This fall, four candidates are vying for three seats on the 9-member South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education: Trish Azeez, Liz Callahan, Kevin Diaz, and Will Meyer. Village Green has invited all candidates to submit a profile. Election Day is November 3. Read more election coverage here. The following profile is from Will Meyer.
Will Meyer
Hi, I’m Will Meyer. I am lucky to be a dad to two great kids, an education lawyer for students with disabilities, and, last but far from least, President of the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education – a position that I am proud on a daily basis to be able to hold.
I’m running for re-election to the BOE alongside my friend and colleague Liz Callahan. Liz and I were elected to the Board three years ago on a platform of stronger academics, better special education services, greater equity and opportunity for all students, and more transparent, collaborative, and accountable leadership, and a return to board professionalism and civility.
I am proud of the progress we’ve made together over the past three years, and believe that foundational work has positioned our district for meaningful improvements in the years ahead. As Board President, I’ve had the privilege of helping lead that work, and I’ve learned a great deal about which approaches to Board governance and district oversight are most effective. We have a lot left to do, and I am both grateful for what we’ve accomplished and clear-eyed about where we’ve fallen short. I am committed to putting that experience of wins and grows to work for another term.
I’ve lived in South Orange since 2019, and my wife and I have two children attending South Mountain Elementary and South Orange Middle School, and previously the Montrose Early Childhood Center. We’ve been lucky to have a great experience in our schools so far, though not without its twists and turns.
I’m a special education attorney with two decades of experience advocating for children and families. I currently serve as a partner at Regina Skyer & Associates, representing families of students with disabilities in securing the educational services and opportunities to which they’re entitled. Earlier in my career, I spent six years at Advocates for Children of New York, working on behalf of low-income families, including children with disabilities in the juvenile justice system. That work has shaped how I approach public service: understanding how complex institutions function, recognizing where they fail the people they serve, and finding practical ways to make them more responsive and accountable.
Before joining the Board, I was active in the South Mountain PTA, Presidents’ Council, and SEPAC SOMA, advocating for stronger special education services, meaningful family engagement, and more responsive district practices. I ran for office in 2023 (also in 2022 but that’s another story!) because I wanted to help our district deliver stronger educational opportunities for every student, improve services for children with disabilities, and build a more constructive relationship with families. I also believed our Board needed a more collaborative, professional approach to governance.
Serving alongside Liz, I’ve helped advance those priorities. We’ve hired a new superintendent, strengthened district leadership, expanded special education programming, updated academic pathways and instructional supports, and completed court monitoring of the Black Parents Workshop settlement. We’ve also helped establish a more productive and respectful Board culture, earning individual NJSBA certifications and helping the full Board achieve its collective Board Certification.
These accomplishments matter, but they’re not the finish line. Our district still faces persistent achievement gaps, inconsistent student services, aging facilities, and serious financial pressures. We’ve also seen how implementation failures, particularly with transportation and paraprofessional staffing, can directly affect students and families. I’m not asking voters to re-elect me simply because of our successes. I’m also asking for the opportunity to apply what I’ve learned from our setbacks, use that experience to avoid repeating mistakes, and help make our district more effective. The work doesn’t end when a policy is adopted or a budget is approved. We have to follow through, measure the results, and make corrections when necessary.
For the next three years, the priorities Liz and I have set are straightforward:
- Stronger academics for every student. Build on improvements in math and literacy, close achievement gaps, strengthen early intervention, and expand access to advanced coursework, arts, and enrichment.
- Better special education and student services. Make sure students get the services they need, families get answers, and the district follows through on its commitments.
- Equity and opportunity. Continue improving our integration initiative, address transportation and school assignment challenges, and continue the path of the Rutgers Equity Audit to ensure meaningful changes for students.
- Responsible budgets and better buildings. Fight for fairer state funding, protect classroom priorities, and develop a realistic plan to maintain and improve our aging schools.
- Accountability that delivers results. Strengthen oversight, communicate openly, listen to families, and measure success by what students actually experience, not just what the Board approves.
I’m very proud to be running with Liz. While I have lots of experience working with parents, teachers, and professionals in the field, Liz has also worked directly with students for decades, and brings that unparalleled depth of hands-on classroom experience to the board. We bring complementary strengths and a proven ability to work together. We don’t always agree on everything, but we know how to tackle difficult issues constructively and keep students at the center of our decisions.
I am truly humbled and taken aback by the amount of support our campaign has received from community members, educators, and current and former local leaders. Their endorsements reflect a shared belief in the progress our district is making and the work still ahead. You can read them at callahanmeyer.com/campaign-hub.
I’m not asking for another term only based on my successes. I’m asking because we’ve made progress, learned from our setbacks, and have a clearer understanding of what it takes to make lasting improvements. That continued lived experience is vitally important on the board right now.
I hope Liz and I can count on your vote on November 3. Let’s keep growing together.
Learn more about our priorities, How We Grow Together: Our Vision, at callahanmeyer.com.
Follow our campaign:
- Instagram: @callahanmeyerboe
- Facebook: Callahan & Meyer for BOE
