The Founding Circle
In early fall 1967 the Michigan Speech Coaches started with the purpose to educate students, educational institutions, and communities in Michigan about speech activities. The organization focused on developing speech education through extra-curricular debate, individual events, discussion, drama, and oral interpretation of literature. The organization was founded by thirteen visionaries:
Lee McFarlin Judy Tappan Llyod Smith
Arthur Voisin Peggy Turner James Menchinger
James Copeland Margaret Miller Jan Horst
Harlow Claggett Ethel Fleenor Bill Valentine
Jayne Greco
The organization began electing leadership in the mid-1970s.
Lee McFarlin Judy Tappan Llyod Smith
Arthur Voisin Peggy Turner James Menchinger
James Copeland Margaret Miller Jan Horst
Harlow Claggett Ethel Fleenor Bill Valentine
Jayne Greco
The organization began electing leadership in the mid-1970s.
Board Presidents of the Past
2026-27: President Tyler Baas-Peterson; President-Elect Heather McKaig; Past President Amy Janz
2025-26: President Amy Janz; President-Elect Tyler Baas-Peterson; Past President Heather McKaig
2024-25: President Heather McKaig; President-Elect Amy Janz; Past President Tyler Baas-Peterson
2023-24: President Tyler Baas-Peterson; President-Elect Heather McKaig; Past President Amy Janz
2022-23: President Amy Janz; President-Elect Tyler Baas-Peterson; Past President Doug Bevier
2021-22: President Doug Bevier; President-Elect Amy Janz; Past President Charlie Rinehart
2020-21*: President Charlie Rinehart; President-Elect Doug Bevier; Past President Chris Kuhlman
2019-20: President Charlie Rinehart; President-Elect Doug Bevier; Past President Chris Kuhlman
2018-19: President Chris Kuhlman; President-Elect Charlie Rinehart; Past President Doug Bevier
2017-18: President Doug Bevier; President-Elect Chris Kuhlman; Past President Charlie Rinehart
2016-17: President Charlie Rinehart; President-Elect Doug Bevier; Past President Zoz Compagnari
2015-16: President Zoz Compagnari; President-Elect Charlie Rinehart; Past President Ruth Kay
2014-15: President Ruth Kay; President-Elect Zoz Compagnari; Past President Dave Bassett
2013-14: President Dave Bassett; President-Elect Ruth Kay; Past President Zoz Compagnari
2012-13: President Zoz Compagnari; President-Elect Dave Bassett; Past President Liz Lietz
2011-12: President Liz Lietz; President-Elect Zoz Compagnari; Past President Kirstin Carolin
2010-11: President Kirstin Carolin; President-Elect Liz Lietz; Past President Dave Bassett
2009-10: President Dave Bassett; President-Elect Kirstin Carolin; Past President Ruth Kay
2008-09: President Ruth Kay; President-Elect Dave Bassett; Past President Kirstin Carolin
2007-08: President Kirstin Carolin; President-Elect Ruth Kay; Past President Melissa Middleton
2006-07: President Melissa Middleton; President-Elect Kirstin Carolin; Past President Pat Bates
2005-06: President Pat Bates; President-Elect Melissa Middleton; Past President Kirstin Carolin
2004-05: President Kirstin Carolin; President-Elect Pat Bates; Past President Ruth Kay
2003-04: President Ruth Kay; President-Elect Kirstin Carolin; Past President Tom Lietz
2002-03: President Tom Lietz; President-Elect Ruth Kay; Past President Dave Bassett
2001-02: President Dave Bassett; President-Elect Tom Lietz; Past President Bette Kashi
2000-01: President Bette Kashi; President-Elect Dave Bassett; Past President Pat Bates
1999-00: President Pat Bates; President-Elect Tony Lucchi; Past President Steve Pfannes
1998-99: President Steve Pfannes; President-Elect Pat Bates; Past President Debora Marsh
1997-98: President Debora Marsh; President-Elect Steve Pfannes; Past President Barbara Shaheen
1996-97: President Barbara Shaheen; President-Elect Debora Marsh; Past President Lou Price
1995-96: President Lou Price; President-Elect Barbara Shaheen; Past President Pat Bates
1994-95: President Pat Bates; President-Elect Lou Price; Past President Kim White
1993-94: President Kim White; President-Elect Pat Bates; Past President Steve Marsh
1992-93: President Steve Marsh; President-Elect Kim White; Past President Nancy Shannon
1991-92: President Nancy Shannon; President-Elect Steve Marsh; Past President Dave Bassett
1990-91: President Dave Bassett; President-Elect Nancy Shannon; Past President Robert VanCamp
1989-90: President Robert VanCamp; President-Elect Dave Bassett; Past President Jim Telfer
1988-89: President Jim Telfer; President-Elect Robert VanCamp; Past President John Lawson
1987-88: President John Lawson; President-Elect Jim Telfer; Past President Marcene Telfer
1986-87: President Marcene Telfer; President-Elect John Lawson; Past President Robert McBroom
1985-86: President Robert McBroom; President-Elect Marcene Telfer; Past President Jerry Bluhm
1984-85: President Jerry Bluhm; President-Elect Robert McBroom; Past President Pete Shaheen
1983-84: President Pete Shaheen; President-Elect Jerry Bluhm; Past President Jim Telfer
1982-83: President Jim Telfer; President-Elect Pete Shaheen; Past President Robert McBroom
1981-82: President Robert McBroom; President-Elect Jim Telfer; Past President Robert VanCamp
1980-81: President Robert VanCamp; President-Elect Robert McBroom; Past President John Lawson
1979-80: President John Lawson; President-Elect Robert VanCamp; Past President Margaret Miller
1978-79: President Margaret Miller; President-Elect John Lawson; Past President John Klemme
1977-78: President John Klemme; President-Elect Byron Bond; Past President Roger Mattens
1976-77: President Roger Mattens; President-Elect John Klemme; Past President Rick Horst
1975-76: President Rick Horst; President-Elect Roger Mattens
Members in italics were elected but did not serve full-term.
* Indicates no change in position due to COVID pandemic and the adoption of bylaw approved emergency year policy.
2025-26: President Amy Janz; President-Elect Tyler Baas-Peterson; Past President Heather McKaig
2024-25: President Heather McKaig; President-Elect Amy Janz; Past President Tyler Baas-Peterson
2023-24: President Tyler Baas-Peterson; President-Elect Heather McKaig; Past President Amy Janz
2022-23: President Amy Janz; President-Elect Tyler Baas-Peterson; Past President Doug Bevier
2021-22: President Doug Bevier; President-Elect Amy Janz; Past President Charlie Rinehart
2020-21*: President Charlie Rinehart; President-Elect Doug Bevier; Past President Chris Kuhlman
2019-20: President Charlie Rinehart; President-Elect Doug Bevier; Past President Chris Kuhlman
2018-19: President Chris Kuhlman; President-Elect Charlie Rinehart; Past President Doug Bevier
2017-18: President Doug Bevier; President-Elect Chris Kuhlman; Past President Charlie Rinehart
2016-17: President Charlie Rinehart; President-Elect Doug Bevier; Past President Zoz Compagnari
2015-16: President Zoz Compagnari; President-Elect Charlie Rinehart; Past President Ruth Kay
2014-15: President Ruth Kay; President-Elect Zoz Compagnari; Past President Dave Bassett
2013-14: President Dave Bassett; President-Elect Ruth Kay; Past President Zoz Compagnari
2012-13: President Zoz Compagnari; President-Elect Dave Bassett; Past President Liz Lietz
2011-12: President Liz Lietz; President-Elect Zoz Compagnari; Past President Kirstin Carolin
2010-11: President Kirstin Carolin; President-Elect Liz Lietz; Past President Dave Bassett
2009-10: President Dave Bassett; President-Elect Kirstin Carolin; Past President Ruth Kay
2008-09: President Ruth Kay; President-Elect Dave Bassett; Past President Kirstin Carolin
2007-08: President Kirstin Carolin; President-Elect Ruth Kay; Past President Melissa Middleton
2006-07: President Melissa Middleton; President-Elect Kirstin Carolin; Past President Pat Bates
2005-06: President Pat Bates; President-Elect Melissa Middleton; Past President Kirstin Carolin
2004-05: President Kirstin Carolin; President-Elect Pat Bates; Past President Ruth Kay
2003-04: President Ruth Kay; President-Elect Kirstin Carolin; Past President Tom Lietz
2002-03: President Tom Lietz; President-Elect Ruth Kay; Past President Dave Bassett
2001-02: President Dave Bassett; President-Elect Tom Lietz; Past President Bette Kashi
2000-01: President Bette Kashi; President-Elect Dave Bassett; Past President Pat Bates
1999-00: President Pat Bates; President-Elect Tony Lucchi; Past President Steve Pfannes
1998-99: President Steve Pfannes; President-Elect Pat Bates; Past President Debora Marsh
1997-98: President Debora Marsh; President-Elect Steve Pfannes; Past President Barbara Shaheen
1996-97: President Barbara Shaheen; President-Elect Debora Marsh; Past President Lou Price
1995-96: President Lou Price; President-Elect Barbara Shaheen; Past President Pat Bates
1994-95: President Pat Bates; President-Elect Lou Price; Past President Kim White
1993-94: President Kim White; President-Elect Pat Bates; Past President Steve Marsh
1992-93: President Steve Marsh; President-Elect Kim White; Past President Nancy Shannon
1991-92: President Nancy Shannon; President-Elect Steve Marsh; Past President Dave Bassett
1990-91: President Dave Bassett; President-Elect Nancy Shannon; Past President Robert VanCamp
1989-90: President Robert VanCamp; President-Elect Dave Bassett; Past President Jim Telfer
1988-89: President Jim Telfer; President-Elect Robert VanCamp; Past President John Lawson
1987-88: President John Lawson; President-Elect Jim Telfer; Past President Marcene Telfer
1986-87: President Marcene Telfer; President-Elect John Lawson; Past President Robert McBroom
1985-86: President Robert McBroom; President-Elect Marcene Telfer; Past President Jerry Bluhm
1984-85: President Jerry Bluhm; President-Elect Robert McBroom; Past President Pete Shaheen
1983-84: President Pete Shaheen; President-Elect Jerry Bluhm; Past President Jim Telfer
1982-83: President Jim Telfer; President-Elect Pete Shaheen; Past President Robert McBroom
1981-82: President Robert McBroom; President-Elect Jim Telfer; Past President Robert VanCamp
1980-81: President Robert VanCamp; President-Elect Robert McBroom; Past President John Lawson
1979-80: President John Lawson; President-Elect Robert VanCamp; Past President Margaret Miller
1978-79: President Margaret Miller; President-Elect John Lawson; Past President John Klemme
1977-78: President John Klemme; President-Elect Byron Bond; Past President Roger Mattens
1976-77: President Roger Mattens; President-Elect John Klemme; Past President Rick Horst
1975-76: President Rick Horst; President-Elect Roger Mattens
Members in italics were elected but did not serve full-term.
* Indicates no change in position due to COVID pandemic and the adoption of bylaw approved emergency year policy.