{"id":63,"date":"2025-09-03T20:17:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-03T20:17:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/?page_id=63"},"modified":"2026-08-29T01:43:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-29T01:43:45","slug":"past-speakers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/speaker\/past-speakers\/","title":{"rendered":"Past Speakers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Our Guest Speaker for 2026 T. Brooks Lyles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Compatriot Lyles is a member of the Battle of Kings Mountain Chapter of the North Carolina Society. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

National Sons of the American Revolution Registrar General 2024-2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>
\n

Prior to his election as Registrar General, He served two terms as Historian General 2022 to 2024, He was National Color Guard Commander 2022 to 2023, and Vice President General for the International District 2017-2018. He has been a member of the Museum Board since 2019, He was elected to serve on the George Washington Endowment Fund Board from 2019 to 2023, and he is currently a member of the Strategic Planning Committee. He has also served as Chairman of the Education Committee from 2016 to 2023 and of the History Committee from 2020 to 2021. Prior to moving to his current home in South Carolina, he served the Kansas Society from 2013 to 2021 as Vice President, President, Trustee and Alternate Trustee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compatriot Lyles\u2019 wife Diane Ungvarsky is the First Vice President of the National Ladies Auxiliary, and his two grandsons are members of the SAR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

2025<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Mary Sanchez<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mary Sanchez’s topic will be:  Unveiling the Legacy: Latino Heroes of the American Revolution<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mary Sanchez is a national syndicated columnist with Tribune Content Agency and a familiar face and voice in Kansas City media. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sanchez\u2019s contributions include time as the senior reporter for Kansas City PBS and a metro columnist for The Kansas City Star, member of the Star\u2019s editorial board, in addition to her years spent reporting on race, class, criminal justice and educational issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She\u2019s a frequent moderator for important civic conversations hosted by American Public Square (APS), also serving on the organization\u2019s board. APS seeks to build community through civil, fact-based discourse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sanchez is a mentor with Report for America, pairing with early career journalists as they enter the profession and has written columns for the Poynter Institute, helping others to report deeper and with nuance on issues of race, ethnicity, immigration, and culture wars, especially within politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sanchez is a native of Kansas City and has also lived in Mexico, the country of her father\u2019s birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit her at Tribune Content Agency<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

See her articles on Flatland.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2024<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Ann Scott<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ann Scott,   Vice Regent for Missouri of the Mount Vernon Ladies\u2019 Association Board. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association was the first national historic preservation organization and is the oldest women’s patriotic society in the United States. Its pioneering efforts in the field of preservation set an important precedent and have served as a model for many.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about the Mount Vernon Ladies Association<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2023<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Kevin Vance, Ph.D.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Kevin Vance is the Director of the Center for Constitutional Liberty at Benedictine College. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Vance earned his BA in Government from Claremont McKenna College and his Ph.D. in Constitutional Studies and Political Theory from the University of Notre Dame. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most recently he has been a Postdoctoral Fellow and Visiting Professor at Clemson University in the Department of Political Science and the Lyceum Program, and prior to that a Forbes Postdoctoral Research Associate in the James Madison Program at Princeton University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Craig Bruce Smith<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Craig Bruce Smith is an associate professor of military history at the School of Advanced Military Studies<\/a> (SAMS) at the US Army Command and General Staff College<\/a> (CGSC) in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He authored American Honor: The Creation of the Nation\u2019s Ideals during the Revolutionary Era<\/a> and co-authored George Washington\u2019s Lessons in Ethical Leadership<\/a>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith earned his PhD in American history from Brandeis University. Previously, he was an assistant professor of history and the director of the history program at William Woods University, and he has taught at additional colleges, including Tufts University.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He specializes in American Revolutionary and early American history, with a specific focus on honor, ethics, war, the founders, transnational ideas, and national identity. In addition, he has broader interests in colonial America, the early republic, leadership, the Atlantic world, and early American cultural, intellectual, and political history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amazon Author page<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Smith’s Website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2020<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

James B. Martin, Ph.D.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dean of Academics,
U.S. Army Command and General Staff College<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Martin spends time researching and writing in two different areas of academic endeavor. As an historian, he is focused largely on the 19th Century and the study of irregular warfare in the Civil War and the American Indian Wars. As an adult educator, he is focused on the administration of adult and accelerated education programs to include faculty development, curriculum development, and academic assessment. In recent years he has spent considerable time working with foreign militaries to foster improvement in the professional military education. His engagements include militaries from Italy, Saudi Arabia, Mozambique, Botswana, South Africa, Rwanda, Myanmar, Singapore, Vietnam, New Zealand, and Brunei. He works with the African Military Education Program (AMEP) and Partnership for Peace (PfP) in creating and presenting professional military education opportunities for a variety of countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Martin\u2019s latest books are The Third War: Irregular Warfare on the Western Border, 1861-1865 and African American War Heroes. He has also written numerous book chapters on adult education and articles in both the fields of History and Adult Education<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2019<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Keil Hileman<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

2008 Alumni Classroom Fellow De Soto, Kansas <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bio\/Overview: Hileman currently teaches High School Archeology and Artifacts and Museum Connections to 6th, 7th and 8th graders at Monticello Trails Middle School in Shawnee, Kansas. He has taught at the middle and secondary level for 18 years in the De Soto Unified School District. His classroom museum contains over 20,000 teaching artifacts. You are invited to tour the Classroom Museum. Contact Mr. Hileman at keilh@usd232.org<\/a>. Hileman also teaches a \u201cHands On\u201d Archeology class at Johnson County Community College, a \u201cClassroom Museum\u201d Course for teachers at Mid America Nazarene College and a Graduate\/Undergraduate \u201cArtifact Supported\u201d History course at U.M.K.C. Educational Values\/Philosophy: Hileman\u2019s classroom credo is \u201cExploreYour World, Empower Yourself and Those Around You, Excel In Everything You Do.\u201d Achievements: Hileman was named Kansas Teacher of the Year in 2004 and one of four finalists for the 2004 National Teacher of the Year. In addition, he was selected as a NEA Horace Mann Award winner. He was most recently inducted into the Midwest Education Hall of Fame and honored by Dolly Parton as the 2011 National Chasing Rainbows Award Winner. In recent years he was honored by the Daughters of The American Revolution, the 2007 National Outstanding Teacher of American History. His work was also featured for a \u201cWindow on Great Teaching\u201d at NBC\u2019s 2011 Education Nation Summit. Leadership Experience: Hileman has a passion for presenting to, evaluating and working with Teaching American History grants all over our nation. Affiliations: National Teacher of the Year program, Kansas Exemplary Educators Network, U.S. Department of Education Teaching American History Grants Program Education: Hileman holds a bachelors and masters in Middle and Secondary Social Studies from the University of Kansas. Areas of Interest\/Expertise: \uf0b7 History teaching \uf0b7 Resources and instruction<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2018<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Dr. Kurt Graham  <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In July, 2015, Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero announced Dr. Kurt Graham\u2019s appointment as the Director of the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum. Dr. Graham has extensive experience in the library\/museum world. He directed the McCracken Research Library at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming. As director, he orchestrated the digitization of some of the Library\u2019s most important archival multi-media collections, oversaw the physical renovation of the Library\u2019s public spaces, managed the Center\u2019s fellowship program, and launched a documentary editing project, The Papers of William F. Cody. He left Cody to direct the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City in 2010, where he spearheaded the development and redesign of the museum\u2019s principal history exhibit, which included several significant multi-media components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to his work in the public history field, Dr. Graham was a member of the history faculty at California State University, San Francisco, where he taught undergraduate and graduate courses in American political and legal\/constitutional history. He has a Ph.D. in American history from Brown University and a B.A. and an M.A. from Bringham Young University in English and American studies, respectively. He is the author of To Bring Law Home: The Federal Judiciary in Early National Rhode Island (Northern Illinois University Press, 2010). He lives with his wife and family in Blue Springs, Missouri.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2016<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Brigadier General Paul W. Tibbetts IV<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbetts is the Commander, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.  He is responsible for the combat readiness of the Air Force’s only B-2 Spirit wing, including development and employment of the B-2’s combat capability as part of the Air Force’s Global Strike Force.  His command provides logistics support for the Air Force Reserve 442nd Fighter Wing, Missouri Air National Guard 131st Bomb Wing, Air Combat Command 20th Reconnaissance Squadron and the Missouri Army National Guard 1st Battalion, 135th Aviations Unit.  He manages flying assets in excess of $46 billion and an annual operations and maintenance budget of $147 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

General Tibbetts received his comission through the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1989.  Following graduation, he served in a variety of operational assignments as a B-1 pilot and subsequently as a B-2 pilot.  The general has commanded at the squadron and wing levels, and flown in combat missions in support of operations in Southwest Asia, the Balkans, and Afghanistan.  His staff assignments include executive assistand to the Commander, Eighth Air Force, Chief of the Nuclear Policy Branch at NATO Headquarters.  Prior to his current position he was Deputy Director for Nuclear Operations, U.S. Strategic Command.  General Tibbetts is a command pilot with more than 3,800 flying hours.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our Guest Speaker for 2026 T. Brooks Lyles Compatriot Lyles is a member of the Battle of Kings Mountain Chapter of the North Carolina Society.  National Sons of the American<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":59,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":""},"class_list":["post-63","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nPast Speakers - George Washington Birthday Celebration<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/speaker\/past-speakers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Past Speakers - George Washington Birthday Celebration\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Our Guest Speaker for 2026 T. Brooks Lyles Compatriot Lyles is a member of the Battle of Kings Mountain Chapter of the North Carolina Society.  National Sons of the American\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/speaker\/past-speakers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"George Washington Birthday Celebration\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-29T01:43:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/09\/T-Brooks-Lyels.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"821\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1065\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/speaker\\\/past-speakers\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/speaker\\\/past-speakers\\\/\",\"name\":\"Past Speakers - George Washington Birthday Celebration\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/speaker\\\/past-speakers\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/speaker\\\/past-speakers\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/12\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/T-Brooks-Lyels-789x1024.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-03T20:17:10+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-29T01:43:45+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/speaker\\\/past-speakers\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/speaker\\\/past-speakers\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/speaker\\\/past-speakers\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/12\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/T-Brooks-Lyels.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/12\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/T-Brooks-Lyels.jpg\",\"width\":821,\"height\":1065},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/speaker\\\/past-speakers\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Speaker\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/speaker\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Past Speakers\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/\",\"name\":\"George Washington Birthday Celebration\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mossar.org\\\/gwbckansascity\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Past Speakers - George Washington Birthday Celebration","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/speaker\/past-speakers\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Past Speakers - George Washington Birthday Celebration","og_description":"Our Guest Speaker for 2026 T. Brooks Lyles Compatriot Lyles is a member of the Battle of Kings Mountain Chapter of the North Carolina Society.  National Sons of the American","og_url":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/speaker\/past-speakers\/","og_site_name":"George Washington Birthday Celebration","article_modified_time":"2026-08-29T01:43:45+00:00","og_image":[{"width":821,"height":1065,"url":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/09\/T-Brooks-Lyels.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/speaker\/past-speakers\/","url":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/speaker\/past-speakers\/","name":"Past Speakers - George Washington Birthday Celebration","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/speaker\/past-speakers\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/speaker\/past-speakers\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/09\/T-Brooks-Lyels-789x1024.jpg","datePublished":"2025-09-03T20:17:10+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-29T01:43:45+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/speaker\/past-speakers\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/speaker\/past-speakers\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/speaker\/past-speakers\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/09\/T-Brooks-Lyels.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/09\/T-Brooks-Lyels.jpg","width":821,"height":1065},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/speaker\/past-speakers\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Speaker","item":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/speaker\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Past Speakers"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/#website","url":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/","name":"George Washington Birthday Celebration","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"ticketed":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/63","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/63\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":355,"href":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/63\/revisions\/355"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/59"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mossar.org\/gwbckansascity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}