COACHES
Abigail Coy
CLASS OF 2020 B Team Coach Years with UCSB MT: 3 Hometown: Lancaster, CA What They're Up to Now: Taking a half gap-year after graduating early. Right now Abby is a high school tutor, and is applying to Masters programs in Education! Favorite Memory: "Winter 2018 at Fresno Regionals when both A and B team found out we made it through to ORCS, which was the first time in our team's history that that happened. We were the loudest team there, everyone was so relieved because it had been a close tournament. My favorite moment was after closing ceremonies when we all got in a circle and screamed the Ole song at the top of our lungs." |
Peyton Stotelmyre
CLASS OF 2020 C Team Coach Years with UCSB MT: 3 Hometown: Mission Viejo, CA What They're Up to Now: Taking a gap year. Right now, Peyton is applying to law schools while working as a behavioral therapist and an english tutor! Favorite Memory: "Getting a limo to pick us up from the airport when the team qualified for Nationals for the first time ever in 2018." |
Jaimee Hocker
CLASS OF 2021 C Team Coach Years with UCSB MT: 4 Hometown: San Juan Capistrano, CA What They're Up to Now: Jaimee just graduated this past March! Jaimee will be attending UC Irvine School of Law in the Fall, with the hopes of becoming a civil rights or criminal attorney. Favorite Memory: "By far the road trips and getting boba in whatever city we were in. I'd find a place and all the cars *that wanted to go) would drive there and we would meet up!" |
Brooke Kopel
CLASS OF 2019 A Team Coach Years with UCSB MT: 4 Hometown: Thousand Oaks, CA What They're Up to Now: Brooke is currently a 2L (about to be a 3L) at USC Gould School of Law! Favorite Memory: "A chaotic trip seven of us took to compete at Cornell's invitational in 2016. It was a sleepless, but unforgettable trip!" |
Daneel Touma
CLASS OF 2020 A Team Coach Years with UCSB MT: 2 Hometown: Ventura, CA What They're Up to Now: Daneel is currently a 1L at Loyola Marymount Law School! Favorite Memory: "Long car rides to tournaments across California." |
ALUMNI TESTIMONIALS
Deborah H. Williams
CLASS OF 2020
Years with UCSB MT: 3
What They're Up to Now: Deborah will be attending Boston University Law School in the fall!
What They Did in College (Besides Mock): Three years in Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity, Political Science Peer Advisor, Intern at Santa Barbara Public Defenders' Office, Member of the Black Students' Union
How Mock Trial Has Impacted Their Life: "Mock Trial has tested & tried my character in numerous ways. It pruned the way I present myself, the way I communicate with others, and my beliefs and values. Being involved in mock not only allowed me the opportunity to be a version of my fullest self, but also become comfortable and confident with *all* of myself because I could trust the people I grew with. Needless to say, mock gave me people that will all be in my wedding one day. It showed me how to care for others, how to advocate for myself and others effectively and passionately and helped me hone in on the kind of leader, friend, and human being I wanted to be. The witness marks of mock trial that are left on my life are a testament to me taking this activity and the individuals within it seriously; and I was greatly rewarded for doing so. Mock trial was a force throughout my college career and defined my college experience in more ways than I have the room to share. I only wish to pay it forward to the future generations, and give back the good (and then some) that was given to me."
CLASS OF 2020
Years with UCSB MT: 3
What They're Up to Now: Deborah will be attending Boston University Law School in the fall!
What They Did in College (Besides Mock): Three years in Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity, Political Science Peer Advisor, Intern at Santa Barbara Public Defenders' Office, Member of the Black Students' Union
How Mock Trial Has Impacted Their Life: "Mock Trial has tested & tried my character in numerous ways. It pruned the way I present myself, the way I communicate with others, and my beliefs and values. Being involved in mock not only allowed me the opportunity to be a version of my fullest self, but also become comfortable and confident with *all* of myself because I could trust the people I grew with. Needless to say, mock gave me people that will all be in my wedding one day. It showed me how to care for others, how to advocate for myself and others effectively and passionately and helped me hone in on the kind of leader, friend, and human being I wanted to be. The witness marks of mock trial that are left on my life are a testament to me taking this activity and the individuals within it seriously; and I was greatly rewarded for doing so. Mock trial was a force throughout my college career and defined my college experience in more ways than I have the room to share. I only wish to pay it forward to the future generations, and give back the good (and then some) that was given to me."
Zeina Safadi
CLASS OF 2020
Years with UCSB MT: 4
What They're Up to Now: Zeina is currently a 1L at Boston College Law School!
What They Did in College (Besides Mock): Associated Students Member, Lebanese Social Club Member
How Mock Trial Has Impacted Their Life: "Mock trial has prepared me for life in a way I would have never anticipated. From thinking on my feet to adapting to an audience. I am forever appreciative to everything I learned and everyone I met."
CLASS OF 2020
Years with UCSB MT: 4
What They're Up to Now: Zeina is currently a 1L at Boston College Law School!
What They Did in College (Besides Mock): Associated Students Member, Lebanese Social Club Member
How Mock Trial Has Impacted Their Life: "Mock trial has prepared me for life in a way I would have never anticipated. From thinking on my feet to adapting to an audience. I am forever appreciative to everything I learned and everyone I met."
Harper Lambert
CLASS OF 2021
Years with UCSB MT: 1
What They're Up to Now: Harper is currently freelance writing and applying to journalism fellowships, jobs, and internships!
What They Did in College (Besides Mock): Editor in Chief of the Daily Nexus, Opinion Editor and Staff Writer at the Nexus, VOICE grant recipient and founder/host of "Hot Off the Pod" podcast, CLAS writing tutor, intern at the Pollock Theater, volunteer at the UCSB Women, Gender, and Sexuality Equity Center, volunteer at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival
How Mock Trial Has Impacted Their Life: "Unlike many of my teammates, I had pretty much decided against pursuing a legal career by the time I joined Mock Trial. However, everything I learned from my year on the team -- crafting a solid direct examination to improvisation to confident public speaking -- greatly benefited me as a journalist. I know that I can apply the skills I gained to any career path I take in the future. More importantly, Mock Trial is where I met my best friends in college and for life. There's nothing that bonds you to a group of people like the stress and excitement of trial! I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to participate and I look forward to seeing the amazing people and friendships that come out of future generations of UCSB Mock Trial."
CLASS OF 2021
Years with UCSB MT: 1
What They're Up to Now: Harper is currently freelance writing and applying to journalism fellowships, jobs, and internships!
What They Did in College (Besides Mock): Editor in Chief of the Daily Nexus, Opinion Editor and Staff Writer at the Nexus, VOICE grant recipient and founder/host of "Hot Off the Pod" podcast, CLAS writing tutor, intern at the Pollock Theater, volunteer at the UCSB Women, Gender, and Sexuality Equity Center, volunteer at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival
How Mock Trial Has Impacted Their Life: "Unlike many of my teammates, I had pretty much decided against pursuing a legal career by the time I joined Mock Trial. However, everything I learned from my year on the team -- crafting a solid direct examination to improvisation to confident public speaking -- greatly benefited me as a journalist. I know that I can apply the skills I gained to any career path I take in the future. More importantly, Mock Trial is where I met my best friends in college and for life. There's nothing that bonds you to a group of people like the stress and excitement of trial! I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to participate and I look forward to seeing the amazing people and friendships that come out of future generations of UCSB Mock Trial."