National History Bee and Bowl – Middle School and Elementary Division Staff
David Madden – Founder and Executive Director
David Madden is the founder and Executive Director of The National History Bee and Bowl. Having played quiz bowl for four years at Ridgewood High School from 1995-1999, college quizbowl for two years at Princeton University, and been involved on a full-time basis overseeing NHBB since 2010, he is well-versed with all the formats, concerns, and issues surrounding academic competition. He is committed to high standards for tournaments, well-written questions, and the growth of academic quiz tournaments throughout the world. He is a former 19-day champion on Jeopardy! as well as a member of the team that won the 2019 Jeopardy! All Star Games tournament, a published art historian, and a runner and skier in his spare time. He was taking courses to become a high school history teacher himself when he had the idea to run a history-themed quiz bowl tournament: the Tri-State History Bowl attended by 34 teams in May 2010. Soon after that, he put his teaching plans on hold to establish The National History Bee and Bowl. Aside from NHBB, he also has established the other member competitions in the International Academic Competitions network, including the International Geography Bee, United States Geography Olympiad, the National Science Bee, and the US Academic Bee and Bowl, among others. He is also the founder of the International History Olympiad which brings together the best history students from around the world every two years. He can be reached at david@iacompetitions.com.
Nolwenn Madden – C0-Executive Director, International Academic Competitions; Director, US Middle & Elementary School Divisions
Nolwenn Madden is the Co-Executive Director of International Academic Competitions and Director of the US Middle School and Elementary Divisions . Prior to her career in academic competitions, Nolwenn studied at the French grande école EM Lyon where she received a MS in Management. She also worked as a translator for booking.com before launching the International History Bee and Bowl in 2011 and expanding its programs to over 30 countries. She has organized and directed hundreds of tournaments for IAC throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. In her spare time, she enjoys playing the ukulele and the cello, skiing, cooking, and traveling. She can be reached at nolwenn@iacompetitions.com.
Arthur Ramsay – Outreach Coordinator
Arthur Ramsay is the Outreach Coordinator for International Academic Competitions. Based at IAC World Headquarters in Burlington, Vermont, he directs tournaments and works to expand the global impact of IAC, primarily through the International History Bee and Bowl. Arthur joined IAC in January 2018 after earning his BA in American History and Government from the State University of New York Empire State College. While pursuing his degree, Arthur worked for the State University of New York System Administration in the Offices of Communications, External Affairs and Alumni Relations, and the Provost. He also spent more than two years with the SUNY Student Assembly, and upon his departure was named Senior Director Emeritus of Communications and Special Adviser to the President. He spent four years on the Academic Team at Half Hollow Hills West (NY), leading the team from 2012 to his graduation in 2014. He can be reached at arthur@iacompetitions.com.
Marshall Mullins – Director of High School Operations
Marshall is the Director of High School Operations for International Academic Competitions and NHBB. He also serves as Lead Tournament Coordinator for the High School division where he is responsible for tournaments throughout the US. He has long been active as a director and volunteer in the Missouri and Illinois quiz bowl circuits. He is based out of the Illinois suburbs of Saint Louis and he can be reached at marshall@iacompetitions.com.
Jason Russell – Adjunct Advisor
Jason serves as Adjunct Advisor for International Academic Competitions’ US Middle School and Elementary Divisions. His passion for quiz bowl started at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, and he has been a player, coach, tournament director, writer, editor, and moderator all over the United States for some 30 years. He served in the US Air Force and Air National Guard for ten years and was a two-time Jeopardy champion. He also has a bachelor’s degree in history and an MBA in organizational leadership. He believes that quiz bowl develops integral skills in players and is a benefit to the schools and communities in which it is played and is committed to seeing the game grow to its fullest potential. He can be reached at jason@iacompetitions.com.