Alexis Berkey is a Texas native now calling the Midwest home. With a master’s degree in journalism education, Alexis spent five years advising newspaper, broadcast and yearbook programs in Texas. She brings hands-on experience in writing, editing, filming, photography, design and digital media. Her award-winning publications and broadcast program reflect her passion for helping student journalists shine brightly.
Eva Burns is a junior and serving her second year as opinions editor for The Rubicon at St. Paul Academy and Summit School. She works on the print staff, where she helps design and edit pages and write the opinions column “Two Sides, One Issue.”
Kathryn Campbell, CJE, is the president of the Journalism Educators of Minnesota and the director of publications at St. Paul Academy and Summit School in Saint Paul. Minnesota High School Press Association named her the 2015 Journalism Educator of the Year. Kathryn believes that her mission as an educator is centered in providing access to reporting opportunities, advocating for equitable newsrooms, and building meaningful connections for students.
Rachel Chrest is a state director for the Journalism Education Association. Chrest has served as an English and language arts teacher at Spectrum High School since August 2011. In this role, they developed and implemented a Broadcast Journalism course that produced an award-winning weekly news show. Chrest has taught students across grades 7–12 and currently leads the Senior Capstone course. They have also contributed to various school committees, including technology, AVID site team, student council and the National Honor Society selection committee.
Vanessa Cranford recently joined the SNO team after more than two decades in education. She previously taught photography for 20 years and advised 15 yearbooks at Severn School in Maryland. Now at SNO, she works with student publications and their advisers to help them make the most of their digital publishing tools. Outside of work, she enjoys photography, travel and live music.
Zahir Hassan is a senior on his second year as opinions editor for Rubiconline at St. Paul Academy and Summit School. He works on the online staff where he helps edit and upload stories and write the “Two Sides, One Story” column.
Beth Hawkins has been a journalist for nearly 40 years, reporting from locations as far-flung as war-torn Central America and as nearby as her Minneapolis neighborhood. She covers education, with a particular focus on the needs of students historically neglected in the United States. Currently, she is the national correspondent for The 74 Million.
Olivia Hicks joined The Minnesota Star Tribune’s Strib Varsity sports desk, writing the newspaper’s hockey column, in 2025 after covering Formula 1 and auto racing everywhere from Monaco to Chile for two years. She has contributed to NPR, The Guardian, The Independent, Texas Monthly and regional newspapers and magazines. Hicks grew up in Iowa and graduated from Western Washington University and the Columbia University Journalism School Publishing Course at Oxford University.
Marta Hill is responsible for NSPA, ACP and Quill & Scroll communications, including websites, social media accounts and newsletters. She also helps out with event planning, membership and other projects. She found her love of journalism in high school at St. Louis Park High School. She graduated from Northeastern University and New York University’s Science, Health and Environmental Reporting program.
Lori Keekley is the NSPA/ACP associate director responsible for Quill & Scroll including membership, activities and contests. Prior to this role, Keekley served as a journalism teacher and newspaper adviser at St. Louis Park High School from 2002–2022.
Jane Kirtley is the Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law Emerita and former director of the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota. She was also an affiliated faculty member at the University of Minnesota Law School until she retired in June 2026. She was executive director of The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in Washington, D.C. for 14 years, during which time she served as an ex officio board member of the Student Press Law Center. She has received many awards and honors, including the National Scholastic Press Association Pioneer Award in 2011. She was a writer and editor for her high school newspaper, The Northern Lights, at North Central High School in Indianapolis, where she was inducted into the Quill & Scroll honor society.
Gary Lundgren, as associate director for NSPA/ACP, is responsible for running all contest and critique programs. He also helps with convention programming and membership outreach. Before joining NSPA/ACP, Gary served as the senior marketing manager for Jostens, Inc. and the director of student publications at the University of Arkansas.
Trina Moore is a PBS Student Reporting Labs Teacher Ambassador dedicated to empowering young voices. She mentors students and teachers in authentic storytelling, AV production and digital literacy — helping youth discover the power of journalism to build empathy, resilience and connection in their communities.
Glenn Morehouse Olson is a second career teacher, having previously worked in professional theatre and in public and media relations. She is a theatre director and a media adviser. As artistic director for St. Francis High School Theatre, SFAS Children’s Theatre, and at Bethel University, she has directed more than 80 shows. She serves as the chapter director for MN Thespians and was a semi-finalist for Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 2017 and she was named the 2025 Theater Educator Award from Spotlight Education. She has also served on JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Committee and has run an award-winning journalism program for 24 years.
Neal Justin is The Minnesota Star Tribune’s pop culture critic, specializing in TV and comedy. He is the co-founder of JCamp, a non-profit program for the country’s most outstanding high school journalists.
Kenzie O’Keefe is executive director of ThreeSixty Journalism, a multimedia journalism training program for young Minnesotans. She is a former community newspaper editor and high school journalism teacher passionate about supporting youth to find and use their voices through journalism and civic life. She is a proud graduate of Loyola Marymount University where she was editor-in-chief of the ninth best student newspaper in the country, the Los Angeles Loyolan.
Sam Oldenburg joined The Minnesota Daily last year as marketing and operations adviser. Previously he advised student publications at Western Kentucky University after working professionally in both journalism and marketing. While at WKU, his students earned five Pacemaker awards and were finalists for eight more. Sam regularly judges a variety of national high school and college journalism contests. A native of Owatonna, Minnesota, he got his start in student media in seventh grade.
Kyle Phillips, CJE, is the chairperson on SNO’s Best of SNO/Distinguished Sites Committee. He is also an education and training specialist with SNO. Phillips previously advised the student news magazine, news website and yearbook at Cedar Rapids Washington High School in Iowa. In addition to reading a lot of student journalism, Phillips also enjoys walking on many trails around the Twin Cities west metro area.
Helena Sampson, with over 16 years of experience in yearbook education and student media, believes one thing wholeheartedly: the yearbook is a place for everyone. Her passion lies in creating inclusive, welcoming programs where all students feel seen, heard and valued — because every voice matters, and every story deserves to be told.
Rachel Steil, MJE, is a 28-year veteran newspaper adviser of the award-winning Pony Express newspaper at Stillwater Area High School since 1999. She was awarded the Minnesota Journalism Educator of the Year in 2018 and Minnesota Teacher of the Year finalist in 2015 and 2020. Rachel is also a Career Pathways Coordinator and passionate about CTE, concurrent enrollment and hands-on learning opportunities.
Alexander Tyshow, a junior at Edina High School, is the online manager for the Edina Zephyrus, and the Minnesota director for the Youth Environmental Press Team. Tyshow’s experience lies within website design, writing and idea generation. When not working on journalism, he enjoys long bike rides, folding and designing origami, environmental advocacy and reading.
Charlie Weaver is executive director of MN Daily Media and co-publisher of The Minnesota Daily. He started as a student staffer at the Iowa State Daily and has since worked in and managed student newsrooms at Iowa State, Oregon and Minnesota. He is project manager of the Minnesota Nonprofit News Network and sits on the True North News Alliance steering committee. He still freelances as a news photographer in the Twin Cities.
Reid Westrem earned a master’s degree at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, worked at the Duluth News-Tribune and has been teaching high school journalism since 2003.
Laura Widmer, executive director at NSPA/ACP, oversees conventions, conferences and workshops, and also in charge of advisory committees for both organizations. Widmer’s background includes two years of high school advising and 29 years of advising award-winning publications at Northwest Missouri State University. After NMSU, Laura served as general manager of the Iowa State Daily.
Scott Winter is a senior lecturer and Charnley Projects professor at the University of Minnesota’s Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He’s interested in joining students to bravely and imaginatively tell social justice stories, especially in the areas of international and sports journalism.