Eshaya Draper is the communications director for the South Orange & Maplewood School District, where he advances Superintendent Bing's efforts in strengthening connections between school buildings, families, and residents in both municipalities. With a background in speechwriting and crisis communication for government entities, Draper guides the district through challenging moments while keeping constituents informed and connected during decisions that affect all schools. 

Draper believes strong messaging is pivotal in turning a school district into a community. In this capacity, Draper is a strategic advisor to the Superintendent and press secretary to the news media. This makes it possible for caretakers to receive clear, easy-to-understand updates, have their questions answered with care, and feel their voices reflected in improvements to the district.

Beyond the walls of South Orange & Maplewood, Draper is an active pathfinder in the school communications field. He has presented nationally on collaborating with classroom educators to highlight student achievement and has held leadership roles in professional associations consisting of counterparts in comparable school systems. These include two continuous terms as Vice President of Membership for the New Jersey School Public Relations Association (NJSPRA) as well as contributions to the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) through the Audit Committee and service on NSPRA’s Executive Board Search Committee.

Within these endeavors, Eshaya Draper has gained a broad perspective on how school districts can better serve families and communities by making public information accessible and practical.

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