Programmatic Perspectives Editorial Leadership Transition
As we open the new academic year, we are pleased to share a noteworthy transition in the editorial team at Programmatic Perspectives, our flagship publication that has been running since 2009. In October 2026, we bid goodbye to the outgoing co-editors, Russell Kirkscey and Rhonda Stanton, and welcome the incoming duo, Beth Shirley and Holly Baker.
Thank You for Your Service!
Russell Kirkscey (Penn State University, Harrisburg) was a book review editor at Programmatic Perspectives before taking the helm as the journal’s chief editor in July 2023. He is a CPTSC veteran who served on the executive board as a member-at-large and has led the organizing of past CPTSC annual conventions. Dr. Kirkscey is an expert in health and medical communication and teaches technical and professional writing. Check out his university faculty profile to learn more.
Rhonda Stanton (Missouri State University) was appointed co-editor of Programmatic Perspectives in September 2023. She is a longtime CPTSC member and managed sponsorship initiatives for the organization in the past. Dr. Stanton studies workplace writing practices and teaches professional writing across cultural, rhetorical, and technical contexts. Check out her university faculty profile to learn more.
We thank Rhonda and Russell for their unified vision and excellent stewardship of the journal, especially their immense labor in ushering the journal into a journal management system that allows for a more seamless submission-to-publication editorial workflow. They also spearheaded the efforts to acquire DOIs for Programmatic Perspectives articles, so readers and authors can benefit from a persistent measure of publication reliability, discoverability, impact, and authorship.
Welcome to the Team!
Beth Shirley (Montana State University) has served as the book review editor of Programmatic Perspectives since 2025. She is currently an associate professor who specializes in technical communication, rhetoric, rural communities, and science communication. Her work has been funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Check out her university faculty profile to learn more.
Holly Baker (Brigham Young University) brings an expansive publishing and editorial background to her new role as co-editor of Programmatic Perspectives, including managerial and copyediting experiences with the South Dakota Review and Journal of Rhetoric, Professional Communication, and Globalization. She is currently an assistant professor who teaches linguistics, book publishing, and fiction editing. She was a Fulbright Research Grant winner (2015–2016) who taught at the University of Bucharest in Romania. Check out her university faculty profile to learn more.
We are excited about the energy and vision that Holly and Beth bring to the journal. We look forward to the continued growth of our reach and scholarly impact under this new leadership.
Programmatic Perspectives Invites Your Contributions
As a premier venue for research communication and scholarly showcases in our field, Programmatic Perspectives is a peer-reviewed, bi-annual journal published by the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication. It is aimed at an audience of administrators and faculty in technical and professional communication programs. The journal’s overarching goal is to contribute to the body of knowledge of the field of technical communication, with special emphasis on the many facets of programs, curriculum, program administration, pedagogical implications, and faculty issues.
Publication types include original research articles, program showcases, curriculum showcases, commentaries, and book reviews. Published articles are available in an open-access format via the journal webpage.
Read our submission guidelines for more information.