Colten has been the head debate coach at Lincoln Southeast high school since 2019 and was the Lincoln North Star head coach between 2017-2019. His students have seen success at both NSDA and the TOC. He has been on the LD topic wording committee since 2020. He has also worked for the Nebraska Debate Institute, Nebraska Debate Online, and LearningLeaders in Shanghai, China. He was a representative of the United States during the National Communication Association's Committee on International Discussion and Debate's tour of Japan in 2019. He was the national champion of collegiate LD debate for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2018. He was the Nebraska LD state champion in 2015.