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The Kansas Scholastic Press Association is pleased to announce that Barbara Tholen will become executive director beginning August 2025.

Tholen has taught journalism at Lawrence High School for 15 years, following 10 years as a newspaper reporter at The Kansas City Star and The Topeka Capital-Journal. She has been an active KSPA member and currently serves as president-elect.

“I’m excited to see where Barb will take KSPA,” said KSPA President Becky Tate, who was Tholen’s high school journalism adviser. “She was a talented scholastic journalist who worked as a professional journalist before becoming a high school journalism adviser. Her background will help Kansas high school journalism teachers and students across the state.”

In addition to leading KSPA, Tholen will teach classes in the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas and lead KU’s Jayhawk Media Workshop beginning in 2026.

“Scholastic journalism prepares the next generation of journalists, and it teaches crucial skills to many others who choose a different career path,” said Ann M. Brill, dean of the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications. “Barb is not only a talented journalist but an award-winning teacher who is passionate about scholastic journalism and its important role in society. In addition to her leadership at KSPA, Barb’s role as an educator at KU further enhances her ability to shape the next generation of journalists. I am truly excited to see where she leads KSPA in future years.”

KSPA works with universities across the state to host events but has always made its home at KU.

“The steadfast support of KU helped KSPA weather the pandemic as well as the past year during the search for a new director,” Tholen said. “I’m grateful for that partnership.”

As a former Kansas State yearbook editor, Tholen has always loved working with her students to record the history of the year. She also values the importance of students covering breaking news and taking on tough stories. Her students were finalists last year for the Courage in Student Journalism Award from the Student Press Law Center.

“KSPA can bolster students and teachers as they face challenging issues,” Tholen said. “The role of scholastic journalism couldn’t be more important right now in communities that are often news deserts. I hope to support their work.”

Tholen was a 2023 JEA Distinguished Yearbook Adviser, JEA Rising Star, 2022 Kansas Master Teacher, and recipient of KSPA’s Ad Astra and Sunflower awards.

Tholen credits KSPA with shaping her life, starting as a high school student. As a professional reporter, she sometimes presented at KSPA events, encouraged to join the profession by former JEA director Linda Puntney.

“KSPA has been an important part of my life,” Tholen said. “I’ve always been amazed by this community of journalism educators who have done so much for their students but also for each other. I’m excited to work with them and support them.”

Tholen will be the sixth executive director in the association’s 51-year history. Moving forward, Tholen said she hopes to focus on producing engaging events, supporting journalism educators and students, and building new relationships with programs across the state.