Board

Kathleen O’Leary Morgan

Chair of the Board

Kathleen serves as the Lawrence Public Library’s deputy director. In that role, she serves as the staff liaison to the Library Friends & Foundation. She oversees a team that manages the library’s signature programs, PR/marketing, volunteer management, and outreach efforts.

Susan Garlinghouse

Susan, a founder of Topeka Collegiate School and the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center, is an avid supporter of learning, including the love of books!

Leslie Von Holten

Leslie, Director of Grants and Outreach at Humanities Kansas, is also a writer who reflects regularly on land and culture: ecology, community history, literature, art, and the undertold stories of prairie spaces.

Thomas Fox Averill

Tom, Professor Emeritus of English at Washburn University, is an O. Henry Award winner and the author or editor of ten books, including the recent novel Found Documents from the Life of Nell Johnson Doerr. Tom founded the Kansas Studies Collection at the Mabee Library of Washburn, which co-hosts the annual Hefner Heintz Kansas Book Award.

Eric McHenry

Eric, an English professor at Washburn University, is a past Poet Laureate of Kansas. Eric has served on the faculties of the Bear River Writers’ Conference and San Miguel Poetry Week. His three books of poetry include Potscrubber Lullabies, which received the Kate Tufts Discovery Award. His essays have appeared in The New York Times, The American Scholar, and The Boston Globe.

Elizabeth Dobler

Beth, a literacy professor at Emporia State University, has volunteered with the Kansas Book Festival since 2015. Beth has authored several books for teachers, including “Reading the Web: Strategies for Internet Inquiry,” and she serves on the Board of Trustees for the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library.

Cindy Roupe

Cindy Roupe served as coordinator for the State Library of Kansas’ Notable Books program for 15 years. Retired now, she was the long-time Director of Reference for the State Library, and on several occasions, she served as the interim State Librarian.

Ann Ryan

Ann Ryan has served as a Kansas City attorney with expertise in real estate, business, franchise, and employment law. She is active at her church, volunteering with the church’s bookmobile, which has distributed over 60,000 books to children and partner schools. She is also a member of P.E.O., a philanthropic organization supporting women pursuing higher education.

Tom McBride

Tom McBride, who was a longtime member of the board of directors at Title Midwest, oversaw subsidiaries in six states, including Kansas Secured Title in Topeka. He has been active with numerous other organizations, including Topeka Collegiate, Topeka Civic Theatre, YMCA and Topeka High School. He has served on the Stormont Vail Foundation board of trustees as well.

Kathleen Holt

Kathleen Holt has served High Plains Public Radio since its inception in 1979. Currently “quasi-retired,” she volunteers as Coordinator of the HPPR Radio Readers Book Club and is developing a new series: Poets on the High Plains. In addition to radio work, Kathleen retired after a career in child welfare and nonprofit consulting.

Max Wirestone

Max Wirestone is the author of the Dahlia Moss mystery series. After many years serving as a librarian all around the country, Max is currently the Director of the Tonganoxie Public Library and heads the Volunteer Committee. 

Mary Brownback

Emeritus Member & Founder

Mary Brownback, who served as First Lady of Kansas during her husband’s tenure as Governor, began the Kansas Book Festival in Topeka as a way to encourage a lifelong love of reading among youth.