About us

Lara was lucky enough to start her debating career during high school where she spoke on several national competitions. Moving to Wageningen to first study Animal Science and then Development and Rural Innovation, she found all what was lacking was a debating society. Therefore in 2013 she founded Wageningen Debating, to help students and recent graduates to tell their stories about great ideas to the world. She travelled to participate in national and international competitions and trainings, and has a record of debating and judging in three languages. She has trained many students and entrepreneurs and led public debates for the city of Wageningen, Wageningen University & Research, LTO Noord projecten and KNPV. In 2015 she was awarded the Cicero year prize for her efforts in connecting different groups of people through debate. During her time at the Wageningen Debating Board, she organized two successful editions of the international tournament Wageningen Open. Of which the last edition in 2016, she also chaired the finales as a judge. Her passion is to share the skills for debating and seeing people shine in the spotlight.

Out Loud Debate is the logical outcome of a passion for debate, logical reasoning and public speaking of its founders. Debating has many faces. For some it is seen as a competition, for other is it a means of communicating in the political arena and for Out Loud it is a means to an end. Whether it is a job interview, a pitch for possible investors or a discussion over the birthday cake – the skills of debating come back in everyday life. Even in a fast changing world with a big role for digital communications, the ability to speak with confidence and reason through well-founded arguments is a crucial skill. Using the debate as a format, Out Loud’s ambition is to equip the young generation with the skills to make a difference. To help entrepreneurs in making the world effectively a better place and letting others know about it. To train young professionals in personal skills for being critical. And educate students in tools to make a change. It does so through workshops, trainings and (individual) coaching. With its wide connections throughout the Netherlands and further, it is able to link persons, organizations and change-makers.