Co-Directors
Chris Palmer is an assistant coach at Newton South High School, where he primarily focuses on extemp and debate. In his thirteen years as a coach at Newton South and Milton Academy, he has coached multiple extempers who have advanced to the final rounds of NFLs, CFLs, including both the 2008 NFL USX and Editorial Commentary national champions. He has also coached champions of the Yale, Villiger, Glenbrooks, Harvard, Montgomery Bell Extemp Round Robin, Columbia, and many other tournaments.
He also has coached students in LD, Public Forum, Oratory, Interp, and Congress. He is the past-president of the Massachusetts Forensic League, and serves as the tab director for the Yale, Princeton, Columbia and UPenn invitational tournaments. He has written speech tournament management and online registration software at http://www.tabroom.com. This software is used in many states, including FL, KY, MA, NJ, NY, PA, and VA, and also at NCFL Nationals.
In his life outside forensics, Chris works as an IT Manager for Gene Network Sciences, a biotechnology firm specializing in computer simulations in pharmaceutical discovery. He has a degree in psychology from Harvard University.
Jonathan Chavez has worked with a number of top-tier programs across the country, including James Logan High School in California, Creekview High School in Texas, and Milton Academy in Massachusetts, coaching a number of students to national final rounds in both address and interp events.
He is an expert in both nationalism and domestic policy and politics, with particular expertise in polling, elections and social issues. In his life outside of forensics, Jonathan is the Director of Research at a research and consulting firm based in Cambridge, MA. Jonathan holds a degree in Social Studies from Harvard University.
2009 Confirmed Faculty:
Josh Bone returns for his 4th time teaching at EXL, this time as a full-time faculty member. Josh has coached at both Milton Academy and Newton South High School. As a high school extemper, Josh was a two-time NFL national finalist in Foreign Extemp, a finalist at NCFL Nationals, a two-time Harvard finalist, and champion of Yale, Glenbrooks, the MBA Round Robin, and many other tournaments; Josh competed for 6 months without placing 2nd in any event at any tournament. In his collegiate parliamentary debating career, Josh won the 2007-2008 APDA Team of the Year award, the 2007 Cambridge (UK) Inter-Varsity Tournament, was top speaker at the 2008 North American Debating Championships, and was the first American finalist in 11 years at the World Debating Championships in 2006.
Josh holds a degree in History and Political Science from Yale University, and currently works for Judge David S. Tatel of the U.S. Court of Appeals (DC Circuit).
Max Solomon is graduating in 2009 from the University School of Nova Southeastern University in Florida. As a rising junior, he began his extemp career after switching from Congress. In only two years of competing in extemp, Max has been in late elimination and final rounds at major Florida state and national tournaments such as The Glenbrooks (Semifinalist), Winter Springs (Runner-up), Dowling Catholic Paradigm (Finalist), Harvard (Quarterfinalist), Crestian (Third place), and was the champion of the Laird Lewis Invitational. In addition to Extemp, Max competed successfully in Original Oratory.
In college, Max plans on majoring in European History and International Relations, along with a possible minor in Art History or British Literature. Next year, he will be actively involved in coaching at his alma mater. As a coach, he will teach students research skills, argumentation strategies, and understanding the historical implications and their effects on current events. He will work not only with Extemp students but also with Original Oratory and Public Forum students.
Max is an alumnus of EXL and excited to return for his third summer of Extemp fun. He enjoys working with students and thinks that EXL is the best forum for learning, practicing and refining Extemp skills.
Alex Tolkin is graduating in 2009 from Newton South High School in Massachusetts. In his extemp career, Alex has placed in the final rounds at Harvard (2nd place), Yale (4th), Columbia (2nd), George Mason (3rd), among many other late-elimination round finishes at local and regional tournaments. Alex was also the 2008 NFL National Champion in Editorial Commentary, and attended the 2009 MBA Round Robin. Alex has a lot of experience in putting up with Chris Palmer. Alex will be attending Washington University in St Louis next year.
