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CSPA 101st Annual Spring Convention and Centennial: Confirmed Speakers

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association is pleased to announce confirmed speakers (please see below) for the 101st Annual Spring Convention and Centennial celebration, which include media professionals and scholastic journalism educators. CSPA is proud to welcome representatives from the Associated Press, the Athletic, Automattic, Balfour Yearbooks, CNN, CalMatters, The Columbia Journalism Review, the Columbia Spectator, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Fortune, Friesens Corp., Getty Images, Google, Jostens, the Knight Foundation, Mansueto Ventures LLC, MassLive Media Group, NBC News, Newspack, The New York Times, People, Pew Research, Pictavo, Pitch Publicity, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Press Pass NYC, Reuters, the Student Press Law Center, URL Media, Varsity Yearbooks, Walsworth Yearbooks, WNYC Radio, Wired, as well as educators and scholastic journalism experts from around the country.

New speakers are being added daily and will be updated on the event registration site.

The event will take place March 19-21, 2025, on the Columbia University campus in New York, and will offer more than 240 sessions. In addition, the convention will feature a free critique room for student publications, and a student “swap shop” for student journalists to meet and exchange ideas. 

CSPA also invites advisers in attendance to join two luncheons. (Please note that advance registration for the luncheons is required, as space is limited.) On Thursday, March 20, CSPA will honor the National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year, and on Friday, March 21, CSPA will recognize Centennial Awards recipients and student essay contest winners. The convention will culminate in the Crown Awards convocation, taking place the afternoon of Friday, March 21.

To register, please visit here. Financial assistance is available for students who qualify for the Greenman Leadership Grant. Learn more here.

Keynote Address: Richard Gingras, Strategic Advisor, Google; former Global VP of Google News, Google

Speakers from Professional Media Organizations

  • KC Baker, Senior Writer, People

  • David Berkwitz, Professional Photographer

  • Jim Brady, Vice President, Journalism, Knight Foundation

  • Shirley Carswell, Executive Director, Dow Jones News Fund

  • Sewell Chan, Executive Editor, Columbia Journalism Review

  • Matt Chayes, Newsday

  • Neil Chase, CEO, CalMatters

  • Jen Christiansen, Senior Graphics Editor, Scientific American

  • Rehema Ellis, Correspondent, NBC News

  • Erica Miriam Fabri, author

  • Arlyn Gajilan, Digital News Director, Reuters

  • Jonathan Gaston-Falk, Staff Attorney, Student Press Law Center

  • Arlene Getz, Editorial Director, Committee to Protect Journalists

  • S. Mitra Kalita, CEO and Co-founder, URL Media

  • Esha Karam, Managing Editor, Columbia Spectator

  • Pratika Katiyar Student Journalist; Student Member, Student Press Law Center

  • Scott Klein, Automattic; Newspack

  • Steven Levy, Editor at Large, Wired

  • Kathryn Lurie, Editor-in Charge, Social Media, Reuters

  • Marcus Mabry, Senior Vice President of Digital Editorial and Programming for CNN Digital Worldwide

  • Josh Macht, President, MassLive Media Group

  • Lauren Mack, freelance food and travel writer

  • John Markoff, Reporter, The New York Times (retired)

  • Colleen McClain, Senior Researcher, Pew Research Center 

  • Stephanie Mehta, CEO and Chief Content Officer of Mansueto Ventures LLC

  • John Moore, Getty Images Special Correspondent

  • Lafontaine Oliver, President and CEO, WNYC Radio

  • Jacob Palenske, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, VA

  • Terry Parris, New York Times

  • Michael Pina, Senior Staff Writer, The Ringer

  • Dan Revitte, Director of Product Design, CNN

  • Aimee Rinehart, Program Manager, AI Solutions and Local News, Associated Press

  • Patrick Rogers, Senior Editor for Crime, People

  • Zack Rosenblatt, NFL Writer, The Athletic

  • Lisa Rubin, Legal Correspondent, MSNBC

  • Carolyn Ryan, Managing Editor, The New York Times

  • Amy Summers, Principal, Pitch Publicity 

  • Ben Welsh, News Applications Editor, Reuters

  • Esther Wojcicki Educator, Journalist and Author 

 

Scholastic Journalism Educators

  • Logan Aimone, University of Chicago Laboratory High School

  • Ann Akers, Varsity Yearbook

  • Mika Alvarez, Senate Legislative Correspondent

  • Louisa Avery, The American School in London

  • Sara-Beth Badalamente, Huron High School

  • Lara Bergen, Press Pass NYC

  • Samantha Berry, CADY

  • Bonnie Blackman, Jostens Yearbooks

  • Jane Blystone, North East School
    District
  • Betsy Brittingham, Varsity Yearbook

  • Rick Brooks, Jostens

  • Kathryn Campbell, St. Paul Academy and Summit School

  • Heather Cernoch, The Episcopal School of Dallas

  • Tina Cleavelin, Jostens

  • Becky Cook, Pictavo

  • Linda Corlew, Ann Arbor Huron High School

  • Ellen Cowhey, The Masters School

  • Jenny Dial Creech, CSPAA Board President; St. Mark’s School of Texas

  • Meredith Cummings, Lehigh University

  • David Cutler, Brimmer and May School

  • Mary Kay Downes, Chantilly High School (retired)

  • Jessica Durbin, Bishop Kenny High School

  • Valerie Earhart, Severna Park High School

  • Mitch Eden, Jostens Yearbooks

  • Meredith Evans, Northview High School

  • Steve Ferguson, Balfour Yearbooks

  • Mark Francioli, Benedictine High School 

  • Yuichiro Hara, Jakarta Intercultural School

  • Bobby Hawthorne, author

  • Thomas Hayes, Ben Davis High School

  • Nelson Helm, Pictavo

  • John Horvath, Pictavo

  • Kori James, Fresno Christian School

  • Jim Jordan, Walsworth Yearbooks

  • Sarah Kappel, Germantown Friends School 

  • Lori Keekley, Quill & Scroll

  • Steve Kent, Pictavo

  • Jarrett Krause, Winchester Thurston School

  • Katie Kroeze, Lincoln High School

  • James Laber, Westhill High School 

  • Kel Lemons, Jostens

  • Sarah Lerner, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

  • Gary Lundgren, National Scholastic Press Association

  • Michael Malcom-Bjorklund, Burke High School

  • Brian Martinez, Jostens Yearbooks

  • Caroline Mattox, Varsity Yearbook

  • Mimi Melkonian, Brunswick School

  • Jim Mielty, Varsity Yearbook

  • Jeff Moffitt, Jostens Yearbooks

  • RJ Morgan, University of Mississippi

  • Ericka Muncy, Jupiter High School

  • Mark Murray, CSPAA Technology Chair; Executive Director, Association of Texas Photography Instructors 

  • David Nathan, St. John's School

  • Sarah Nichols, Whitney High School

  • Lori Oglesbee, CADY

  • Jose Otero, Varsity Yearbook

  • Katina Patron, author

  • Ethan Pender, Darlington School

  • Marci Pieper, Jostens Yearbooks

  • Satvika Ramanathan, Huron High School

  • Meg Cohen Ragas, Germantown Friends School

  • Jon Ringel, Stamford High School

  • Julia Satterthwaite, Monta Vista High School

  • Rod Satterthwaite, Palo Alto High School

  • Ramanathan Satvika, Huron High School

  • Laura Schaub, Friesens Corp.

  • Hal Schmidt, Jostens Yearbooks / PS Graphics,inc

  • Sabrina Schmitz, Walsworth Yearbooks

  • Erin Schneider, Journalism Resource Network

  • Helen Smith, New England Scholastic Press Association

  • John Soliday, University of Miami School of Communications

  • Margaret Sorrows, Jostens Yearbooks

  • Randy Stano, University of Miami

  • Larry Steinmetz, Bullitt East High School

  • Gail Snyder, South River Senior High School

  • John Taglareni, Bergenfield High School (retired)

  • Ling Teo, Salk School of Science

  • Alana Van der Sluys, Kinnelon High School

  • Wanda Vanish, CSPAA First Vice President; Altoona Area High School

  • Sharon Villapiano, Seashore Transportation

  • Michael von Wahlde, Westhill High School

  • Chris Waugaman, Virginia State University

  • Lizabeth Walsh, Jostens

  • Layne Weaver, Glynn Academy

  • Amy Weishaus, Pearl River High School (retired)/ECHO This: Empowering Conversations of Hope and Opportunity

  • Julie Zack, Villa Maria College

  • Brett Zinger, CSPAA Second Vice President; New Bedford High School

  • Kathleen Zwiebel, CSPAA Judging Standards and Practices Chair; Pottsville Area High School (retired)