We are very glad to announce that the Simona Anca Mazilu from Romania has been selected as the new Head of Head of the Chief Adjudicator Panel. In a historic move for the Heart of Europe DT, she will be the first woman in this position since the tournament was founded in 2001. She had already been one of the chief adjudicators in 2016. If you want to learn more, here is a short bio:

Simona-Anca Mazilu is teacher of English, past Fulbright exchange teacher in Minnesota, USA , debate coach, adjudicator and teacher-trainer, founded ARGO – the first academic debate club for high school students in Romania – in 1994.

She was the coach of the national team for Romania’s first two participations in the Worlds Schools Debating Championship: in Stuttgart, Germany, in 2004, and in Calgary, Canada, in 2005 – when Romania won 2^nd place in the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) ranking.

Ever since 2006, she has continued as both the team manager for Romania and an international judge, representing her country in this global event: Wales  (2006), South Korea (2007), USA (2008), Greece (2009), Qatar (2010), Scotland (2011), South Africa (2012), Turkey (2013), Thailand (2014), Singapore (2015), Germany (2016). In the 2008 WSDC in Washington D.C., she judged the Grand Final.

She has participated as a coach and/or judge in numerous IDEA (International Debate Education Association) Youth Forums, international competitions and tournaments, such as several editions of ESDC (European Schools Debating Championships), or IDAS/International Debate Academy and WSDA/World Schools Debate Academy, in Slovenia, ARGO Open, in Romania, etc.

She is the co-author of the first Academic Debate Handbook in Romania (1999) and has contributed numerous debate-related presentations, workshops and trainings on the occasion of various national and international events.

You can contact Simona at cap@heart-of-europe.org.