Giles Judy is a Senior at New Trier High School and three-year DECA member who is incredibly blessed to be serving as a Vice President for the 2025-2026 Illinois DECA State Action Team!

Giles is the Vice President and two-time leadership board member for New Trier DECA where he has expanded his chapter to record levels making it the largest club at his high school with over 150 members. Working alongside a dedicated leadership board, Giles hosts guest speakers, leads conference clinics, and delivers his infamous “joke of the week.” He was first drawn to DECA his sophomore year through his passion for business and his long-term goal of running his own company. Over the years, Giles has competed in a variety of events, including Principles of Business Administration, Food Marketing Series, and Hospitality & Tourism Professional Selling. This year, he plans to compete in Hospitality Services Team Decision Making and Hospitality & Tourism Professional Selling with his sights set on “going for glass.”

Through DECA, Giles has developed connections, opportunities, and leadership skills for which he is deeply grateful. As a State Officer, he plans to implement his five-part initiative, SMILE—Service, Mentorship, Involvement, Leadership, and Engagement - to help members thrive both personally and professionally. Some of his favorite DECA memories have been the little moments of talking with others before an event, trading pins at ICDC, and-yes-being hypnotized on stage in front of a crowd of hundreds at last year’s ILCDC. He understands the moments that make DECA special and wants to create more of them for everyone. Believing in the balance of professionalism and fun, he is determined to make this year’s conferences more hype than a March Madness tipoff. Known for his humor and signature one-liners, Giles believes there’s no such thing as too much enthusiasm and hopes to bring that same spirit statewide.

Outside of DECA, Giles serves as a peer tutor at his school’s Academic Assistant Center, teaching assistant for the Kinetic Wellness department, bridge builder for a group of underclassmen, and constituency board member to advocate for the needs of New Trier students. He can also be seen volunteering at a foster home supporting elementary school children, serving as a catechist at his church teaching first graders, and camping across the Midwest as an Eagle Scout and Senior Patrol Leader. In his free time, Giles enjoys hitting the golf course (or more realistically ending up in the sand trap), listening to his favorite Christmas classics far too early (he claims it’s for understanding business storytelling), and managing his fantasy football team, where, despite a last-place projection, he’s convinced it’s finally “his year.”

Whether in the classroom, at DECA, or elsewhere, Giles strives to embody DECA’s core values of competence, innovation, integrity, and teamwork. He is honored to serve on the State Action Team this year and is ready to work hard, connect with members, and help Illinois DECA #GoTheExtra!