Emily Xu, MS

Emily started as a policy debater in middle school and competed on the local, NY state, and national circuits. She advanced to multiple outrounds, including quarterfinals at the Lakeland Westchester Classic. In high school, she founded her school's debate team and coached students in Public Forum and Lincoln-Douglas, leading the team to qualify for the state championship in its inaugural year.

At Johns Hopkins University, Emily competed in American Parliamentary debate, earning 1st Varsity Speaker and reaching the varsity semifinals at TCNJ. During the 3 years she served on the Hopkins debate club's executive board, she prioritized mentoring novice debaters by partnering with them at tournaments for hands-on experience. She also spent two years as a private Public Forum and Lincoln-Douglas coach, building students' foundational skills through live in-tournament feedback and individualized lessons.

As a coach, Emily strives to help students become confident speakers with skills they can apply to all aspects of life. She's excited to keep helping students build confidence, find their competitive strengths, and discover the same joy in debate she found as a student. Beyond debate, Emily has a BS in Molecular/Cellular Biology from Johns Hopkins and an MS in Biomedical Sciences from Duke University School of Medicine. She now works as an oncology and urology clinical researcher — applying the critical thinking she developed as a debater every day.