Our Executive Team
2023-24
Daniel Svirsky
(he/him)
PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT (at) CUSID.CA
Daniel is a fourth-year student pursuing a joint Law and Business degree at Western’s Law School and Ivey School of Business. He has been debating for seven years and is serving his third term on the CUSID executive. Daniel has broken at over 25 tournaments around the world and won the Canadian British Parliamentary Championships in 2022. Overall, Daniel has been most appreciative of the amazing people he has met and for the friends he has made through debate.
Anais Kneppers
Co-executive director
EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR(at) CUSID.CA
Anais is currently studying law at the University of Ottawa. She has been debating for eight years, and her achievements include winning the Dorchester Cup 2023, CAing the Canadian British Parliamentary Championship 2022, and advancing to quarterfinals at Imperial Intervarsity 2022. She is also the president of the University of Ottawa’s English Debating Society.
Sherry Shu
(she/her)
Co-executive director
EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR(at) CUSID.CA
Sherry is a second-year student at the University of Western Ontario studying Computer Science and Business. Sherry has been debating for five years. Her accomplishments include being the CUSID Pro-Ams champion, quarterfinalist at CP Nats, and quarterfinalist at Central Novs. She loves travelling around the world, and loves doing debate to compete internationally and meet people from different schools and backgrounds!
Emma Kelly
(she/her)
TREASURER
TREASURER(at) CUSID.CA
Emma is a third year student at Queen’s University pursuing a commerce degree from the smith school of business. She is the currently the Critic of the Queen’s Debating Union. Her accomplisments include being the Father Roger Guindon Cup Champion, aswell as a semi finalist at the North American Women and Gender Minorities Debate Championship, Seagrams IV and Lord Dorchester Cup. She has been debating for 2 years. Outside of debate she plays competitive soccer. It is her first year on CUSID exec and is she is very excited for what this year brings.
Eyasu Yakob
VICE-PRESIDENT WEST
VPWEST(at) CUSID.CA
Eyasu is a third-year nursing student at the University of Alberta. Eyasu has been debating for five years and previously served on the University of Alberta Debate Society (UADS) executive for two years, most recently as Vice President of Finance. It is Eyasu’s first year on the CUSID executive council and is looking forward to helping promote competitive university debating in Western Canada. Outside of his role in CUSID, Eyasu also serves as the president of the Canadian Nursing Students’ Association (CNSA).
Fiona Gervin
VICE-PRESIDENT CENTRAL
VPCENTRAL(at) CUSID.CA
Fiona is a third-year International Studies and Global Law student at Carleton University. She has debated for three years, starting in high school and continuing into university. Fiona’s accomplishments in debate include breaking at Central Novice 2021 and Winter Carnival 2022 as a novice, and breaking open at Sutherland’s 2023. She was elected Carleton University Debating Society’s president in her second year. Fiona shares her passion for debate through coaching elementary aged students, building their public speaking skills, and hopefully creating lifelong debaters. She is excited to be taking on this opportunity as VP Central.
Daiyam Basharat
vice-president east
VPEAST(at) CUSID.CA
Daiyam is a fourth-year International Development Studies and Sustainability student at Dalhousie University. Daiyam has been debating for almost a decade. He has served as the President of the Dalhousie & King’s Debate Society (SODALES) and as a board member of the Nova Scotia Debating Society (NSDS). It is Daiyam’s first year on the CUSID executive council, however he is excited to rebuild, revive, and improve the debate circuit in Atlantic Canada.
Hargun Rekhi
(she/her)
SPONSORSHIPS DIRECTOR
Hargun is a third-year student at the University of Toronto studying Environmental Science with a double minor in Psychology and French. Hargun loves debating and is passionate about advocating for the merits of this extra-curricular. She has been debating for 4 years and was a CP Nats novice finals winner, Ledger cup semi-finalist and a breaking judge at NorAms. Hargun also adores reading, hiking, going for runs and canoeing. She is excited to contribute to the Canadian debate circuit this year.
Nikta Ghozati
(she/her)
events director
Nikta, a third-year student at the University of Toronto, is studying Criminology and Sociology. Her passion for debate ignited two years ago, and since then, she has actively participated in 21 tournaments in just 21 months. Early on, Nikta discovered her love for judging and has broken at BP Champs, CP Nats, Guindon, and more. Additionally, she’s a dedicated career-orgcomm member, equitying six tournaments and counting. Joining CUSID, Nikta is excited to collaborate with the executive team and utilize her skills to create engaging and beneficial events for Canadian debaters. With her commitment to fostering a positive debating community, Nikta aims to empower minds and make a lasting impact on the debating landscape.
Larissa Long
(she/her)
tournaments director
Larissa is a second-year student at McMaster University studying Health Sciences. She has been debating for 5 years, and is extremely excited to join the CUSID team this year. Some of Larissa’s accomplishments include winning the novice division of Canadian Parliamentary Championships in 2023.
Christy Abraham
SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR
Christy is going into her fourth year, hopefully getting into anthropology this year. She is the president of Umdc, the University of Manitoba Debate club. She enjoys watching movies, especially studio Ghibli films. She also enjoys travelling, as well as any adventures or opportunities that come my way!