Steven Johnson is an Associate Professor and Director of Debate at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He's been involved in competitive debating for over 30 years and believes fervently in the power of academic debating to change people's lives. Steve was the first president of the National Parliamentary Debate Association and served two terms as the Chair of the World Universities Debating Council. UAA teams coached by Steve have enjoyed a great deal of competitive success, including winning the U.S. National Championships in 2002 and 2005. And in 2007, a team from the University of Alaska prevailed over 320 teams from around the world to reach the semifinal round of the World Universities Debating Championships .