Regional Contest Directors oversee the preliminary competitions in which programming teams vie for a spot in the World Finals. Their work is difficult and often unappreciated, but they remain committed to helping develop the next generation of computer programmers. The 2009-10 RCDs:

Normaziah Aziz (new)
Asia/Kuala Lumpur
Her biggest challenge in running a regional: "Preparing competent teams from my country and coordinating the organizing team."

Raewyn Boersen (more than 20 years)
South Pacific
What she likes best about running a regional: "The great team of people who give their time to make it happen."

Rodrigo Cardoso (5 years)
South America/North
What he likes best about running a regional: "To compete with teams from Latin American countries. To compare them."

John Cigas (5 years)
Mid-Central U.S.A.
What he likes best about running a regional: "Getting students involved in something outside of classes."

Kyung-Yong Chwa (10 years)
Asia/Seoul
What he likes best about running a regional: "To see the improvement of the contestants' programming skills."

Ricardo Dahab (12 years)
Latin America Super-RCD
His biggest challenge in running a regional: "In my case, it is to accommodate the national interests of the more than 10 countries in my region."

Todd Feil (substitute)
East Central North America

Carlos Ferreira (more than 5 years)
South America/Brazil
His biggest challenge in running a regional: "Controlling a region with more than 400 teams."

Adam Florence (11 years)
Greater New York
His biggest challenge in running a regional: "Running a contest that appeals to community college students and graduate students."

D.J. Guan (8 years)
Asia/Kaohsiung
What he likes best about running a regional: "Providing a platform for talented students to compete."

Phalguni Gupta (11 years)
Asia/Kanpur
His biggest challenge in running a regional: "Setting the problems."

Abul Haque (9 years)
Asia/Dhaka
What he likes best about running a regional: "To see so many talented students from home and abroad."

Maung Htay (5 years)
Mid-Atlantic U.S.A.
What he likes best about running a regional: "Communicating with young, bright students."

C.J. Hwang (15 years)
Asia Super-RCD
What he likes best about running a regional: "Making a contribution to a new generation of computer scientists."

Irene Loiseau (around 10 years)
South America/South
What she likes best about running a regional: "The students' commitment and enthusiasm."

Warren MacEvoy (10 years)
Rocky Mountain North America
What he likes best about running a regional: "The rockstar-like notoriety."
What is his biggest challenge in running a regional: "The rockstar-like notoriety."

Bozena Mannova (12 years)
Europe Super-RCD
Her advice to World Finals contestants: "To be in the World Finals is an achievement. Congratulations: To be first or 99th is something."

Ziad Najem (7 years)
North Africa and the Middle East

Vallath Nandakumar (4 years)
Asia/Amritapuri
His advice to World Finals contestants: "Remain calm."

Ali Orooji (more than 10 years)
North America Super-RCD
His advice to World Finals contestants: "Relax and have a good time. The fact that you are here means you are a great problem solver and programmer, so you don't have to worry about it — you are going to perform well."

Jefery Roberts (substitute)
Southern California
His advice to World Finals contestants: "Have fun. The joy of solving difficult problems is more important than where you place."

Kris Rudin (13 years)
Pacific Northwest
What she likes best about running a regional: "I love working with all of my volunteers and getting to know RCDs from other parts of the world."

Heinrich Stamerjohanns (new)
Northwestern Europe
His advice to World Finals contestants: "None — they know it better."

Ryan Stansifer (6 years)
Southeast U.S.A.
His biggest challenge in running a regional: "Paying the bills."

Nicolae Tapus (15 years)
Southeastern Europe
His advice to World Finals contestants: "To be the best, and to be proud to compete in the world finals."

Isaac Traxler (10 years)
South Central U.S.A.
What he likes best about running a regional: "Being the boss."

Kathy Traxler (10 years)
South Central U.S.A.
Her advice to World Finals contestants: "Learn teamwork first, then have fun."

Paul Tymann (8 years)
North America Northeast

Luis Hernández Yáñez (1 year)
Southwestern Europe
What he likes best about running a regional: "The mix of stress and excitement."

Hairong Ye (1 year)
Asia/Hangzhou

Sablin Yusuf (3 years)
Asia/Jakarta
What he likes best about running a regional: "Being involved in international activity and developing a programming environment in Indonesia."

Not pictured: Vladimir Parfenov, Linda Marshall, The Duy Bui, Nguyen Long, Niloy Ganguly, Mohammad Ghodsi, Chang-Biau Yang, Jian Peng, Umar Saif, Sun-Teck Tan, Hironi Washizaki, Yingjie Wu, Ruigui Yu, Jingshan Yu, Krzysztof Lorys, Alberto Lamadrid, Iyad Ajwa, Ed Skochinski, Stanley Wileman.