Our Advisors
Director of Forensics and Senior Lecturer
Sam Nelson attended the University of Southern California on a debate scholarship and graduated in 1984. Upon graduation he was selected by the Speech Communication Association's (SCA) Committee on International Discussion and Debate (CIDD) to represent the US on debating tour of New Zealand. He then returned to US to take job as assistant debate coach at Cornell under the then supervision of Cornell's Director of Forensics, Pam Stepp. He received Juris Doctorate and Master's in Speech Communication from Syracuse University. Subsequently, he taught debate and other speech communication courses at the University of Vermont, SUNY Geneseo, Syracuse University, the University of Rochester and currently Cornell. He also presently serves as Cornell's Director of Speech and Debate (formerly known as Forensics).
Director of NYC Government Relations
Esta R. Bigler, Esq., is Director of Cornell University ILR’s Labor and Employment Law Program, the Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative, and the Cornell Project for Records Assistance. Ms. Bigler uses her extensive background in labor and employment law to convene conferences and forums studying current and emerging legal issues impacting employment, with the goal of influencing legislation and public policy decisions. A major focus of her work is the use of criminal records as a screening device for employment, the impact of employment