JEA Advisers Institute program
Keynote speaker
For more than two decades, Stephanie Alvarez Ewens has passionately pursued her craft as a photojournalist, documentary and portrait photographer. With the belief that everyone is photogenic, she is dedicated to creating images of her clients that redefine self-perception and instill confidence within themselves. What truly fuels her work is creating a safe space for her clients and witnessing their remarkable transformation — observing as they shed self-doubt, embrace empowerment and reveal their authentic selves in front of her camera.
Over the past few years Alvarez Ewens has taken on several personal projects that were relevant to current events and her community. Each meant something different — whether it was honoring our essential workers during COVID-19, following the story of unaccompanied refugee youth or documenting the lives of people on Broad Street in her neighborhood.

Her current passion project — The 40 over 40 Project — is a story about emerging into our full selves and eliminating the stigma and negative self-perception we have around aging. It pains me to see women across my network and studio putting themselves down about wrinkles, menopause and changing bodies.
This project is meant to elevate our perspectives, but also give its participants an experience like no other. It’s a whole new look on what it’s like to be photographed.
During the keynote presentation, Alvarez Ewens will delve into her extensive experience in storytelling, covering various projects she has undertaken over the years. Additionally, she will shed light on the significance of self-care, drawing from her personal journey toward achieving a healthy life-work balance. She will offer practical and accessible tips for initiating your own self-care journey.
Keynote Q&A
The keynote presentation is at 9 a.m. Thursday, July 18.

Teacher Inspiration Luncheon
Noon, Tuesday, July 16
Featuring 2024 Linda S. Puntney Teacher Inspiration Award recipient Becky Tate.
The Teacher Inspiration Luncheon ticket is an additional registration cost ($40).
Team Storytelling experience
Advisers will have the opportunity to strengthen reporting and content packaging skills in the signature Team Storytelling experience.
In this hands-on experience, attendees will learn new tools and techniques while collaborating with colleagues, all with guidance and feedback from veteran journalism educators.
Participants will experience journalism like their students do each day — by producing great work on deadline. The Team Storytelling experience gives each adviser a chance to collaborate, report and produce stories together regardless of experience level or publication type.
Attendees will connect with group members at the start of Advisers Institute, and facilitators will guide each group through a brainstorming process to develop their own ideas for what to cover and where as they experience Providence.
Tentative sessions
Speakers

Del Ellerton advises the Southerner newspaper at Midtown High School in Atlanta and has advised student publications for 16 years. The Southerner consistently rates highly in state, regional and national competitions. Ellerton, also an alum of his school and a Columbia Journalism School graduate, worked professionally at the Macon Telegraph, Newport News Daily Press, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Bloomberg. He is a Georgia Scholastic Press Association Adviser of the Year and a CSPA Special Recognition Adviser.

Kelly Furnas, MJE, teaches multimedia journalism at Elon (North Carolina) University, where he also advises the converged student news media, Elon News Network. He serves as JEA's global engagement director, and he’s the chair of the board of directors for the Student Press Law Center.

Valerie J. Kibler, MJE, teaches at Harrisonburg (Virginia) High School, where she advises the print and online newspaper and the yearbook. She currently serves as the JEA president. She has been the state director for Virginia, as well as president and treasurer of the Virginia Association of Journalism Teachers and Advisers. She was an NSPA board member for three years. She was named the 2010 Dow Jones News Fund’s National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year and has received NSPA’s Pioneer Award, JEA’s Medal of Merit, CSPA’s Gold Key Award, and SIPA’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Laura K. Negri, MJE, has taught journalism, photojournalism, newspaper, yearbook and technology for 25 years in Texas public schools. Prior to teaching, she was a newspaper reporter, photographer and editor. She judges for several state journalism organizations and is a 2002 Reynolds High School Journalism Institute participant, a 2005 Radio-Television News Directors Foundation Teacher Ambassador, and a 2012 Fund For Teachers Fellow.

Sarah Nichols, MJE, advises Whitney High Student Media in Rocklin, California, where her students have earned top state and national honors. Nichols is a JEA mentor and previously served for 12 years as a board member, including as president. In her 24 years teaching and advising, she has been recognized with JEA's National Yearbook Adviser of the Year and Carl Towley awards. Nichols is an NSPA Pioneer and CSPA Gold Key recipient.

Bradley Wilson, Ph.D., MJE, is an associate professor at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. He is the editor of the national magazine, Communication: Journalism Education Today, for JEA. He has received the Gold Key from CSPA, the Pioneer Award from NSPA, the Star of Texas from the Association of Texas Photography Instructors and JEA's Carl Towley Award.
Past Advisers Institute Programs
July 10-13, 2023 - Washington D.C.
July 11-14, 2022 - New Orleans, LA
July 5-8, 2021 - New Orleans, LA