Barbara Burgess, Ph. D. is a writer, photographer and educator from Topeka, Kansas. She is married to Denny Burgess and has three sons, Jim, Tom and Mike. She recently retired as assistant professor of journalism at Washburn University in Topeka and Director of the Center for Kansas Studies. She is a scholar of the Oregon Trail. She has a BA in English from Colorado College (Colorado Springs), a MS in journalism from Kansas State University, and a doctorate in American Studies from the University of Kansas.