After nearly twenty years as executive director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Paige Kimble, has resigned from her role. No reason has been announced. Sadly, there was no Bee during Kimble's final year due to COVID-19. From the Associated Press:
Like many others with prominent roles in staging the bee, Kimble is a former speller. She won the bee in 1981. A year earlier, she finished second to Jacques Bailly, who is now the bee's longtime pronouncer.
Kimble began working for Scripps in 1991, shortly after graduating from college, and became executive director in 1998. During her tenure, the national exposure on ESPN and the quirky charisma of the young spellers, who can compete through the eighth grade, have led to increased popularity for the competition[…]
Last year's bee ended in an unprecedented eight-way tie after Scripps ran out of words difficult enough to challenge the elite spellers remaining on stage. Some observers argued that the bee had failed in its mission, but Kimble characterized the result as a triumph.