Journalism Education Association President Mark Newton, MJE, appointed eight members to leadership positions within the association for the next three years.

The appointments are: Casey Nichols, CJE, awards; Kim Green, MJE, certification; Bradley Wilson, MJE, Communication: Journalism Education Today magazine editor; Nancy Smith, MJE, contests (Write-offs); Aaron Manfull, MJE, digital media; Jonathan Rogers, MJE, professional outreach; and Evelyn Lauer, CJE, publications/public relations.

Earlier this year, Newton appointed Candace Perkins Bowen, MJE, as past president, after Jack Kennedy, MJE, resigned from the board. Perkins Bowen will take charge of the Nominations Committee and serve as the Scholastic Press Association (SPA) liaison.

“I love that as an organization we honor and celebrate student media advisers,” said Nichols, who advises student media at Rocklin (California) High School. “I look forward to helping build on a rich tradition and keeping JEA’s awards program strong and relevant.”

“I am honored and excited to continue to work with the fine educators on our committee and in JEA to continue to promote the importance and benefits of certification,” said Green, who advises student media at Columbus (Indiana) North High School.

“Many of our members, prospective members and people in related positions know JEA only by the magazine and they continue to cite it as a top benefit of membership. With this in mind, I’m honored to be a part of the leading organization in scholastic media education and part of an ambitious and forward-thinking leadership team at a really exciting time for the mass media,” said Wilson, who advises student media at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.

I am very excited to continue serving as the JEA National Write-off chair,” Smith said. “Besides working with my own students at Lafayette High School (in Wildwood, Missouri), nothing makes me happier than serving the thousands of students who participate in the Write-off contests each year at the fall and spring conventions. I work with an amazing team (Kris Doran, Priscilla Frost, Mark Murray and Wilson) that is as committed as I am to making the Write-off contests a great experience for all of our participants.”

“I’m excited to be a part of the leadership team, returning to head the JEA Digital Media Committee. As a committee, we’ve accomplished quite a bit in the last few years, and I look forward to working with everyone to keep moving forward,” said Manfull, who advises student media at Francis Howell North High School in Saint Charles, Missouri.

“To be selected as the new Professional Outreach chairperson  is a great honor,” said Rogers, who advises student media at Iowa City (Iowa) High School. “It is a exciting and challenging time for scholastic journalism and I look forward to try and keep pushing the mission of the JEA during my term.”

Lauer, who advises student media at Niles West High School in Skokie, Illinois, said she is “thrilled to be a part of the JEA leadership team. I look forward to heading up the new Public Relations/Publications Committee as we collectively work toward our goal of promoting JEA and expanding our outreach in the scholastic community. It’s time for us to make others know what we’ve known all along — that scholastic journalism is the Common Core; therefore, it should be studied and celebrated instead of restricted and eliminated.”

Newton also appointed a special committee leader. Rebecca Pollard, CJE, will head up the National High School Journalist of the Year and Aspiring Young Journalist of the Year committees.

“I am honored that I was asked to join the team, and I can’t wait to get started,” Pollard, who advises student media at Heritage High School in Frisco, Texas, said. “There have been so many wonderful JEA members ahead of me who helped make me the adviser I am today, and I feel it is time that I pay it forward to help others. I am thrilled to have the chance to work with all of you.”

The eight complement the six board of directors recently elected by the members: Newton, president; Sarah Nichols, MJE, vice president; John Bowen, MJE, scholastic press rights; Megan Fromm, CJE, professional support; Carrie Faust, MJE, director; and Stan Zoller, MJE, director.

Newton said he could not be any more pleased with the quality of this group. “Our members elected an outstanding leadership team. We have a remarkable headquarters staff with incredible support from Kansas State University, our host institution. And, when we toss the appointed leaders into the mix, we are exceptional,” he said.

As president, Newton said nothing on his to-do list comes even close to the importance of making leadership appointments. “With this team, I know great things will happen. We are going to continue to make JEA more and more relevant. Our members deserve our best efforts and I know this team will deliver.”

The board will appoint a secretary in November at its next official meeting.

Each leader’s term begins immediately and ends April 30, 2017.