The Youth Podium
Board of Advisors
The Youth Podium's Board of Advisors brings together professionals in law, technology, finance, and academia who volunteer their time to guide our work. The Board advises on an informal basis, offering strategic perspective to our student leadership.
Alla Berenshteyn
Governance and Corporate Counsel, Anthropic
New York, NY
Andrew Dupre
Director of Speech and Debate, The Greene School
West Palm Beach, FL
Eugene Liderman
Senior Director of Product for Android Security & Privacy, Google
Washington, DC
Nina Ruvinsky
Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois
Chicago, IL
Stacey Smith
Workplace Banking Relationship Manager at Fulton Bank
Baltimore, MD
Alla is Governance and Corporate Counsel at Anthropic, capping a legal career that spans big law, government, and in-house leadership. She began as an associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, served as an attorney in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Corporation Finance, and has held senior corporate and securities counsel roles at Etsy, Rent the Runway, and Kenvue. A former duo interpretation and humorous interpretation competitor in high school, Alla understands from experience how speech and debate build the advocacy and communication skills that carry into professional life. She holds a JD from NYU School of Law and a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Virginia. Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alla-berenshteyn-09235336/
Andrew Dupre is an internationally experienced educator, debate coach, and leadership mentor with more than 15 years of experience in education, coaching, and academic leadership. Throughout his career, he has served as Director of Speech and Debate, Founding Speech and Debate Coach, Secondary Head of Department, Postgraduate Professor, Executive Coach and Consultant, and Legal Consultant, working across diverse educational and professional settings around the world. As an educator, Andrew is deeply committed to developing students beyond academic achievement. He believes that debate is far more than a competitive activity—it is a transformative educational tool that equips young people with the confidence, critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills needed to succeed in life. His philosophy centers on using debate as a tool to empower students in the real world. Andrew’s approach to debate education emphasizes personal growth over trophies. While he has coached successful students and led high-performing programs—including students who have achieved success at prestigious competitions such as the University of Pennsylvania Debate Tournament—he measures success by the lasting impact debate has on students’ lives. He believes that every student has a place in debate and that the skills developed through speech and debate extend far beyond the classroom and competition circuit. With experience in curriculum leadership, teacher mentorship, postgraduate teaching, and executive coaching, Andrew brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to education. His work combines academic excellence with holistic student development, helping learners cultivate resilience, empathy, and intellectual curiosity. Andrew joins the Advisory Board with a shared commitment to expanding access to quality debate and critical thinking education for young people. His global experience and student-centered philosophy will play an invaluable role in supporting the mission of empowering the next generation of changemakers through education. Connect on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-d-69555460/
Eugene Liderman has over 20 years of experience in the Information Technology field. Currently, he serves as Senior Director of Product for Android Security & Privacy at Google. Eugene is a prolific public speaker and can often be found presenting at some of the largest tech and security conferences in the world. He is a founding member of the App Defense Alliance and actively participates in various industry standards organizations and consortiums. "Public Speaking is the only ability AI cannot replace." Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliderman/
Nina is a federal prosecutor whose career spans private practice, enforcement work at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and her current role with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago. A former high school Lincoln-Douglas debater and team vice president, she credits debate with shaping how she thinks and advocates. She holds a JD, cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School and a bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Nina has spent over a decade supporting urban debate, serving on the Chicago Debates Associate Board since 2015 and now on its Governing Board. She now brings that same commitment to expanding speech and debate access to The Youth Podium. "I've seen firsthand the impact that debate has on the students of Chicago, and I'm reminded every day what a life-changing and formative experience debate can be. That was my personal experience with debate, and that is what keeps me devoted to supporting the cause of championing debate opportunities for all youth. I'm very excited to be supporting The Youth Podium's work." Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nina-ruvinsky-6a487210b
Stacey is the Workplace Banking Relationship Manager for the Maryland and Washington, D.C. markets, with more than a decade of experience in the banking industry. In this role, Stacey collaborates with financial center teams and key banking partners to provide financial wellness education, personal banking solutions, and employer benefits. She focuses on connecting employers, nonprofit organizations, and their team members to impactful financial wellness resources that support long-term financial confidence. Stacey is a proud "speechie" herself. She first joined her school's forensics team in 8th grade and participated in duo interpretation, prose, and drama interpretation throughout high school. Competing in local and state competitions provided her with amazing, lasting memories and being part of a team helped her get through those adolescent years. "The skills you learn during your time in forensics are skills you will take with you throughout life. No matter what you do in life, working as a team teaches dependability, performing for others teaches courage, and competing teaches perseverance." Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-smith-bab10b4a/