From 1963 to 1965, he was an editorial assistant for Cambridge Book Company in Bronxville, New Jersey.
In 1970, he received a Master of Arts in creative writing from San Francisco State College.
In 2004, the governor appointed him poet laureate, with his term beginning the following July 1, 2005.
[1] During his tenure as Kansas Poet Laureate, Holden instigated a statewide video teleconf program titled SHOPTALK, in conjunction with Kansas State University’s TELENET 2 program.
[4] The particular issue cited features over 60 Kansas poets plus special recognition to both Jonathan Holden and Denise Low.