Walter Paul Obote | Founder & President

Walter is the Founder and President of Engaging Voice. As a high school speech and debate competitor at Creighton Preparatory High School in Omaha, Nebraska, Walter won two state championships: congressional debate in 2012 and extemporaneous speaking in 2014. He placed sixth nationally in persuasive speaking and was the first Nebraskan in history to win the National Speech & Debate Student of the Year award. Walter credits speech and debate for his other milestones, including his election as Nebraska’s 2013 Boys’ State Governor, the first immigrant in state history. Walter currently practices law at the international law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP as a litigation attorney. He enjoys cycling, basketball, attending community events, and writing op-Eds for his neighborhood newspaper the Hyde Park Herald.

Engaging Voice completed its pilot program with a temporary Board of Directors in 2025 and is now seeking new Board directors who will serve terms of four years beginning 2027-2031, and will help expand the program in earnest. We are especially interested in professionals with a background in speech and debate, civic education, Chicago Public Schools, middle school or high school teaching, financial management, or non-profit or for-profit executive leadership. If you are interested, please complete the form below.