Quest Sandel

Founder & Director of Sandel Academy and CEO & Co-Founder of Ascend Speech & Debate

Quest Sandel has served as Ascend’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) since its inception. He also serves as the Head Congressional Debate Coach at James Logan High School in Union City, California. Since he started coaching in 2016 at John F. Kennedy High School in Sacramento, California, he has been the winningest Congressional Debate Coach in the United States. He has coached success at every level of Congressional Debate, including the 2019 & 2023 NSDA Senate National Champions, the 2023 NSDA House National Champion, the Champions of the 2020, 2022, & 2023 Tournament of Champions, the 2021, 2023, & the 2024 CHSSA State Champions, the 2023 Texas State Champion, the 2023 Michigan State Champion, the 2020, 2021, & 2022 NSDA Senate Runners-up, the 2024 Tournament of Champions Runner-up, the 2021 & 2022 Senate Leadership Bowl winners, the top presiding officer of the 2020 NSDA House, as well as numerous other national finalists and invitational champions.

He is excited to partner with this tremendous group of coaches in order to bring the benefits of Sandel Academy to the whole circuit. Quest personally oversees every student’s learning experience with their one-on-one coach to ensure that they will receive an experience in-line with the history of Sandel Academy.

Outside of debate, he has a passion for psychology, lemonade, and University of Michigan Football, reading, and fantasy football. It is very important to him that you know that he's a 2x champion in his main fantasy football league.