Executive Board

Sondra Whalen
VP/President-Elect, 2025-2027

Sondra Whalen, APR is the Director of Student Programs and Communications at Vernon Verona Sherrill Central School District, where she develops communication strategies and cultivates enriched student learning opportunities. With a strong foundation in education and over 17 years of experience, she began her career as a middle school English Language Arts teacher before transitioning to school communications in 2017.

Passionate about elevating the field of public relations, Sondra has earned recognition for her authentic and engaging presentations at both state and national events. With a focus on empowering PR professionals to confidently navigate their roles and showcase their impact, she has been a featured presenter for the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) and state chapters of the organization, and has represented school public relations at events across the state.

In her daily work, Sondra focuses on storytelling, building trust, and fostering meaningful relationships within the school community. Her creativity and dedication in these areas have earned her multiple awards from the New York School Public Relations Association and a Golden Achievement Award from the National School Public Relations Association.

Outside of her professional life, Sondra enjoys reading, traveling, baking, and family adventures. She lives in Bridgeport, NY, with her husband, son, and daughter.

Alex Wolff
Treasurer, 2025-2027

Alex Wolff has served as the public information officer for Pelham Public Schools since 2016. Before his work in school PR, he worked for nearly a decade in journalism covering high school sports and municipal government. He holds a B.A. in English/Journalism from the University of New Hampshire.

During his time in Pelham, he has focused on crisis communications, enhancing digital media and streamlining communications across the District. In 2018, he led a strategic campaign to pass the largest capital improvement bond in district history—a topic he presented on at the 2019 NSPRA Conference in Washington, D.C. His work in budget and bond communications, as well as crisis communications, has been recognized in the annual NYSPRA Awards.

In 2022, Alex partnered with NSPRA to conduct a communications audit of the district. He is a longtime member of both NYSPRA and NSPRA, and also contributes to the informal Hudson Valley School Public Relations Association (HUDSPRA).

Alex lives in Pelham with his wife and daughter. When he’s not fulfilling his roles as husband, father, and PIO, you can find him on the golf course or cheering for the Knicks, Yankees, and Jets.

Jason Laz
Secretary, 2025-2027

Jason Laz has been the Troy City School District’s Communications Specialist since 2021. A proud Troy CSD graduate, his one-person office oversees all district communications, including social media, the district website, budget, crisis and internal communications, mass notifications and media relations. Before returning to his alma mater, he spent seven years with Questar III BOCES Communications Service, supporting BOCES programs and component districts.

Jason is committed to improving family engagement and creating proactive, inclusive communication strategies. To pursue this goal, Jason led the implementation of ParentSquare at Troy in the spring of 2022 and is currently working to enhance the district’s content strategy to ensure accessible and equitable communications for all.

With a background in journalism and TV/video production, Jason’s expertise in digital media and content creation has been instrumental in his growth as a public relations practitioner. Telling the stories of students and staff in Troy and building positive internal and external relationships is at the heart of his work.

Before joining the illustrious ranks of school communicators, Jason worked in broadcast news as a studio camera operator, videographer, editor, and audio operator at Fox23 News in Albany and as a master control operator and news producer managing content creation for several New York markets at YNN Albany (now known as Spectrum News).

After graduating from Troy High School, Jason earned an Associate Degree in Broadcast Communications with a concentration in TV/Video Production from Hudson Valley Community College. He later completed a Bachelor's Degree in Cultural Studies/Broadcast Journalism at Empire State University.

An active member of the New York School Public Relations Association (NYSPRA) and the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) since 2021, Jason has presented at both state and national conferences, in-person and virtually.

He lives in North Greenbush with his wife, Megan, and their soon-to-be five-year-old son, Owen. Jason is also a fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars and will be at the parade when the Jags (eventually) win a Super Bowl title.