Middle School
Middle School Coaching Team
Aditya Chordiya
COO & MS Co-Director
Aditya Chordiya
COO & MS Co-Director
Three-time Ascend alumnus, NSDA finalist, and Harvard finalist. Specializes in argument creation, refutation, and personalized coaching tailored to each student's strengths.
Varun Kota
Co-Founder & MS Co-Director
Varun Kota
Co-Founder & MS Co-Director
Georgetown and Stanford MBA graduate. Co-founded Ascend in 2019 — since then, every TOC Congressional Debate champion this decade has come from Team Ascend.
Adrian Baek
MS Coach
Adrian Baek
MS Coach
Stanford student with 25+ TOC bids and top 10 at NSDA Nationals five consecutive years. Emphasizes clarity, strategy, and helping students develop their unique voice.
Sebastian Gardner
MS Coach
Sebastian Gardner
MS Coach
Cornell freshman and 2-year Ascend alumnus with 4 National Tournament qualifications and the 2024 Virginia State Championship. 3 years of middle school coaching experience.
Waseem Sadat
MS Coach
Waseem Sadat
MS Coach
UC Santa Cruz freshman and James Logan graduate. NSDA National qualifier and California State Semifinalist. Emphasizes deep research and personality-driven coaching.