Region 12, or "River Region," of the Society of Professional Jouralists includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. SPJ chapters in the region include the Arkansas Pro Chapter in Little Rock, the Northwest Arkansas Pro Chapter in Fayetteville, the Mid-South Pro Chapter in Memphis, the Middle Tennessee Pro Chapter in Nashville, the East Tennessee Pro Chapter in Knoxville and the TriCities Pro Chapter in Johnson City. There are no professional chapters in Louisiana or Mississippi, though there are members of the national organization in those states. There are student chapters at most of the universities and colleges in all four states of the region.

This year, Region 12 has a new director, Kelly Kissel, news editor for the Associated Press in Little Rock, Ark. Email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Follow the River Region SPJ blog.

 Former Region 12 Director Sonny Albarado, ETSPJ members

Georgiana Vines and Jean Ash, and new Region 12 Director

Kelly Kissel at the 2011 SPJ national convention in New Orleans.