Our Executive Team
2025-2026
Nyx Kucharski
(they/them)
PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT (at) CUSID.CA
Nyx is a fourth-year student pursuing Honours Biology at the University of Waterloo. This is their fourth year debating and second year serving as CUSID president! They are also the current president of the University of Waterloo Debate Society. Some of their debate and judge achievements include Chairing Finals at Canadian Parliamentary Nationals 2026, being a quarterfinalist at CUDC 2026, and winning Unity Cup 2024. Nyx is looking forward to another amazing year for CUSID!
Fun fact: Nyx is a Just Dance enthusiast and has multiple dances memorized!
Advait Sangle
(he/him)
Co-executive director
EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR(at) CUSID.CA
Advait is a fourth-year student at the University of Waterloo, pursuing a degree in Computer Science. In Summer ’25, he broke at a number of competitive online tournaments: Ottawa Open (semis), Princeton IV (quarters), and Vienna pre-WUDC (quarters), and followed that up with breaks at Hart House IV and CUDC. At the end of the year, he broke at Sofia WUDC 2026, becoming part of the first Waterloo team to do so since 1991. On the adjudication side, he has judged at UW HST across 2024 and 2025, chairing the Grand Final before returning as Chief Adjudicator. At Seagrams IV, he paneled the Grand Final in 2025 and served as Chief Adjudicator in 2026, also paneling the final. He has been on Waterloo’s executive team since Fall 2023, serving across a number of roles, and has helped TD Waterloo HST 2023 and 2024, and TD’d Seagrams 2025. He is incredibly excited to bring all of this experience to CUSID as an Executive Director over the next year!
Ashlyn Lu
(she/her)
Co-executive director
EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR(at) CUSID.CA
Ashlyn is an incoming Masters student in Security and Defense at the University of Ottawa. She is currently VP Training at the English Debating Society and had previously been Recording Secretary at Hart House. As a debater, Ashlyn has won Unity Cup 2025, was a semifinalist at St. Andrews Pre-EUDC, and was the Novice Champion of Zagreb Pre-EUDC and Fast IV. As a judge, she has broken at NAUDC, CUDC, McGill IV, Uhuru Worlds, and several other international competitions.
Fun fact: Ashlyn used to play competitive chess.
Dhruv Kairon
(he/him)
TREASURER
TREASURER(at) CUSID.CA
Dhruv is a fifth year Computer Science major at the University of Alberta. Dhruv has served as Vice President of Training and Member-at-Large at the University of Alberta Debate Society and is in his fifth year of debating. Dhruv’s debate achievements include breaking at the first ever CUDC 2024, first reserve break at McGill IV 2026, winning Hugill Western Canadian Championships, as well as various regional breaks. This is Dhruv’s second term on the CUSID executive and he is very excited to work towards getting CUSID some bread (money) and making sure cusid clubs get enough financial support 🙂
Fun Fact: Dhruv was a Google intern this summer!
Emily Chen
(she/her)
VICE-PRESIDENT WEST
VPWEST(at) CUSID.CA
Emily is a fourth year student at the University of British Columbia as pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing and a concentration in business law. She has been thoroughly involved at the UBCDS as novice representative, VP external, President and VP training. Some of her achievements includes quarterfinalist at NAUDC 2026, McGill Finalist 2026 as well as breaking judge at HHIV 2025, and Berkeley IV 2026. Please feel free to reach out to her for anything related to development of debate in Western Canada.
Fun Fact: Emily has a bubble tea addiction and will always know the nearest boba place at all times.
Ted Ren
(he/him)
VICE-PRESIDENT CENTRAL
VPCENTRAL(at) CUSID.CA
Ted is a fifth year student at the University of Waterloo pursuing a degree in Arts and Business with a major in Political Science. He has been in the University of Waterloo Debate Society for five years, serving as President for two years. He was the tournament director of the inaugural Canadian Universities Debating Championship in 2024. Ted has placed as the 5th Open Speaker at the Canadian Parliamentary National Championship, as an Open Quarterfinalist at CUDC, McGill IV, and Ottawa IV, and has bubbled WUDC in 2025. Ted was also the Treasurer of CUSID in the 2025-2026 year, and he is very excited to work towards the development of the Central Canadian circuit this year.
Fun Fact: Ted spoke a 64 at McGill IV and still broke!
Sadie Junger
(she/he)
vice-president east
VPEAST(at) CUSID.CA
Sadie is in the third year of a biochemistry degree. After debating for all four years of high school, she resurrected the Mount Allison debate program during her first year and served as President for the society’s first three semesters. During that time, she debated at the Sodales Magic Wand IV 2025 less than a week after forming the club, judged at every tournament in the region during the 2025-2026 year, and hosted the Magic Wand IV 2026. This is her first year on the CUSID executive team. Sadie looks forward to another great year of East debate!
Fun Fact: Sadie was born without a sense of smell!