
FDT Academy
Fostering Debate Talent Online
FDT Academy is globally renowned for Debate and Public Speaking education. Founded in British Columbia in 2016 by instructors who have taught debate for nearly 15 years, we help young people effectively voice their opinions and discover their passion for public speaking. Success is what sets us apart, with our programs producing over 45 students who have been selected to join the Canadian National Debate and Speech teams, as well as countless others who have been accepted into Ivy League institutions.
We welcome virtual learners to unlock the power of persuasion and critical thinking by joining FDT. Nearly 50% of our students are online, and are based throughout North America and all over the world. Our virtual lessons will help you master the art of debate – where ideas ignite, minds collide, and communication skills emerge. Elevate your confidence and discover the thrill of shaping compelling arguments.




Why learn debate at FDt
Benefits of Debate
- Critical Thinking
- Communication Skills
- Research Abilities
- Empathy and Understanding
- Confidence Building
- Quick Thinking and Adaptability
- Civic Engagement
- Conflict Resolution
- Intellectual Growth
- Leadership Development



Why learn debate at fdt
Success Stories

Victor Tong
FDT Alumni, Columbia university '26
Debate Career Highlights
Member of the US National Debate Team (2021-2022)
US National Development Team Member (2019-2021)
3rd Place, 2021 US National Speech and Debate Tournament
2nd Place, 2021 EurOpen Tournament
3rd Overall Speaker, 2020 EurOpen Tournament
Quarterfinalist, 2020 Harvard College World Schools Invitational
Semifinalist, 2021 Stanford Invitational
Summit Kawakami
FDT Alumni, STANFORD UNIVERSITY '29
Debate Career Highlights
Canadian National Debating Team (2022-Preesnt)
2022 Oxford Schools Debating Championship: Champion Team
Canadian Senior BP National Championship 2021: 2nd Place Team
Winter Holidays Open 2021: 7th Place Team
EurOpen 2021: Double Octofinalist Team


FDT Online
Our Students Live In...
- Alberta, Canada
- British Columbia, Canada
- Australia
- China
- Hawaii, USA
- Hong Kong
- Massachusettes, USA
- Malaysia
- Ontario, Canada
- Singapore
- UAE
- United Kingdom

Why learn debate at fdt
Incredible Coaches
Our seasoned instructors are skilled at building foundational skills and coaching students to the greatest heights of debate competition.

Dena Tabyanian
academy director & lead instructor
Based in Denmark
Dena has been debating for 14 years and was a member of the Canadian National Debate Team. She has judged at the World Schools Debate Championship four times, breaking as a judge and judging the Worlds Grand Final in 2019. Dena was also co-coach of the Danish National Debate Team, which has ranked 6th in the world and won Top EFL team twice. She attended the World Universities Debate Championship herself as a debater in 2017, representing her university. Dena completed a Master’s degree in Education, International Development and Health Promotion at UCL, after teaching in England for a year. She has a degree in Education from UBC, as well as a double major Bachelor’s degree in English and Political Science. She is excited to continue to serve as Academy Director and loves debating for its ability to broaden perspectives and facilitate dialogue between people from all over the world.
Chelli Shapiro
Head of public Speaking & Lead Instructor
Based in QUebec, Canada
Chelli is a recent Political Science graduate from the University of British Columbia who has been involved in public speaking, debate, and model United Nations for almost a decade. In 2018, she was selected as Alberta’s top-place delegate to proceed to tryouts for Canada’s National Debate Team. In recognition of her commitment to Alberta’s debate program, Chelli won the 2019 Janet Garten Award. Chelli was also the first alternate for Team Canada Speech in 2016, having competed at a national and international public speaking level throughout high school. Last year, Chelli coached the Canadian Public Speaking Champion to victory and two of her students qualified for Public Speech Worlds, where they both broke to finals in multiple categories. Chelli has an affinity for self-expression and a desire to cultivate creativity and confidence in young minds. She looks forward to her entering her fifth year of coaching at FDT.


Diya Perry
debate & Public speaking instructor
Based in the United kingdom
Diya is a Philosophy and Politics student at Durham University. She has competed at the national and international level in both Speech and Debate for the past six years, most recently including WUDC 2023, which took place in Madrid. Her accomplishments include 2nd place overall high school speaker at the 2020 Hong Kong Debate Open, and placing in the top 2% of speakers at the 2022 Harvard World Schools Invitational. While she holds a deep love for debate, she has found a passion in coaching. When she isn’t debating, Diya is passionate about social justice, and spends her time working with local organizations and political movements. She continues to debate competitively for the Durham University Union Society.

Where we are found
As Seen In...
FDT Academy’s staff and our students have been featured in various media outlets over the years. From news and network segments where we’ve showcased our public speaking and debate abilities, to radio appearances and print articles where we’ve shared our mission, were are honoured to have had these opportunities to share our story with viewers across North America.




