Congratulations to our Director of Communications, Erica Chandler, APR, who has been named the 2022 Professional of the Year by the Missouri School Public Relations Association (MOSPRA)!
The Professional of the Year is MOSPRA’s most prestigious award and is given to a communications professional who has made a valuable contribution to public education. Among the attributes of the recipient are professionalism; strategic skills; organization; ability to develop and implement high-quality communication practices; and commitment to helping MOSPRA as an association.
Chandler received the award at the annual MOSPRA and Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA) Spring Conference held March 23-25. She joined the Affton School District in 2012 as Director of Communications, has earned Accreditation in Public Relations (APR), and has previously been recognized by MOSPRA for the Zubeck Spirit Award in 2018, was named a National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) Front-Runner in 2019, and currently serves as the President of MOSPRA.
Chandler received nominations from school PR colleagues, district and school administrators, board members, teachers, and parents who all provided firsthand accounts of her professionalism, support of colleagues, and positive voice for public education. Although Erica is a one-person communications office, everyone in Affton knows she does much more than oversee communication and is an irreplaceable member of the district. Erica works directly with district administrators, school principals, and teachers across the district to support learning and operations. She is an integral member of various committees and teams that include district safety and security, strategic planning, and pandemic health and safety.
“Erica is definitely an Affton superhero and her superpower is always knowing what needs to be communicated and how to communicate it, " said Dr. Travis Bracht, superintendent. "I could write an entire nomination just on her contributions over the past two years related to the pandemic. The fact that she has found the time to develop and implement new programs that impact the lives of students and staff, while also keeping up with pandemic communication, is nothing short of heroic.”