The Utah Education Association has welcomed Lisa Nentl-Bloom as its interim executive director, bringing decades of experience as an educator, organizer and union leader to the role.
Nentl-Bloom has spent her entire career working in education and advocacy. She began as a high school teacher in Minnesota, where she taught English language arts and video production. During her time in the classroom, she was active in her local, regional and state union, Education Minnesota.
In 1992, Nentl-Bloom joined the staff of Education Minnesota as a part-time organizer. By 1997, she was serving first as a UniServ director and later as a lobbyist and political and community organizer. She staffed the Grassroots Advocate Program, which encouraged strong grassroots activists in every school building, and supported the Great Public Schools Program, helping local associations build strong relationships with districts and communities.
In 2006, Nentl-Bloom was hired as a field organizer with NEA Campaigns and Elections. She worked with state affiliates in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Texas, Utah and Wyoming on legislative and electoral campaigns. During that time, she worked with UEA on the 2007 voucher referendum.
In 2012, she transitioned to NEA’s Center for Organizing, where she assisted state affiliates, including Utah, with the transition to AutoPay.
Nentl-Bloom was selected as UEA executive director in 2014. During her tenure, she focused on strengthening relationships among local option and state option UniServ staff and governance, enhancing legislative teamwork, building community coalitions and supporting UEA staff and leaders.
She returned to NEA in 2018, serving first as regional director for Zone 1 and later as NEA director of state affiliate relations and executive director of the National Council of State Executive Associations. Her work centered on professional development, coaching, facilitation and training for state leaders.
Nentl-Bloom retired in August 2025. She now returns to UEA in an interim capacity, bringing a deep understanding of the association’s history, structure and mission as it continues its work on behalf of Utah educators and students.
