Mrs. Tolbert got her start in journalism as the features editor of her college newspaper. She briefly considered a career in the media after completing internships at KDKA-TV and "Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood," but then she fell in love with teaching English. A student publication adviser for over twenty-five years, she received specialized training in teaching journalism as a 2003 ASNE Summer Institute fellow. Tolbert, who is active in journalism education organizations at the state and national levels, serves as a board member for the Ohio Scholastic Media Association (OSMA) and recently wrote an article for the Spring 2023 issue of C:JET Magazine.