McAlister Clabaugh joins WUDL after serving as a volunteer since 2016, developing a strong appreciation for the WUDL community and the benefits debate brings to students, which reflect his experiences as a high school and college debater. 

​McAlister brings a public policy and non-profit background to WUDL, having spent twelve years at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. At NASEM, he conducted studies on a range of issues focused on technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. He also worked for the 2020 Census. 

He received a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a Master of Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley. In his spare time, he likes to cook, play board games, and argue with old debate friends.