Presidents of KMEA

From 1934 to 2023, 46 people will have held the office of KMEA President. Of these…

  • 26 are in the KMEA Hall of Fame
  • 3 served as KMEA Executive Director
  • 4 served as MENC/NAfME Southwestern Division President
  • 2 served as MENC National President

If you know where we can find our missing Very Important Photos, please email the KMEA Webmaster (webmaster at ksmea.org).

1.
 David T. Lawson
Topeka
1934-36

  • 1985: KMEA Hall of Fame
2.
 Virgil F. Parman
Dodge City
1936-37
3.
 William G. Altimari
Atchison
1937-38

  • 1978: KMEA Hall of Fame
4.
 Grace V. Wilson
Wichita
1938-40

  • 1980: KMEA Hall of Fame
5.
 N. Voss Napier
Ellsworth
1940-42

  • 1978: KMEA Hall of Fame
6.
 Alan Watrous
Hutchinson
1942-43
7.
 Catharine E. Strouse
Emporia
1943-44

  • 1978: KMEA Hall of Fame
8.
 G. Lewis Doll
Kansas City
1944-45
9.
 Gerald N. Weaver
Pratt
1945-47
10.
 William H. Beck Jr.
Colby
1947-50

  • 1981: KMEA Hall of Fame
11.
 J. Milford Crabb
Kansas City
1950-52

  • 1978: KMEA Hall of Fame
12.
 James H. Barrett
Hutchinson
1952-54
13.
 Harold G. Palmer
Hays
1954-56

  • 1976: KMEA Hall of Fame
14.
 Donald R. Bafley
Russell
1956-59
15.
 F. Robert Hollowell
Wichita
1959-61

  • 1980: KMEA Hall of Fame
  • 1961-1992: KMEA Executive Director
    Successor: Don Corbett
16.
 Dean B. Owen
Dighton
1961-63
17.
 Leroy Esau
Hutchinson
1963-65
18.
 Thayne Tolle
Lindsborg
1965-67
19.
 Kenneth Shaheen
Great Bend
1967-69

  • 2006: KMEA Hall of Fame
20.
 Gerald M. Carney
Lawrence
1969-71

  • 1977: KMEA Hall of Fame
21.
 Don Corbett
Hutchinson/Wichita
1971-73

  • 1986-1988: MENC National President
  • 1997: KMEA Hall of Fame
  • 1992-2002: KMEA Executive Director
    Predecessor: F. Robert Hollowell
    Successor: John Taylor
22.
 Edwin Bartley
Lawrence
1973-75

  • 2005: KMEA Hall of Fame
23.
 Robert A. Steinbauer
Manhattan
1975-77

  • 1999: KMEA Hall of Fame
24.
 William Lilley
Hutchinson
1977-79

  • 2013: KMEA Hall of Fame
25.
 Lyle Dilley
Hays
1979-81

  • 1990: KMEA Hall of Fame
26.
 Betty G. Owens
Manhattan
1981-82
27.
 David Circle
Shawnee Mission
1982-85

  • 2002: KMEA Hall of Fame
  • 2005-07: MENC National President
28.
 Larry R. Williams
Winfield
1985-87

  • 2002: KMEA Hall of Fame
29.
 Vaughn Lippoldt
Coffeyville
1987-89

  • 2005: KMEA Hall of Fame
30.
 Jodie Russell
Independence
1989-91
31.
 Robert Lee
Haven
1991-93

  • 2005: Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame
  • 2007: KMEA Hall of Fame
32.
 Jeff Anderson
Lawrence
1993-95

  • 2018: KMEA Hall of Fame
33.
 Vernon Nicholson
Wichita
1995-97

  • 2000: KMEA Hall of Fame
34.
 Gayle McMillen
Salina
1997-99

  • 2001-03: MENC Southwestern Division President
  • 2009: KMEA Hall of Fame
35.
 John W. Taylor
Wichita
1999-01

  • 2002-present: KMEA Executive Director
    Predecessor: Don Corbett
  • 2011-13: NAfME Southwestern Division President
  • 2016: KMEA Hall of Fame
36.
 Ronald D. Chronister
Halstead
2001-03

  • 2005-07: MENC Southwestern Division President
37.
 Rick Ives
Clearwater
2003-05
38.
 Dee Hansen
Lawrence
2005-06
39.
 Rick Ives
Clearwater
2006-07
40.
 Jean Ney
Kansas City
2007-09

  • 2014: KMEA Hall of Fame
41.
 Mike Quilling
Deerfield
2009-11

  • 2019-21: NAfME Southwestern Division President
42.
 Craig Manteuffel
Hays
2011-13

  • 2015-present: KSHSAA Assistant Executive Director for Fine Arts
43.
 Avian Bear
Overland Park
2013-15

  • 2018: KMEA Hall of Fame
44.
 Martha Gabel
Olathe
2015-17
45.
 Gretchen Bixler
Goddard
2017-19
46.
 Gae Phillips
Columbus
2019-21
47.
 Mark Gard
Coffeyville
2021-23