The Executive Committee and the Governing Board of the International Public Debate Association are the governing entities of the IPDA.  Their task is not only to provide active leadership for tournaments, member programs, and the genre of debate but to help provide the necessary vision to help IPDA remain one of the fastest growing forms of forensics competition.

In addition to the competitive aspect, these governing bodies also ensure that the IPDA remains dedicated to the pedagogical excellence of the organization, with the publication of "The Journal of the International Public Debate Association" and the management of the annual IPDA National Championships & Convention with its panel presentations of academic papers in the fields of rhetoric, argumentation and debate.