From Eagle Nation to Magic Kingdom, Jason Recher has a front row seat to the magic of Disney.
For Jason Recher, it’s all about telling a great story. From his early days working on George W. Bush’s presidential campaign and serving as a Special Assistant to the President of the United States to his current role at The Walt Disney Company as Vice President of Segment Content Creation and Digital Integration, storytelling has been the backbone of Recher’s professional career.
Now working in Orlando, FL for one of the world’s most influential entertainment conglomerates, Recher and his team of technologists, graphic designers, communicators, publicists, and event planners have a clear goal: to inspire people to visit Disney’s parks. But this mission goes deeper than just driving attendance. It’s about upholding the legacy of one of the greatest storytelling companies of all time.
Q: “Segment Content Creation & Digital Integration.” What does that entail?
A: If you boil Disney down, there are three segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences, which is everything you touch (parks, our products, our cruise ships, our resorts, etc.). My job is basically overseeing public relations for our experiences segment. We have the thrilling job of being the connective tissue between all of those different parks and products, and telling these incredible stories about them. To work at a place that means so much to people is so unique and such a privilege. [That’s something] I carry with me every day.
Q: What’s your strategy for telling an effective story and connecting with audiences?
A: Public relations has changed dramatically in the last few years, especially with the shift in how people consume information. We may have relied on a press release in years past. We can’t do that anymore. We need to go to people like MrBeast [YouTube content creator with 424 million subscribers] and Dude Perfect [sports and comedy group with 61 million YouTube subscribers]. We had Chicks in the Office [pop culture podcast] here and let them come in and share their stories about our products and try to approach it through social media. Disney Parks has grown to nearly 12 million followers on TikTok. Our content is resonating online, and engaging people who are different storytellers themselves.
Q: Taking a step back, how did you find yourself working on the George W. Bush campaign? In what ways has your work at Disney tied back to that?
A: It was the end of my freshman year [in college] and I was hired as an intern on what was the George W. Bush Exploratory Committee before he decided to run for president. It was supposed to be a summer internship, but then it continued through the winter. We had the New Hampshire primary. He got his butt kicked by John McCain and lost by 18 points. My phone rang at 6 a.m. the next morning, and it was him. “I may have lost last night, but I’m going to win this whole thing. Drop out and come with me for a year.” So I did. I dropped out for a year, and then finished up at George Washington University. I had this opportunity to travel and learn the ropes.
Now, to me, on paper these jobs are in different fields, but in reality, it’s all about storytelling. One of the things I love about working at Disney is we have these amazing rides and we have these characters, but what keeps us fueled are the stories that families formulate when they visit and pass down from generation to generation. It’s all about people, which is the same in politics. You’ve got to convince people to vote. You have to have a compelling story about why you should invest your vote with a certain candidate or initiative. So you need that good story and those good characters to make that strong case.
Q: How did St. John’s Prep influence your career trajectory, or even just your approach to life?
A: I often tell people: The backbone of my education I credit to St. John’s Prep. (Editor’s note: it feels worth noting that Recher began his interview by singing a brief portion of the Alma Mater.) It was unique because I commuted down every day from New Hampshire. I didn’t know a soul. So for me, that education of making contacts and connecting with people from different communities and from different backgrounds was brand new to me. It’s something that I became passionate about and still am today. The first question I ask everybody when I meet them is, ‘Where are you from?’ There’s a difference in kids from Saugus, Revere, Marblehead, New Hampshire, etc. That was the first time I experienced that.
P.S. Curious as to how the Prep is maintaining faith in modern times? Read more about the recent renovations to the School's chapel.
Alumni, didn't get your Prep Magazine? Make sure the alumni office has your most up-to-date contact information.