Membership Task Force

Chair: Tom Nedreberg, UEA Vice President
Staff Contact: Jenny Okerlund, Director of Member Development, Capacity Building & Member Benefits
Board Members Assigned: Julie Seeley, Ed Sanderson and Connie Sorensen 

The UEA Membership Task Force is tasked with overseeing various membership development programs, and implementing new and innovative ideas to support local affiliates’ efforts to recruit new member, maintain current members, recapture former members, and to engage educators in the work of the Association.

The UEA employs several programs:

New Educator Member Benefits Program
The New Educator Member Benefits Program provides a package of member benefits designed specifically for the needs of new educators.  The package is valued at approximately $600.

A component of the New Educator Member Benefits Program is a medical insurance bridge, BasicMED, which provides employer-provided health insurance for members in districts which have a waiting period before eligibility. 

Early Enrollment Program
The NEA-sponsored Early Employment Liability (EEL) program and the UEA-sponsored Early Enrollment Program (EEP) offer no-cost introductory membership with limited benefits to educators these enrollees. The NEA EEL program is open to first-time members only. The UEA EEP is open to any educator eligible for Active membership, regardless of prior membership history.  These programs provide limited use of legal services and UniServ assistance.  The early enrollment period is open between April 1 and August 31 of the membership year.

UEA Membership Grants to Local Affiliates
The UEA Membership Committee oversees the disbursement of the UEA Membership Grants to local associations to support their efforts in member recruitment and maintenance and capacity building.

University Outreach & NEA/UEA Student Program
The UEA/NEA Student Program provides member benefits to students in teacher-preparation programs. In addition to the many financial programs and professional development opportunities, the NEA Educator Employment Liability (EEL) protection is available to Student-Teachers.

Working with various universities and colleges of education, this program introduces pre-service educators to the Association. Presentations and workshops are made available to students at Utah State University, University of Utah, Weber State College, and Westminster College. This project impacts hundreds of pre-service educators throughout Utah. Workshops have included:

  • New Educators’ Workshop—a full day of workshops for new teachers and student teachers at the annual UEA convention
  • “Prepared, Not Scared”—presentation on job interviews and applications, mock interviews provided for graduates seeking employment
  • “Prepared to Succeed”—presentation on managing one’s own classroom for newly hired educators 
  • “Professionalism”—presentation on professionalism and ethics for new hires and students

Other Membership Efforts
Significant efforts are made to engage “new hires”, recruit career educators who have never joined the Association, and to recapture former members as active members. Strategies are designed to acquaint potential members with the valuable programs and services the UEA offers. Some specific activities include:

  • Targeted organizing events in local affiliates
  • The New Educators’ Workshop at the annual UEA convention
  • Targeted print communications to correct misinformation and attacks by competing organizations
  • Data collection and review to assess methods and adjust as necessary 

 Membership remains strong and increasing numbers of members are engaged in the important activities and events of the Association.

2011-12 UEA Membership Task Force Members

Tom Nedreberg - UEA Vice President
Cindy Carroll -  Jordan UniServ Director
Denise Dixon -  Eastern UniServ
Jessica Dunn - Davis UniServ
Jo Egelund - Ogden/Weber UniServ
Bruce Ingleby - UEA Staff
Sean Mabey - NEA Member Benefits
Linda Okabe - Wasatch UniServ
Jenny Okerlund - UEA Director of Organizing, Capacity Building & Member Benefits
Kari Parent - Bonneville UniServ
Nikki Peterson - Granite UniServ
Sue Porter - Color Country UniServ
Ed Sanderson  - UEA Board/Bonneville UniServ
Julie Seeley  - UEA Board/Eastern UniServ
Heather Shepherd  - UEA Staff
Connie Sorensen  - UEA Board/Granite UniServ
Rick Steadman - Jordan UniServ
Sherilyn Tibbitts - Northern UniServ