Board Members
The 2023-2024 NEWSPA Board Member list is available for download and printing (2023-2024 Board Members). Bios of the board members can be found below.

Jeff Carter
President (2023)
(262) 670-3272 jeff.carter@huhs.org Hartford Union High School | 805 Cedar St.
After working for a newspaper and radio station, Jeff Carter returned to UW Whitewater where he earned his degree in teaching. When he isn’t teaching English and advising the school newspaper, The Hartford Chronicle, he enjoys spending his time outdoors: running, backpacking, kayaking and playing Frisbee.

Jason Cummings
Member (2021)
(920) 424-4020, ext. 682 jason.cummings@oshkosh.k12.wi.us Oshkosh North High School | 1100 W. Smith Ave
Since 2006, Jason Cummings has taught English at Oshkosh North High School. He is the adviser of the school newspaper, The North Star, and a graduate of both UW Madison and UW Oshkosh with degrees in English, psychology and secondary education.

Amanda Greenthal
Member (2023)
(920)892-2661, ext. 1237 agreenthal@gc.plymouth.k12.wi.us Plymouth Comprehensive High School | 125 Highland Avenue
Amanda Greethal teaches English/Language Arts at Plymouth Comprehensive High School and is the school’s newspaper adviser for Hi-Lights.

Amy Karoses
Member (2022)
(920) 424-4092, ext. 3155 9-(920) 424-4950 amy.karoses@oshkosh.k12.wi.us Oshkosh West High School | 375 N. Eagle St.
Amy Karoses teaches English at Oshkosh West High School and is the school’s yearbook adviser for The Notebook. Having completed her “first career” as a full-time mom, she is immensely enjoying her second career in education.

Shannon Kuehmichel
Member (2021)
(920) 361-2000, ext. 1815 skuehmichel@berlin.k12.wi.us Berlin High School | 222 Memorial Drive
Shannon Kuehmichel, a 2002 UW Eau Claire graduate, teaches English and publications at Berlin High School. She is the newspaper adviser of Red ‘n’ Green and says she loves seeing her students’ work in print. She also likes ballet class, bicycling and reading.

Sara Klein
Member (2022)
(920) 424-4020 sara.marquardt@oshkosh.k12.wi.us Oshkosh North High School | 1100 W. Smith Ave
Sara has been an English teacher at Oshkosh North since 2004. For the first two years, she also served as co-adviser of the newspaper, The North Star, and then spent the next three years as business adviser of The North Star. She has been the yearbook adviser of Reflections since 2008. Previously, she taught English at Berlin High School, where she also advised their student newspaper. She has served as NEWSPA president, and after a one-year hiatus, joined the board again. She was also named the Skip Zacher Friend of Scholastic Journalism Award recipient in 2015.

Beth Plankey
Member (2023)
(920) 751-6900, ext. 16228 bplankey@neenah.k12.wi.us Neenah High School | 1275 Tullar Road
Beth Plankey, a UW-Oshkosh alumnus, led her first NEWSPA session during college. Since 1993, she has taught English, speech and journalism for the Neenah Joint School District. She serves as adviser to the high school online newspaper, the Satellite. In Spring 2017, she returned to the NEWSPA Board and she looks forward to collaborating with its members to promote scholastic journalism. Plankey loves to drink coffee, discuss current events and walk her dog.

Matt Smith
Member (2022)
(920) 238-9255 smithm@fonddulac.k12.wi.us Fond du Lac High School | 801 Campus Drive
Matt Smith advises the Cardinal Columns at Fond du Lac High School, where he has taught English and journalism since 2010. Prior to that, he taught high school English in Maryland for five years. Before becoming an educator, Matt spent several years as a writer and designer, including two years as a reporter for a weekly newspaper in suburban Washington D.C. He graduated from the University of Missouri – Columbia with a degree in journalism and earned a Masters of Education from the University of Maryland – College Park.

Emily Van Ess
Member (2023)
(920) 448-2090 ervaness@gbaps.org Green Bay East High School | 1415 East Walnut Street
Emily Van Ess teaches English at Green Bay East High School. She is the school’s newspaper adviser for Green Bay East Hi-light. Emily graduated with a degree in English Education and Creative Writing from UW-Milwaukee and has a master’s in Education Leadership from UW-Madison. She enjoys reading, sipping coffee, golfing, and playing volleyball.