Meet your Judges

Gainesville City Commissioner

Commissioner Bryan Eastman is serving his first term on the Gainesville City Commission, with a term ending in 2027. 

Since taking office, he has focused on strengthening transportation, protecting local control, expanding affordable housing, supporting small businesses, protecting our environment, and promoting the arts. 

Teacher and Director Forensics Lincoln Middle School

Marna Weston is a seasoned educator, speech consultant, and historian with a deep commitment to civic engagement and the preservation of African American history. As the founding graduate coordinator of the African American History Project for the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program at the University of Florida, Marna has played a pivotal role in bringing to light the stories that shape Florida’s rich history. His academic journey, which began at Santa Fe Community College and continued at Florida State University before culminating at the University of Florida, was significantly influenced by his involvement in speech and debate—a discipline where he honed his ability to navigate the competitive arena of ideas

A proud graduate of two of Florida's finest institutions, UF and FSU, Marna leverages his extensive network of state, national, and global contacts to serve his community and foster a deeper understanding of the histories that have shaped it. He is the Director of Forensics at both Lincoln Middle School and Eastside High School in Gainesville and serves on the Board of Directors for the Florida Debate Initiative. 

Director of Public Speaking Lab, Assistant Instructional Professor

Dr. McCarty is an educator and social scientist specializing in the communication of social and interpersonal influence, particularly within the spheres of compliance gaining, deception, and intergroup communication. He came to UF from the University of Tennessee, where he studied the strategic use of pseudo-reasoning, and he has taught public speaking and other dimensions of communication for several years. Dr. McCarty has contributed research and teaching presentations to the National Communication Association and Southern States Communication Association, and he has contributed to published research in the journals Communication Research and the Journal of Family Communication.

Assistant Treasurer,  Pride Center of Central Florida

Florida Sun (they/them) is the Assistant Treasurer of the Pride Center of North Central Florida, a safe haven in Gainesville for the last 25 years. It's mission is to foster and enhance the wel-being and visilibilty of LGBTQ+ people and to promote public understanding and affirmation  of people of all gender expressions and sexual orientations. 

Education Director, Hippodrome State Theater

Gabrielle Byam is a theater educator with strong roots in theater for social change. She is the founder of We the People Theater Artis Initiative.