Kansas Now

ABOUT THE PROGRAM: Max Dutton and Annette Lawless from KWCH Channel 12 will share about their new show, Kansas Now. They will talk about their roots as Kansans, and how the show reflects pride in this state.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

Max Dutton grew up in Sterling, a small town in Rice County. He attended Baker University where he received his B.S. in Mass Media. Upon graduation at Baker, he was named one of four Outstanding Seniors in his class. Max began his broadcasting career in Topeka where he worked as a Multimedia Journalist at KSNT News. During his time at KSNT, he exclusively covered worker strikes at the local Goodyear plant, helped uncover a tax error at area Walmarts, and even got his haircut on live television! Max is excited to be in his home market, telling the stories of people he grew up around. In his time at 12 News, Max has won KAB Awards for his anchoring and coverage of the deadly Chiefs parade shooting. When he's not anchoring and reporting, you can find Max performing at local theatres, golfing, and running.

Born in Wellington, Kansas, Annette Lawless got her start to journalism when she still had baby teeth. Often, she'd dazzle her friends with elaborate stories at the elementary school lunch table. Until one day, she gabbed too much and was shamefully penalized without recess for the whole day -- a true devastation for any 7-year-old. She's still a little bitter to this day. She didn't stop talking, however. Her skill evolved into an elaborate public speaking career in high school, nabbing more than 75 awards in speech, debate and acting. She was named one of the top public speakers in the country and soon made her move to the glitzy metropolitan of Manhattan... Kansas. Annette graduated from Kansas State University with degrees in broadcasting, print journalism and public relations. She's since worked for ESPN and at TV stations in Topeka, Wichita and Cleveland. She received dozens of awards in producing, reporting and photography from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters, the National Press Photographer's Association, the Society of Professional Journalists and others. Journalism is in the family. Her husband Tim has worked as a 12 News photojournalist since 2007. Together, they have three children. A geek to the core, Annette can be quite the daredevil. She's rappelled off 500-foot cliffs and climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge. At home, Annette enjoys baking her award-winning cinnamon rolls, watching true crime documentaries and volunteering for programs like Meals on Wheels. She serves on the board of PBS Kansas and the Kansas Children’s Service League. Perhaps her biggest passion is helping missing people. She first started telling the stories here at KWCH at the beginning of her career, and in recent years, has been recognized for her advocacy. Her research has help law enforcement find trafficked children and convict sex traffickers. She’s been featured in the LA Times, college research journals and on the Hulu series “How I Escaped My Cult.”

Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Place: Larkspur Bistro & Bar, 904 E. Douglas Ave., Wichita

Please note: Parking is available in lots west and north of Larkspur. Visit www.wichita.gov/parking to find parking, book parking, download the ParkMobile app, or pay by phone.

Ticket price includes buffet lunch and desert plus water, coffee, or tea. Walk-ins are welcome to enjoy the program for $15 and are invited to order from the Larkspur menu if they desire a meal.

Save $5! Make your reservation by noon Tuesday, November 4, for these early-bird prices:

WPC members $20
Non-Members $25
Students are always $10

No reservation? Walk-in prices:

WPC members $25
Non-Members $30
Students are always $10

Note: New reservation procedure!

WPC has moved away from accepting cash and checks. Payments are now made with a credit/debit card when making online reservations. WPC has shifted to Give Butter, an online platform that specializes in working with nonprofits to offers lower fees for our guests, streamline our organization’s bookkeeping process, and reflect best practices for the functionality of online sales.

WPC monthly meetings support a scholarship fund for Wichita-area students pursuing a career in communications. Every year, WPC provides scholarships of up to $2,000 for Wichita-area college and university students majoring in a communications field. If you feel inspired, make a donation during check-out to help a future communicator!

2025 WPC November Luncheon

By Wichita Professional Communicators

2025 WPC November Luncheon

Kansas Now