Kelly O. Humphries’ career path is a testament to the power of persistence, innovation, and a lifelong passion for storytelling and space exploration. From his early days as a journalism student at Wichita State University to becoming News Chief at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Humphries has spent decades helping shape how the world understands human spaceflight.

From Journalism to Public Administration at WSU

Humphries earned a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Wichita State University in 1981 and later completed a Master’s in Public Administration in 1986. Influential professors such as Cleve Mathews (who came to WSU after being NPR’s first news director), Les Anderson, C. Henry Nathan, Joe Pisciotte, Ed Flentje, Sam Yeager, Nancy Snyder and Mark Glaser played significant roles in shaping his career. A particularly impactful class was Engineering Systems, which prepared him for project management at NASA.

During his time at WSU, Humphries balanced academics with real-world experience. He worked as a night editor at the Hutchinson News, where he met professors Pisciotte and Flentje at a conference. This encounter led him to a fellowship opportunity, allowing him to contribute to statistical studies and serve as an ex officio member of a metropolitan government study committee. You can find his WSU papers at the Wichita State Library. Additionally, he spent a year as an intern for Wichita’s City Manager, Chris Cherches, where he helped develop one of the city’s first PC-constructed budget proposals.

A Life in Journalism and the Journey to NASA

Humphries’ journalism career began as a student at Wichita North High School, he worked as a copy boy at the Wichita Eagle-Beacon, where his mother, Kathleen Kelly (Whalen), was a well-known lifestyle home economist and columnist. His father, Gary A. Humphries, was a news photographer but tragically passed away in a plane crash when Kelly was just three years old.

While still in college, Humphries worked his way up at the Wichita Eagle-Beacon, taking on roles such as City Desk clerk, where he processed obituaries, dispatched reporters, and observed the industry’s shift from manual typewriters to digital workflows. “I once completed 44 obituaries in one 8-hour shift, which I think still may be a record,” says Humphries. He also wrote the “Music Notes” column for the paper and interviewed many rock and roll artists when they played Wichita.

After graduating in 1981, he joined the Hutchinson News as a general assignment reporter before moving up to night editor and features section editor. His work in investigative reporting earned him a journalism excellence award for a series of stories on naturopathy in Kansas. Encouraged by classmate Wendy Counihan, he applied for the Presidential Management Intern Program, setting his sights on NASA. He was accepted, making his dream a reality.

A Childhood Dream Becomes Reality at NASA

Humphries traces his interest in spaceflight back to May 5, 1961, when his mother let him stay home from school to watch Alan Shepard’s first American human spaceflight on television. “I remember being fascinated by the space program, rockets and astronauts, and grew up watching Apollo-era astronauts launch from Cape Canaveral,” says Humphries.

His first visit to NASA’s Johnson Space Center during his internship was life-changing. A tour of Mission Control, led by Steve Nesbitt—the commentator during the Challenger disaster—solidified his passion for space communications. Over the next 38 years, Humphries would work in nearly every aspect of NASA’s communications, from internal publications to live mission commentary.

A Career at NASA: Communicating the Wonders of Space

As News Chief at NASA Johnson Space Center, Humphries serves as a key adviser for the Office of Communications. He coordinates interviews with major news outlets, manages documentary film access, oversees media credentials, and ensures that external organizations do not imply NASA endorsements.

Some of his most significant contributions include:

• Leading a team that developed the first continuous NASA web presence for shuttle missions.
• Chairing a NASA inter-center committee that successfully integrated separate NASA center websites into a unified human spaceflight web platform, which later evolved into NASA.gov.
• Managing crisis communications, including the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, where he spent three months in East Texas coordinating public information efforts about the search for shuttle debris.
• Spearheading efforts to upgrade NASA’s broadcasting capabilities to ultra-high-definition in preparation for the Artemis missions.

One of his most memorable experiences was meeting Alan Shepard during the 20th anniversary of Apollo. When Humphries told Shepard he had inspired his career, Shepard jokingly replied, “I don’t know if I should say thank you or go to hell!” with a mischievous grin. Humphries had reminded him of how old he was since he was already 30-years-old at the time. Humphries actually lives in history today, owning a home originally built and occupied by Apollo 7 astronaut Walt Cunningham.

Advice for Future Shockers

Reflecting on his journey, Humphries emphasizes the importance of patience, persistence, and teamwork. He encourages students to be innovative but also recognize that success requires collaboration.

Humphries says, “You might love communications, you might love engineering, you might love helping teach or taking care of others. Once you’ve found that, work hard to learn as much as you can about that area, and then look for opportunities to apply what you’ve learned doing something that excites you. Not everyone at NASA is an astronaut or an engineer. Large organizations need people who can work budgets, conduct scientific research, do accounting, procure goods or services, take care of critical facilities, manage human resources …  or, yes,  communicate what the organization does so that others can appreciate and recognize its value. Find whatever that is for you and go for it!”

Humphries also says, “Be generous in sharing credit with your team members; praise in public but be critical in private,” he advises. He also highlights three essential qualities for those aiming for NASA or other competitive organizations: competence, confidence, and teamwork.

His story serves as an inspiration for Wichita State students, proving that with dedication, adaptability, and a willingness to seize opportunities, even the sky isn’t the limit.

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Wichita State's applied learning program gives students hands-on, paid experience with industry partners, helping them build careers before graduation.

For more information, contact the Shocker Career Accelerator at (316) 978-3688, SCA@wichita.edu, or visit wichita.edu/Career. You can also stop by in person at the Marcus Welcome Center, Suite 139, on the Wichita State campus.