internal training regime to whip the troops of DebSoc into a fine debating army to conquer the world of debating and beyond.  One day he will train the first human to win the Melbourne Cup.

Women's Officer: Su-Min Lim

Helen Reddy was a woman and wanted the world to hear her roar.  A sound almost as unpleasant as that horrible song itself.  Unlike Reddy, Su-Min doesn't need to roar, or sing silly songs.  The virtues of diplomatic and polite engagement with fellow human beings and avoidance of unproductive conflict are all the way forward in advancing the cause of women in debating.  However, Su-Min can roar if necessary.


Socials Officer: Dave Maher

Dave may appear to be a Bondi beach bum, because he is one.  However, his fast-working brain can process the best social venues in town and their applicability to various social situations and somehow produce a cohesive plan for fun.  Wherever the party is at, Dave will be behind it all.  If it's good, it's because of him.  If you don't like a party, it's probably because the party doesn't like you.  Where there's Dave, there's always good times to be had.


Immediate Past President: Tom Bowes

Tom has actually finished his debating career, having finished university.  Inexplicably, he has decided to continue to serve in an advisory capacity as the Immediate Past President.  This would ordinarily be considered insanity, but is a testament to the dedication Tom has to the world of debating, and more specifically, the Society itself.  Tom follows the philosophy of former Singaporean leaders: one is never old enough to retire.

Debsoc thanks Matt Kwan for his contribution to these profiles.