Take a moment to get to know the district chairs for the WKU Region.

Know who you are looking for? Click on the name below. Otherwise, scroll through the page and learn a bit about all of our wonderful district chairs.

Steve Meadows, Connie Link, Jan Heiteen, Greg Reed, Ann C. Stepp, David McKenzie,

Robert Brittain, Charles Oakes, James W. Rye, Dr. Randy Patterson.

Steve Meadows, Chair of Kentucky

Kentucky District Chair Steve Meadows has taught 16 years, the last 13 at Danville High School. At DHS he wears many hats -- English department chair, drama director, journalism adviser -- in addition to coaching forensics. His squad won the 2006 Kentucky High School Speech League state speech tournament, and he has coached two NFL National finalists as well as two CFL National champions and many other finalists and breaks into outrounds at both tournaments. A Double Diamond coach, Meadows is serving his 10th term as Kentucky District Chair this year.

Connie Link, Chair of Greater Illinois

Connie Link's biography coming soon!

Jan Heiteen, Chair of Illini

Jan Heiteen's biography coming soon!

Photo coming soon! Greg Reed, Chair of Hoosier Heartland

In his 16th year of teaching at Logansport HS, Gregg Reed is the proud district chair of Hoosier Heartland, “the friendliest district in the nation” according to Reed, for the great state of Indiana. At Logansport HS, Reed educates students in the areas of TV production, Radio Broadcasting, English, Speech, and Music. Having coached 55+ kids to the national tournament, with finals and semifinals in Duo, Poetry, DI, and Oratory, Reed is happy to serve the NFL in his 4th year as district chair. Reed’s accolades include: 2004 Best New District Chair, inductee in the Indiana High School Forensic Association Coaches Hall of Fame, and the 2005 Outstanding Forensic Educator for the state of Indiana.

Ann C. Stepp, Chair of Hoosier Crossroads

Ann C. Stepp's biography coming soon!

David McKenzie, Chair of Northwest Indiana

David McKenzie has been actively involved as an NFL coach for twenty-five years. He served as an assistant coach at Oak Hill High School and a head coach at Wabash High School, Northfield High School, and Plymouth High School. While at Northfield High School, his teams had numerous top ten finishes, including a state championship in 1999 and a runner-up finish in 2000. While at Plymouth High School, his teams earned state championships in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2006. The team finished 2nd in 2005. McKenzie was elected to the Indiana High School Forensic Association Hall of Fame in 2000, was named Manchester College Alumni Educator of the year in 2003, and earned Indiana's National Federation honors as well in 2003. Twice, he has earned NFL Distinguished Service Awards as well as a Bronze Award as an NFL District Chair. He has served as an IHSFA Sectional Chair for over ten years and has chaired the Northwest Indiana District for five years. Additionally, Plymouth students have won NFL National Championships in Original Oratory, Duo, and Prose while Plymouth High School has been under his direction. McKenzie treasures the opportunity to serve NFL for two reasons. "First, as a junior high student, I went through the motions of education because I did alright in school without working too hard. NFL speech and debate showed me that I needed to work much harder because there were a lot of other people out there that were extremely talented. Second, and most importantly, I met my wife Sarah while judging for another district at their NFL District Speech Tournament." Sarah - who coaches an NJFL program at Lincoln Junior High School - and David have two children, Emily (9 years old) and Trent (6 years old). Both are already experts at sorting critiques and delivering ballots.

Robert Brittain, Chair of North East Indiana

Bob Brittain is the Director of Forensics and Debate Coach at Columbia City High School, Columbia City, Indiana. Bob taught English at Columbia City for thirty-six years before retiring in 2004 but continues to direct the CCHS speech and debate program. Bob is starting his twenty-second year as a District Chair. He served as the Chair of the Northern Indiana District from 1984-1988 when the North East District was created. He has served as the North East’s chair every year since then. Bob has assisted with Congress at NFL nationals for over twenty years. For the last several years, he has served as Director of the Senate at NFL nationals. He has co-authored several policy debate topic selection papers for the National Federation including the 1993 paper on health care reform which was selected as the national policy debate resolution that year. Bob also serves on the Indiana High School Forensic Association’s state committee, and he has been elected to both the Indiana and NFL Coaches’ Hall of Fame. Bob’s debating career began as a sophomore at Columbia City High School. Since that time, he has been “addicted” to the activity. Bob tells his friends, “the only way to understand students is to coach them in an after school activity. The one activity which is the most satisfying is watching the frightened freshmen mature into polished young people during the four years of high school as they compete as members of the high school forensics team.”

Charles Oakes, Chair of Tennessee

Charles Oakes biography coming soon!

James Rye, Chair of Deep South

Mr. Rye was named Coach of the Year by the Alabama Forensic Educator's Association in 1992. The National Forensic League has bestowed several honors on him including the Distinguished Service Award in 2002, the Double Diamond Award for Excellence in Coaching in 2002, the Bronze Award for District Chair Service in 2003 and the Silver Award for District Chair Service in 2005. He was first elected by his peers to serve on the National Forensic League's District Committee for the Deep South District in 1993, an elected position he continues to serve. He became the Chair of the Deep South District Committee in 1999 and continues to serve in that capacity. As a former competitor in speech and debate both in high school and college, he was the recipient of the 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award by Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha. Since starting the program in 1991, the Forensics Team at The Montgomery Academy has grown to 100 members for the 2006-2007 school year. With 10 Team State Championships, 85 Individual State Championships, 73 National Qualifiers to the NFL National Tournament, the Leading Chapter Award in 1997 & 2002, the District Trophy in 1997,2002, and 2005, and 1 National Champion in Dramatic Interpretation in 2006.

Dr. Randy Patterson, Chair of Mississippi District

Dr. Randy Patterson's biography coming soon!