Chris Theis is the Executive Director of VBI, and of one of the most accomplished coaches and competitors in the history of Lincoln-Douglas debate.
Currently coaching at The Marlborough School in California, Chris has also coached at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School (CA), Lexington High School (MA), Apple Valley High School (MN), and Trinity Preparatory School (FL).
As a coach, Chris's students have consistently advanced to elimination rounds at the Tournament of Champions, the National Debate Coaches Association National Tournament, and the National Speech and Debate Association National Tournament.
His students have won nearly every major invitational tournament—many of them multiple times—including the Tournament of Champions, the NDCA National Tournament, Harvard, Berkeley, Greenhill, St. Mark’s, Apple Valley, Emory, Blake, Stanford, CPS, Lexington, Loyola, Damus, Golden Desert, Alta, the Greenhill Round Robin, the MBA Round Robin, and more.
As a competitor, Chris is one of only three juniors to ever win the Tournament of Champions and remains the only person to have won it twice. He was the champion of tournaments including Blake, Emory, the Iowa Round Robin (twice), the Greenhill Round Robin (twice), and St. Marks (twice). Additionally, Chris was a semifinalist at Greenhill and the Glenbrooks, as well as a finalist at Berkeley. He was a four-time qualifier to the NSDA National Tournament in Lincoln-Douglas, U.S. Extemp Speaking, and Congressional Debate.
Chris currently serves on the Tournament of Champions Lincoln-Douglas Committee and the National Speech Association Lincoln-Douglas Wording Committee. He has also been a member of the National Debate Coaches Association’s Executive Committee.
As a coach, his students have consistently reached elimination rounds at the Tournament of Champions, and have placed in the top 6 of the NSDA National Tournament. His students have won nearly every major invitational tournament (some multiple times) including: Harvard, Berkeley, Greenhill, St. Mark’s, the Minneapple, Emory, Stanford, CPS, Lexington, Loyola, Damus, Golden Desert, Alta, the Greenhill Round Robin, and others.
As a competitor, he was one of only three juniors to ever win the Tournament of Champions and is the only person to win the tournament twice. He was the champion of Blake, Emory, the Iowa Round Robin twice, the Greenhill Round Robin twice, and St. Marks twice. Chris was also a semi finalist at Greenhill and the Glenbrooks, and a finalist at Berkeley. Chris was a four year qualifier to the NSDA National Tournament in Lincoln-Douglas, U.S. Extemp Speaking, and Congressional Debate.
As a coach, his students have consistently reached elimination rounds at the Tournament of Champions, and have placed in the top 6 of the NSDA National Tournament. His students have won nearly every major invitational tournament (some multiple times) including: Harvard, Berkeley, Greenhill, St. Mark’s, the Minneapple, Emory, Stanford, CPS, Lexington, Loyola, Damus, Golden Desert, Alta, the Greenhill Round Robin, and others.
As a competitor, he was one of only three juniors to ever win the Tournament of Champions and is the only person to win the tournament twice. He was the champion of Blake, Emory, the Iowa Round Robin twice, the Greenhill Round Robin twice, and St. Marks twice. Chris was also a semi finalist at Greenhill and the Glenbrooks, and a finalist at Berkeley. Chris was a four year qualifier to the NSDA National Tournament in Lincoln-Douglas, U.S. Extemp Speaking, and Congressional Debate.
