Thomas W. Newton was appointed executive director of the California Newspaper Publishers Association on April 14, 2011. Newton  previously served as the association's general counsel, a position he held for more than 20 years. Newton is responsible for the operations of CNPA and its two subsidiary corporations:  CNPA Services, Inc., a for-profit corporation; and the CNPA Foundation, an IRS Sec. 501(c)(3) educational foundation.

As a principal spokesman for the California newspaper industry, Newton will continue to present testimony before legislative committees and other state boards and commissions in support of CNPA's broad governmental affairs objectives.  
 
An eighth generation Californian, Newton is a graduate of McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento and received his bachelors of arts degree from California State University, Chico. Newton is married to Janice Ann Newton and has two children, Kyler Powell, 18, and Katharine Rae, 16.

He is a two-time winner of the James Madison Freedom of Information Award presented by the Northern California Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalist, a winner of the Bill Farr Freedom of Information Award presented by the California Society of Newspaper Editors and the Jack Bates award, presented by the California Press Association.