Featured Speakers
Featured speakers are renowned and innovative professionals and university faculty working to keep journalism relevant and engaging in the Kansas City region. We hope you have the opportunity to listen and learn from at least one of these outstanding professionals during your convention experience.
Brett Akagi
Content creator at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Lenexa, Kansas
Brett Akagi is an award-winning visual journalist who earned national and regional Edward R. Murrow and National Press Photographer Association awards. He led his staff at KARE-11 in Minneapolis to four NPPA Large Market Station of the Year awards as director of photography. Akagi helped the Star Tribune in Minneapolis earn two national Murrow awards. He has taught visual journalists at the NPPA News Video Workshop, Japan, China and Denmark.
From farm kid to journalist, you can do this too!
You don’t need to grow up in a big city, go to a big high school, or graduate from a well known college to be a journalist. Listen, learn, and be inspired.
The importance of being a good newsroom citizen
Skills are important, but if you’re cancer in your newsroom it doesn’t matter. Learn what hiring managers are looking for, what can separate you from your peers, and how to be a leader at work.
Annie Buckles
Graphic designer for the Kansas City Mavericks
Kansas City, Missouri
Annie Buckles is a graphic designer, illustrator, and photo editor from Kansas City, Missouri. Annie received her BFA in Visual Communications from the University of Kansas. As well as being the lead designer for the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks, Annie has worked alongside the exceptional creative teams at both American Century Investments and Sporting Kansas City, her local MLS team. Her work has been featured from Seattle to Dallas, with many stops in between.
Sports, graphic design and photo illustration
Local sports designer Annie Buckles will be leading a workshop teaching the fundamentals, tricks and trends of using Adobe Photoshop to promote and educate about athletics.
Lewis W. Diuguid
Author and freelance writer
Kansas City metropolitan area
From 1977 to 2016, Lewis Diuguid worked for The Kansas City Star as a reporter, photographer, editor, columnist, a vice president and editorial board member. He is the author of four books and is a certified diversity facilitator. His awards include the 2000 Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism and the 2017 Louis M. Lyons Award for Conscience and Integrity in Journalism from Harvard University.
Newsrooms must reflect the communities they cover
Community journalism builds a sense of connection, but it is also a reflection. All communities evolve and adapt. The session will help students see the value of covering the increasing diversity throughout the U.S.
Reed Hoffmann
Reed Hoffmann Photography
Overland Park, Kansas
Reed Hoffmann was a newspaper photographer for 20 years before moving to Kansas City and starting a freelance career that has included assignment work, teaching and leading workshops around the world.
Adventures in photography: Lessons learned
Trial and error, or error and try again? This presentation covers what I’ve learned — often from mistakes — during a 40-year photography career. This session may help you avoid some of my mistakes as you continue your photography adventure.
Photographing the NFL for AP Images
Behind the scenes there are always more people, more details and more mundane — yet vital — tasks and challenges than fans imagine. This session offers a glimpse into everything that goes into covering an NFL team on game day for the commercial side of Associated Press.
Leonard B. Horton, III
Assistant professor of journalism at Missouri State University
Springfield, Missouri
Leonard B. Horton III is the assistant professor for Missouri State University’s broadcast journalism sequence. Horton’s teaching and mentorship has helped students obtain opportunities in top news markets like Boston, Miami, Orlando, Kansas City, St. Louis and NYC, His primary focus is helping students secure job and internship placement, as well as negotiate salaries. Horton resides in Springfield, Missouri, with his wife of 22 years and daughter.
Demystifying broadcast contracts
This presentation will give participants a look at actual contracts from major companies like Nexstar, Gray, etc. We will discuss elements like offer letters, non-compete clauses, the 90-day probation clause, image and likeness clause, and salaries. The session will also include tips on salary negotiation and what to do if you need to exit the newsroom prior to your contract expiration.
Promoting yourself in the digital age
This presentation will provide students with the tools necessary to promote themselves across multiple platforms for the purpose of securing an internship or job in their respective fields. Students will learn best practices related to social media, creating a digital resume, cover letter and professional website.
Welcome to the boardroom
This is an interactive presentation that puts participants in the role of the general manager of a local TV station. Participants are tasked with looking at positions and salaries on the screen and having to cut 25% from the budget. The goal of this exercise is to teach participants about having multiple skills and seeing things from a general manager’s perspective.
Jeff Jacobsen
Photographer at Action Images Photography Inc.
Topeka, Kansas
Jeff Jacobsen has photographed practically every major sporting event during a career that spans 54 years. Starting his work in newspapers as an 18-year-old, Jacobsen worked at the Topeka Capital-Journal and the Arizona Republic. Next, Jacobsen began photographing sports for Kansas Athletics as the University of Kansas’ first full-time photographer. His coffee table book of KU images is “Tribute to Crimson and the Blue.” Jacobsen is now working on a long-term project on sports in Kansas.
Sports photography with soul
Come hear a veteran sports photographer explain how to capture the decisive and emotional moments in the sports events your publication covers. During decades as the official athletics photographer for the University of Kansas, Jeff Jacobsen photographed national championship teams with incredible access. Your view of sports photography will be forever changed.
Can’t beat the home team
Covering your high school team is the best place to create incredible sports photos. Take it from Jeff Jacobsen whose current sports photography project is taking him to every county in Kansas — often covering high school sports. His images show that you don’t need to be on the professional sidelines to make extraordinary images. Come see how he does it.
Meg Kumin
Senior Photographer at University of Kansas
Lenexa, Kansas
Meg Kumin, senior photographer at the University of Kansas’ marketing office, realized her love for photography by doing high school newspaper and yearbook. She earned a B.A. in American studies and M.S. in computer science at KU, and worked as a software developer at KU’s Natural History Museum. However, the pull of photography remained strong. In 2015, she rebooted her career and became a KU photographer. Kumin is pursuing a Ph.D. in educational psychology, studying the intersection of creativity, mindset and learning.
Behind the lens of university life
Hear about the life and work of University of Kansas photographer Meg Kumin, as she describes her unconventional path into the profession, how she uses her camera as a passport to other worlds, and what it is like to be a visual storyteller at the intersection of marketing and photojournalism.
Eric Meyer
Editor at The Marion County Record
Marion, Kansas
Eric Meyer is the editor and publisher of the Marion County Record — a newspaper that made national news in the fall when it was raided by local law enforcement. Despite having their mobile phones and computers seized, Meyer’s staff members put out an issue of the paper that made clear that they would not be intimidated. Meyer is a former associate professor of journalism from the University of Illinois.
Democracy demands an independent press
When the government restrains journalism, democracy is at risk. This is true whether the hand of government is a principal censoring a student publication or a local police chief raiding a community newspaper. This session will stress journalism’s role in preserving democracy and explore how the student press plays a vital part.
The raid on the Marion County Record
Imagine that you are a newspaper editor in a small town and your newspaper is raided by law enforcement. This is Eric Meyer’s story — a story that stirred nationwide concerns that the free press was being squashed. This session will also screen “Unwarranted,” a 30-minute documentary about Meyer’s resistance to law enforcement and the death of his mother one day later. Come for the documentary and a Q & A session with Meyer.
Chris Ochsner
Visuals editor at The Kansas City Star
Overland Park, Kansas
Chris Ochsner is the visuals editor for The Kansas City Star where he leads a staff of award-winning photojournalists and video producers. He directs the daily visuals report for the print and online publications and has led his team in its coverage of two World Series and four Super Bowls.
What are your photos saying to your audience?
Photography is a language of its own that can sometimes communicate stories more effectively than words. This session will set you on a path to shooting photos that speak to your readers.
Jeff Passan
Senior MLB insider at ESPN
Prairie Village, Kansas
Jeff Passan is the senior MLB insider at ESPN and has covered the sport for more than 20 years. A two-time National Sportswriter of the Year winner, he graduated from Syracuse in 2002 and started writing about baseball for The Kansas City Star in 2004. Two years later, he moved to Yahoo! Sports, where he spent 13 years. He joined ESPN in 2019 and is a regular guest on SportsCenter, First Take and The Pat McAfee Show. He lives in Prairie Village, Kan., with his wife and two sons.
Learning from the 2023 Sportswriter of the Year
This is your chance to soak up decades of experience from one of the top sports journalists in the country. Sports writer Jeff Passan breaks stories and discovers trends in baseball for ESPN. And you will get to shape what Passan discusses: Much of this session will be Q&A style, moderated by a sports journalism student from the University of Kansas.
Toriano Porter
Opinion writer at Kansas City Star Editorial Board
Independence, Missouri
Toriano Porter is an award-winning opinion writer for the Kansas City Star Editorial Board. Toriano is the author of three books and has produced one audiobook.
Does opinion journalism matter?
Two-hour session. In the age of misinformation and fake news, Kansas City Star Editorial Board member and opinion writer Toriano Porter asks: Does opinion journalism matter? Porter will share how well-reported and well-researched op-eds and commentary can invoke change in local communities and how to apply his findings to your school newspaper.
We all have opinions
Many high school journalists are eager to share their opinions with their audiences, but a staff position is not a license to rant. Kansas City Star Editorial Board member and opinion writer Toriano Porter will discuss in great detail the pros and cons of opinion journalism.
Bella Rainey
Email marketing specialist at 6AM City
Kansas City, Missouri
Bella Rainey is a journalist, writer, marketer and educator in the Greater Kansas City area. She has lengthy experience writing for local publications as well as marketing for larger scale media companies. Rainey takes her industry knowledge into the classroom at Avila University where she leads the minds of the future to greatness.
Marketing yourself in a overly-marketed world
Feeling like the media industry is oversaturated? Unsure how to make yourself stand out? Learn how to create your career personal brand and set yourself apart from the rest via social media, in-person networking and personal development.
From Google Doc to Insta post
Social media has become a vital vessel to keeping journalism alive. In this session, we will discuss the best ways to level up your social media game to stay relevant while maintaining editorial ethics.
Ebony Reed
Chief strategy officer, professor and author at The Marshall Project
Kansas City, Missouri
Ebony Reed is chief strategy officer of The Marshall Project. She is also co-author of “Fifteen Cents on the Dollar: How Americans Made the Black-White Wealth Gap.” She has held other roles in reporting, editing and advertising leadership at Associated Press, The Plain Dealer, The Detroit News, Boston Business Journal and NPR’s Planet Money.
Developing a journalism career beyond 2025
Let’s discuss the key skills that all journalists need in 2025 and beyond, regardless of the platform, specialty or even if the ultimate desire is to lead teams as a manager. Ebony Reed will also cover news and media trends that impact all journalists and news leaders. She has more than 20 years experience and as the JEA 1996 national high school Journalist of the Year she can take us quickly from past to present to future in an engaging presentation that will help all student journalists.
Understand the Black-white wealth gap
All journalists should know and understand data on the issues in the communities they cover. Ebony Reed is an expert on the Black-white wealth gap and has taught on gaps that impact women and all people at the Yale School of Management. She is the co-author of “Fifteen Cents on the Dollar: How Americans Made the Black-White Wealth Gap.” She will share data to help all student journalists understand this economic issue and all the areas it impacts.
Chad Reynolds
Senior brand director at Sporting KC
Kansas City, Missouri
Chad Reynolds is an Emmy Award-winning, multidisciplinary brand and creative professional from Kansas City with more than 17 years of experience in the sports creative industry. In addition to his work in-house as the senior director of brand at Sporting KC, he is proud to have been part of the team that helped bring the 2026 FIFA World Cup to Kansas City as the brand and creative director for the bid process.
We got the cup! Bringing the 2026 World Cup to Kansas City
Branding experts will discuss the extensive planning and marketing strategies that went into convincing FIFA and North American organizers to allow underdog Kansas City to be a World Cup host city in 2026. They will also discuss the ongoing marketing communication efforts throughout the city and region in preparation for this global extravaganza.
Gabe Rosenberg
Audience editor at KCUR
Kansas City, Missouri
Gabe Rosenberg is the audience editor for KCUR, which means he’s constantly asking the questions: What do people need from us, and how can we best deliver it? He edits the KCUR podcasts Kansas City Today and A People’s History of Kansas City.
Making the regular extraordinary through audio
KCUR’s series “The Regulars” tells the stories of Kansas City’s neighborhood hangouts and the people who bring them to life — through sound-rich radio postcards and descriptive, photo-heavy digitals. This session is about how great journalism can illuminate the rich tapestry of a community by finding narrative gold in even the seemingly ordinary moments, and how to reach your audiences by presenting that work in different media.
Ryan Takeo
Senior manager of investigative content at KSHB 41; Scripps TV
Kansas City, Missouri
Ryan Takeo started at KSHB in September 2021 after working in several markets around the country. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and years later had the opportunity to teach young journalists at his alma mater. Takeo’s talent goes beyond reporting. He does it all — writing, filming, editing and performing. He loves connecting with people, earning trust and telling their stories.
Multimedia journalism in a day
If you’re a multimedia journalist, how do you get it all done in a day? Veteran MMJ Ryan Takeo will show you how to get it all done if you need to shoot, write, edit and perform all in a day.
Jill Toyoshiba
Visual storyteller at Stowers Institute for Medical Research
Kansas City, Missouri
Jill Toyoshiba is the Visual Storyteller at Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas City. She was formerly a photojournalist and videographer for 20 years at The Kansas City Star.
Photojournalists panel
Current and former photojournalists and videographers from The Kansas City Star discuss their work and career highlights. A longtime freelancer for The Star joins the discussion.
Kaitlin Van Loon
Marketing and communications coordinator at University of Nebraska’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications
Lincoln, Nebraska
Kaitlin Van Loon is the marketing and communications coordinator for the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Van Loon promotes the college’s programs, events and achievements through social media, stories, e-newsletter, and content creation, such as graphic design and website development. She develops and implements strategic marketing plans to strengthen effective communication among CoJMC students, faculty, staff and stakeholders.
Unlocking your social media potential
In today’s fast-paced digital world, social media has become an indispensable tool for organizations to engage with their audiences effectively. Knowing the ins and outs of social media is a must for those about to embark on their college and professional journey. During this session, you’ll discover how to build meaningful connections and make your mark through the power of social media. You’ll also learn why it’s important to customize content across differing platforms and how to decide when to (and not to) hop on the latest trend.
David Von Drehle
Deputy opinion editor and columnist at The Washington Post
Mission Hills, Kansas
David Von Drehle writes a wide-ranging column on national and world events for The Washington Post and is a senior editor of the opinion section. He is a bestselling and award-winning author of books including “Triangle: The Fire That Changed America” and “The Book of Charlie.”
The day I learned to write
An award-winning and bestselling writer tells young journalists about the most valuable lessons he has learned as a writer.
Matt Waite
Professor of practice at University of Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
Matt Waite is a professor of practice in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who teaches courses in artificial intelligence, data analysis and visualization. From 2007-2011, he was a programmer and journalist for the St. Petersburg Times where he developed the website PolitiFact, winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting. Before that, he was an award-winning investigative reporter and author.
AI for journalism
Generative AI went from nowhere to everywhere in a blink. Does it belong in the newsroom? See how you can use AI today as part of your publication, from idea generation and organization to an on-call assistant editor.
Data visualization for free
With Google Sheets and Datawrapper, anyone can have sophisticated graphics in their publications. From interactives on the web to static graphics elsewhere, you can go from zero to published with less than an hour of training.
Clay Wirestone
Opinion editor at Kansas Reflector
Lawrence, Kansas
Clay Wirestone serves as Kansas Reflector’s opinion editor. His columns have been published in the Kansas City Star and Wichita Eagle, along with newspapers and websites across the state and nation. He has written and edited for newsrooms in Kansas, New Hampshire, Florida and Pennsylvania. He has also fact checked politicians, researched for Larry the Cable Guy, and appeared in PolitiFact, Mental Floss and CNN.com.
Why opinion writing matters
As one of only two opinion editors in Kansas, Clay Wirestone understands the power of words to change minds and shape political debate. In this session, he will talk about why opinion journalism should be part of every (yes, every) news outlet and how to respond to people who claim it makes the news media look biased. He looks forward to sharing his experiences and answering students’ questions.
Tyler Wirken
Wirken Photography
Kansas City, Missouri
Starting at The University of Kansas and working for various newspapers, Tyler Wirken discovered a passion for documentary photography early in his career and never looked back. Voted Top Ten Wedding Photographers in the World by American Photo in 2013, Tyler uses his photojournalism skills and passion creating authentic, meaningful photographs and stories for his wedding, family and commercial clients through his two businesses, Wirken Photography and Wirken Media.
Photojournalism as a small business
There is a life beyond magazine and newspaper photojournalism. Tyler Wirken will share his journey from getting a photojournalism degree to starting his own business providing documentary coverage for weddings, families and commercial clients.
What weddings teach us about photojournalism
Come hear one of the top wedding photographers in the country talk about how candid photography can tell not just newsy stories, but love stories. Really it’s all about trust: Establishing trust with subjects who are willing to be their vulnerable selves in front of your camera. Come for the photos and stay for some incredible wedding stories.
Hannah Wise
Assistant managing editor, engagement and experimentation at The Kansas City Star
Kansas City, Missouri
Hannah Wise is The Kansas City Star’s assistant managing editor for engagement and experimentation. She oversees digital strategy and audience engagement efforts. Previously she worked at The New York Times and Dallas Morning News. She was part of The News’ team named finalists for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in breaking news and The Times’ team awarded the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for public service. She holds degrees in journalism from the University of Kansas and University of North Texas.
Audience strategies to connect with Swifties
A Taylor Swift concert coming to town can be a great way to draw in a new audience to your publication. The Kansas City Star acted on that when Swift played two concerts in town during the summer of 2023. Hear about how the news organization approached story idea generation, search-engine optimization and social media strategies. How can your publication cover a single event in your community in ways that connect with your readers?
Steve Wolgast
Professor of the practice of journalism at University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Steve Wolgast is the Knight Chair of audience and community engagement in news at the University of Kansas. Before becoming a professor, he spent 20 years in daily journalism including nine at The New York Times where he was on the staff that won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2002 for coverage of the aftermath of 9/11.
Ethics of photo selection
How do you choose which photo to run when the photo shows something unpleasant or awful — or really, really bad? Find out how editors evaluate the question and come to a conclusion.