Publishers

• 

  Kavan Van Hall,
  The Bay City Tribune

  I’m a journalist and editor whose work has been shaped by local reporting, first at The Facts and now as managing editor of the Bay City Tribune. I attended Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, where I earned my degree in history, and that background still shapes how I approach reporting. I care about context, records and making sure stories are grounded in what actually happened.

  At the Tribune, a big part of my job is making sure we are first on the stories that matter in Matagorda County. I focus on local news, crime, courts, public safety and community issues, but just as important to me is making sure we cover the stories that might not get told at all if we did not pursue them. In a county this size, a lot can go overlooked unless someone is willing to stay on it, ask the extra questions and keep reporting after the first update.

  I also put a strong emphasis on high-quality, professional photojournalism. I believe local coverage should not only be timely and accurate, but visually strong and well documented. Whether it is breaking news, community coverage or enterprise reporting, I want the Tribune to be the place people look to first when something happens and the place that preserves those moments with reporting and images that feel immediate, credible and local.

• 

  Carol Skewes,
  The Baytown Sun

  Early in her career, she learned layout & production art at The Art Institute of Houston, did freelance graphic design and ran the composing department of The Baytown Sun.

  She later managed a printing company five years while finishing two degrees from University of Houston: B.S. degree in Mathematics with double minor in Studio Art & Business; and a Master in Business Administration degree.

  She previously served as editor & publisher of two newspapers for seven years, The Vindicator in South Liberty County and The Anahuac Progress in Chambers County, before returning to The Baytown Sun in 2016, serving as Advertising Director until March 1, 2018, and currently as Publisher.

  She serves on the board of the Rotary Club of Baytown and as secretary for United Way’s Baytown Area Chambers County Disaster Recovery team.

• 

  Jackland Berry-McDowell,
  The Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

  Jackland brings over 35 years of advertising sales experience to her role as one of Southern Newspapers newest publishers. She started her newspaper career in May of 1990 and has since then served in Classified Sales, Classified Management, as National/Major Accounts Representative/Preprints Coordinator, Retail Advertising Sales, Retail Advertising Sales Management and now serves as the Publisher of The Daily Sentinel in Nacogdoches.

  She began her sales career as a part-time Circulation employee, selling subscriptions over the phone. Soon after, her gift-of-gab was noticed, and she was offered the position of Classified Inside Sales Representative.

  Having spent the vast majority of her career with The Lufkin Daily News and The Daily Sentinel, Jackland also has worked in sales at The Port Arthur News and most recently as the Advertising Sales Manager at The Baytown Sun.

  Jackland is no stranger to East Texas, having been born and raised in Tenaha, TX, just 45 minutes Northeast of Nacogdoches. Jackland also attended Stephen F. Austin State University, after having graduated from Panola College in Carthage, TX.

  In 2025, Jackland completed the Executive Development Program through America’s Newspapers, along with several other SNI collogues and made lasting connections with Publishers, Ad Directors and others from throughout the United States.

  Jackland has served as President of the Baytown Lions Club, Committee Chair for the Ambassadors Group of The Baytown Chamber of Commerce and on numerous committees throughout all of the communities she’s worked and lived in.

  Jackland is passionate about being involved in community work and helping local businesses grow and see the value that local journalism brings to their communities and local economies.

  Outside of work, Jackland enjoys spending time with her daughter, Ashley and her two grandsons, Caiden and Landon. She also enjoys singing in church and spending time with family and friends.

• 

  John Wells,
  The Kerrville Daily Times

  John Wells is the editor and publisher of The Kerrville Daily Times.

  John Wells is an accomplished publishing professional with extensive experience in leading local media outlets and driving advertising strategies. Currently serving as the Publisher of The Kerrville Daily Times in Kerrville, Texas, John leverages a wealth of industry knowledge to enhance community engagement and drive business growth.

  A graduate of the University of Alabama, John earned dual degrees in Marketing and Management, equipping him with a strong foundation in business strategy and consumer insights. Previously, John held the role of Publisher and Regional Advertising Director at The Post-Searchlight in Bainbridge, GA, where he successfully increased regional advertising revenue and fostered strong relationships with local businesses. With a proven track record in digital sales as a Digital Sales Specialist, John excelled in understanding customer needs and delivering tailored solutions that boosted client satisfaction and retention.

  Outside of work, John enjoys spending time with his wife, Alison, and their two children, Ethan and Riley. In his spare time, he loves to travel, having visited 24 countries, which has enriched his perspective and appreciation for diverse cultures.

• 

  Neice Bell,
  The New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung

  Neice Bell joined SNI in 2004 as the marketing director for the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Since then she has served as publisher of the Seguin Gazette, the Herald Zeitung, the Lufkin Daily News and the Kerrville Daily Times.

  Kerrville is where Bell started her career in the newspaper business in 1979, before it was part of the Southern Newspapers Incorporated family. She returned to the Herald-Zeitung for a second term as its publisher in late 2018.

  Born and raised in San Antonio, Bell is a sixth generation Texan. She married her husband Jeff in 2003 and live in New Braunfels. Between them, the two have four adult children, Brad, Shannon, Lyndsey and Coby who all live close by.

• 

  Michelle Robinson,
  The Daily News

  Michelle Robinson is a 20-year media industry veteran who most recently serving as the Publisher of the Galveston County Daily News, and is the co-creator of the SNI Digital Agency for Southern Newspapers.

  Robinson worked in Casper, Wyoming as the President of the Casper Star Tribune and before that Washington state and Idaho, where she served as the advertising director for both the Idaho Falls Post Register and the Idaho Press. While at the Idaho Press, which serves the Treasure Valley, including Boise, she helped the paper grow into the state’s largest daily print newspaper. She served as publisher for the award-winning Boise Weekly, the Treasure Valley’s alternative arts publication. She has served on several boards, including the Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce, Rotarian, Texas Press Association, Big Brothers and Big Sisters,Wyoming Press Association, Caldwell Chamber of Commerce, Bannock Downtown Association, Domestic Violence board, and Civiatans organization.

  Before embarking on a career in newspapers, Robinson spent several years as a chef, having graduated from Western Culinary of Culinary Arts in Portland, Oregon. She met her husband, Jeff, while living in Bozeman, Montana, where she was the event coordinator for the Bite of Bozeman, which was the state’s largest one-day food festival.

• 

  Elizabeth Engelhardt,
  The Seguin Gazette

  Elizabeth Engelhardt started her newspaper career in Advertising with the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung in 2013. She became the Advertising Director of the Seguin Gazette in 2016 and then General Manager of Seguin in 2018. Born and raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She has been married to her husband, Brian, since 2007 and together they have two sons, Aiden & Mason. She is an active member of the Seguin Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Seguin and volunteers with many local organizations.

• 

  Yvonne Mintz,
  The Brazosport Facts

  Yvonne Mintz is editor and publisher of The Facts in Brazoria County, Texas.

  Mintz joined The Facts as a staff reporter in 1997, the year she graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. In 2002 she was promoted to city editor. In 2004, Mintz became managing editor of The Facts, and in 2014 her title changed to editor.

  Mintz is on the board of the Brazosport Area Chamber of Commerce and the Brazosport Fine Arts Council and served on the Salvation Army advisory board for many years. She is a member and past president of Angleton Rotary, volunteers with the True to Life Ministries job training program and is a member of the Community Impact Panel for Brazoria County United Way. She also served on the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors board and was president in 2013.

  "It is rare for a newspaper professional to be able to put down roots in one community and still advance professionally,” Mintz said. "I will always be grateful to Southern Newspapers for that opportunity."

  Mintz and her husband, Ryan, have two children, Mia, and Justin.

• 

  Clay Carsner,
  The Paris News

  Clay Carsner joined The Pairs News in 2012 in the Advertising department the last 3 years as Advertising Director before taking on the roll of Publisher. Born in Beeville Tx. Clay grew up in Terrell Tx. he has lived in Paris for 23 years. Clay and his wife Kristin of 16 years have 7 children and 3 grandchildren whom all live in Paris and Northeast Texas area.

  “The local newspaper is vital in keeping the local community informed and bringing advertisers & customers together”

• 

  Rhonda Overbey,
  The Lufkin Daily News

  Rhonda Overbey was recently named publisher of The Lufkin Daily News in Lufkin, Texas. Rhonda is recognized for her enthusiasm for community journalism, entrepreneurial spirit, and building great teams.

  She was previously the regional publisher and advertising director for Horizon Publications properties in central Arkansas and oversaw The Saline Courier and the Malvern Daily Record dailies as well as regional advertising director for the daily Starkville and weekly West Point, Mississippi, news operations.

  For six years, Rhonda served as publisher of the daily Aiken Standard, North Augusta Star and Fort Gordon Globe in South Carolina for Evening Post Newspaper Group. Prior to that she was publisher of the Sedalia (Missouri) Democrat and advertising director at the Muskogee (Oklahoma) Phoenix, the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway (Arkansas), and consumer publications at Arkansas Business Publishing Group in Little Rock, Arkansas.

  Rhonda Overbey entered the newspaper business in 1990. Originally from Conway, Ark., Rhonda earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from the University of Arkansas where she was managing editor of the Razorback yearbook for two years and recognized in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. Rhonda has a Master’s degree in Administrative Leadership from the University of Oklahoma.

  She has spent 35 years in print and digital media leading teams in news gathering, advertising, sales, audience development, consumer publications, business-to-business communication, circulation and general management. Having always served communities with printing presses, it’s safe to say that she really has ink in her blood.

  Rhonda is an aunt and grand aunt to seven. She has two golden retrievers, enjoys reading, listening to audiobooks and podcasts, and following the Dallas Cowboys and Arkansas Razorbacks. As a child, Rhonda loved dolls; today she’s fond of refurbishing old baby doll beds and rehoming them with hand-crafted bedding.