NHI at Tip of Texas is thrilled to be able to present the individuals who will serve as the leaders of each category!
MOCK TRIAL
Head Coach: Regina Garcia
Assistant Head Coach: Adrian Alfaro
Assistant Head Coach: Miranda Urzua
CROSS EXAMINATION
Co-Head Coach: Emanuel Aguirre
Co-Head Coach: Michael Rodriguez
ORATORY
Co-Head Coach: Jorge Emilio Gonzalez
Co-Head Coach: Camila Garza
EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING
Head Coach: Sebastian Green
Assistant Head Coach: Felicity Fok
Assistant Head Coach: Zeviel Piñeda
Learn more about their background, goals, and perspectives below!
REGINA GARCIA
HEAD COACH OF MOCK TRIAL
Regina Garcia is a senior at Saint Joseph Academy, where she participates in several extracurricular activities, including the National Honors Society, Rotary Interact, Bloodhound Ambassadors, and Marist Youth Leadership Club. She has served as a coach in Mock Trial throughout her high school career, most recently as the Head Coach of the category. She has been involved with NHI at Tip of Texas since her freshman year, when she competed and was a finalist at the 2022 Texas Great Debate.
"I am honored and grateful to have been trusted with this position," Garcia said. "I am lucky to have Alfaro and Miranda by my side," she added, "and I look forward to collaborating with them this year to ensure our participants' success."
ADRIAN ALFARO
ASST. HEAD COACH OF MOCK TRIAL
Adrian Alfaro is a first-generation American citizen raised by two Mexican parents. Adrian is concluding his high school career as a senior in Saint Joseph Academy. He has devoted four years of his life to NHI, in an attempt to mold future Latino leaders through rigorous debate and intellectual engagement.
"It is a huge honor to be able to serve our students as the Assistant Head Coach of Mock Trial. I can't wait to get to know the new participants and stand by their side as I watch them become exceptional leaders and critical thinkers."
MIRANDA URZUA
ASST. HEAD COACH OF MOCK TRIAL
Miranda Urzua is a junior at Medical Professions, where she holds officer positions in extracurriculars such as Student Council, Class of 2026, HOSA MRC, and a youth-led nonprofit in the Rio Grande Valley. She participated in the 2023 Texas Great Debate and the 2024 Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session. This is her second year coaching for Mock Trial.
"Coaching Mock Trial has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and I’m excited to continue this chapter of my life," Urzua said. "My goal is to create an encouraging and empowering environment where every participant feels motivated to push their limits and develop skills that will serve them well beyond competition," she added. "It’s an honor to help young leaders in our community discover their potential and watch them grow with each challenge they take on.”
EMANUEL AGUIRRE
CO-HEAD COACH OF CROSS EXAMINATION
Emanuel Aguirre is a senior in Saint Joseph Academy, where he is involved in multiple extracurriculars and sports. He competed at the 2022 Great Debate and advanced first to the Sweet Sixteen then on to the Elite Eight. He was a coach his sophomore year and Head Coach his junior year for Cross Examination.
“My excitement to take on this responsibility and challenge, once again, has doubled since last year," Aguirre said. "Mickey and I have reflected a lot on the previous season and talked about the adjustments we believe are necessary" he added. "Standards will be pushed even further, starting from us, the head coaches, to the coaching staff, and all the way down to the participants.”
MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
CO-HEAD COACH OF CROSS EXAMINATION
Michael Rodriguez is a senior at Veterans Memorial Early College High School, where he is involved in various extracurriculars, including the National Honor Society, as well as multiple sporting activities. He has been actively involved with NHI since his freshman year where he was a semi-finalist in Cross Examination at the 2022 Great Debate. This is his third year serving as a coach, and his second year as Co-Head Coach.
“I am more than honored to be given the opportunity of being a Co-Head Coach along with my fellow peer and good friend, Emanuel Aguirre," Rodriguez said. "My hope is to contribute to a meaningful experience for the incoming participants and to help benefit them as much as I have benefited from NHI myself.”
JORGE EMILIO GONZALEZ
HEAD COACH OF ORATORY
Jorge Emilio Gonzalez is currently a senior at Saint Joseph Academy. He has been involved with the NHI since his freshman year, when he competed at the 2022 Texas Great Debate in the category of Oratory. This is his third year serving as a coach.
"I am excited to be able to take on this responsibility, and look forward to working with Camila to challenge everyone's perceptions of what it means to compete in Oratory," Gonzalez said. "I would like to dedicate this year to last year's Educational Director, Efrain Cordova, whose words echo in my mind to this day" he added. "This one's for him."
CAMILA GARZA
CO-HEAD COACH OF ORATORY
Camila Garza is a senior at Saint Joseph Academy, where she participates in several extracurricular activities, including the Student Council executive board's secretary, Chem Club, B.I.O.N.I.C., CTM, Rotary, Green Team, and Texas Say What. She has been involved in NHI since her freshman year, when she advanced to the Elite 8 and received the All State distinction in Oratory at the 2021 Texas Great Debate at Schreiner University. Last year, Camila served as the Co-Head Coach of the region last year, and she will be continuing her NHI experience this year as a coach in the category of Oratory.
"It's a pleasure for me to take on this responsibility as a challenge as well as a learning opportunity," Garza said. "Being able to influence our future leaders and assist them in acquiring a variety of talents that will enable them to advance our future is a privilege," she added.
SEBASTIAN GREEN
HEAD COACH OF EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING
Sebastian Green participated in the 2022 Great Debate, where he advanced to the Elite Eight. He is currently a senior at Saint Joseph Academy. This is his third year serving as a coach for his category.
“I am equally excited and grateful to be serving as the Head Coach of Extemporaneous Speaking along with my assistant head coaches," Green said. "I believe that our combined skills have the potential to both create a team of proficient speakers and a necessary change in the Latino community," he added. "I will do my best to replicate the success that we have found last season, and the many seasons that preceded it.”
FELICITY FOK
ASST. HEAD COACH OF EXTEMP.
Felicity Fok is a junior at Veterans Memorial Early College High School. She participates in extracurriculars such as NHS, National History Day, Green Team and holds officer positions in Math Club, History Club, and HOSA. Felicity has been part of NHI since her freshman year, participating in the category of Extemporaneous Speaking. She was awarded 1st place in this event at the 2023 Texas Great Debate and has remained involved as a coach for the category since then.
“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with the wonderful coaches and talented recruits at NHI this upcoming year.” Fok said. “When I first joined NHI, I was thrust into an environment that challenged me to rapidly cultivate my strengths and recognize my weaknesses. Watching myself and my fellow recruits grow through this experience left a lasting impression on me. Being part of this organization has helped me to realize the potential for leadership in our community, and I am excited to pass this knowledge on to others. It is my goal to be a coach who inspires her recruits to strive for nothing less than success.”
ZEVIEL PIÑEDA
ASST. HEAD COACH OF EXTEMP.
Zeviel Piñeda is a junior at Veterans Memorial High School. He is a three-year NHI Tip of Texas member, with the 2025 season being his second year coaching. He was a member of the Sweet Sixteen his freshman year during the 2023 Great Debate, but also has competed at HOSA nationals (2024) and refined his presenting skills to medal at the International Science and Engineering fair (2024) and National History Day (2023 & 2024 with Felicity Fok).
"I am looking forward to working alongside Sebastian Green and Felicity Fok, who I know will both bring their best and deeply care about NHI," Piñeda said. "I hope through this role, I can present our participants with opportunities where they can use the new skills we will teach them, skills which helped me throughout my high school career and in various competitions," he added. "It’s hard to turn a stranger into a good listener without first being a good speaker, and NHI will do just that."
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