COACH: Jennifer Gremmel Hunt, Esq.

I have been coaching debate for over a dozen years. I coach 2 teams: our community-based team at The Hive in Redding, as well as for Immaculate High School in Danbury. I also serve on the Board of the Connecticut Debate Association and the Connecticut Middle School Debate League. I earned my J.D. at Columbia University and continue my affiliation there by judging for the Harlan Fiske Stone Honors and 1L Moot Court Programs. After law school, I clerked for the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals before going into private practice as a litigator in Dallas, Texas. While I’ve largely put my legal career on hiatus to raise our children, I recently began working with RAICES to assist non-citizens seeking asylum.

I am invigorated by our inquisitive & challenging students. I look forward to working with our returning and new students!

INSTRUCTORS:

Harper Hunt currently is the Web & Content Manager for Second Foundation Partners, which publishes Epsilon Theory. She also is the creator & host of the popular podcast, “Cursed Knowledge.” Last year, Harper was recruited to run the MUN program virtually for the 60+ member, competitive team at Henley Middle School in Albemarle, VA. Harper received her B.A. in History with a minor in Cinema Studies from the University of Southern California in 2019. She graduated Magna Cum Laude and was a Presidential Scholar & Renaissance Scholar. Harper was a proud member of Trojan Parliamentary Debate Team & Model UN Travel Team and earned many awards for both teams. Harper also was part of the MUN Secretariat, hosting both college and high school conferences. Harper loves anything with a story arc!

Harper finished out her senior year of high school ranked 26th nationally — 1st team in New England — along with partner, Hannah (see below) in Parliamentary Debate. She also was a Civics First Semi-Finalist, 2015. Her most exciting win was the 2015 University of Pennsylvania Parliamentary tournament – two days of debating and 8 straight wins. As a result of this and other achievements, including Octofinals at Yale, she and her partner, Hannah, were invited to participate in the Tournament of Champions (TOC) in Sonoma Valley, California. Harper also is passionate about Model UN … especially the crisis committees. She won many top awards at international MUN conferences. Harper was a National Merit Scholar and National AP Scholar, and she was an integral part of the development of The Hive Debate & MUN Teams. Harper is Lead Instructor for the Model United Nations section of our program and delights in taking students from Parli Pro to Crisis in a creative and engaging way!

Hannah Hunt just wrapped up her 1L year at Stanford Law, where among other honors, she was invited to the Stanford Law Review. This summer she is a law clerk for EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center). Hannah is a 2020 graduate of the University of Southern California, where she double majored in Political Science and Comparative Literature, with a minor in International Relations. In addition to being a Presidential Scholar, Hannah was an active member of USC’s British Parliamentary Debate Team, sitting on the Executive Board for multiple semesters and serving as the team’s Director of Curriculum 2017-2019 and President for the 2019-2020 school year. In addition to competing at prestigious tournaments such as USU Nationals and the Yale Intervarsity, Hannah was the varsity champion of the Sunset Cliffs Classic (2020), a finalist at the Aztec Invitational (2018), a semifinalist at the USAFA Classic (2019), Aztec Invitational (2019), and USC IV (2019, 2020), and a two-time quarterfinalist at Western Regionals (2017, 2018).

Hannah jumped into debate in 8th grade, when she and her partner, Genevieve (see below), won the 2012 Civics First State tournament. Hannah and her partner, Harper (see above), were nationally ranked in their high school years, and her past honors include: Qualification for 2016 CDA State Finals, 2015 University of Pennsylvania Parliamentary Champion, qualification to the National 2015 Parliamentary TOC, 6th Place at the 2015 CDA State Finals, 2015 Civics First Semi-Finalist, 2013 Civics Semi-Finalist. Hannah also has won many top awards at international MUN conferences. Hannah is excited to serve as the Lead Debate Instructor, and (of course) pass along what she learns to The Hive debaters!

Haven Hunt attends the University of California Los Angeles, where she is in the Honors Program and is pursuing a double major in Public Affairs and Comparative Literature. After starting out her debate career in the CT Middle School Debate League, Haven was competitive at the Varsity level throughout high school, consistently earning top team and speaker awards at CDA tournaments (including 1st Varsity Speaker and 2nd Varsity Team at State Finals 2018). Haven is experienced in both prep-ahead and extemporaneous debate, formats having been awarded Best Oralist and 2nd Place Team at Civics First 2018 and placing within the top 5 at Yale Osterweis (2017), Vassar College Invitational (2017), and Ivy league Championship (2018) parliamentary tournaments. Haven has also participated in Model UN conferences across the country, notably winning the Outstanding Delegate award at YMUN 2018 and 2019.

Haven is passionate about using her Debate and MUN skills to develop a career in advocacy and non-profit work. From building a local farmer’s market (“The Redding Hive”) from the ground up to working extensively with refugee and immigrant communities in Baltimore and New Haven, Haven is eager to show others how they can use their voice to empower others.

Genevieve Riccoboni is a recent alumna of McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where she graduated with a joint Honors History and Political Science degree. Genevieve was President of the McGill Debating Union, ranked 7th in the world. In high school, Genevieve competed on the Public Forum (PF) and various Parliamentary circuits, and she was the 2012 Civics First Champion, a 2013 Civics Semi-Finalist, and the 9th overall team at the 2012 Yale Osterweis. In college, Genevieve has competed for McGill throughout the US and Canada, where among other achievements, she was a Semi-Finalist and 2nd Novice (first year in university) Speaker at the 2014 North American Women’s Debating Championships, the highest-ranked female novice in Canada at the 2014 Canadian Parliamentary Nationals, a finalist at the 2014 University of Ottawa’s Guindon Cup, and the novice champion at the 2013 Huber Debates at the University of Vermont. She trains high schoolers and younger college students in debate techniques, and she also tutors students of all ages in academic subjects and standardized test-taking. Genevieve also has many years of MUN under her belt, including top awards at international conferences.