New Albany-Plain Local School District officials have chosen Patrick Gallaway as the district’s new communications director.

Gallaway is the associate director of communications for media with the Ohio Department of Education.

Superintendent April Domine said he came into the hiring process late but rose to the top.

The district had set no deadline for applications. Marilyn Troyer, the district’s chief of innovation, improvement and human capital, said previously that officials did not want “to close the door on other excellent potential candidates,” even after narrowing the list of candidates to interview to three earlier this month.

Gallaway has a bachelor’s degree in business and organizational communications and a master’s degree in higher education administration, both from the University of Akron.

He worked for the Ohio Secretary of State, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the University of Akron and nonprofit organizations before being hired by the Ohio Department of Education.

“I’m looking forward to working with the school board, teachers, staff and students,” Gallaway said. “I’d like to take what I’ve done at the state level and go into a district and see the direct implications, see the teachers’ responses and the students’ responses.”

Domine said Gallaway will work on a one-year contract. He was earning $78,000 in annual salary, excluding benefits, and will earn $95,000, excluding benefits, with New Albany.

Read the June 28 edition of the ThisWeek New Albany News for more details.