UEA Receives National Recognition for Referendum Campaign and Communication Work

The Utah Education Association received national recognition at the State Education Association Communicators Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for communication work supporting public educators, public union workers and collective bargaining in Utah.

The UEA and Protect Utah Workers coalition partners received an Award of Excellence for Government and Political Affairs Campaign for “From Power Grab to Repeal: A Campaign that Defied the Odds and Reshaped Utah Politics.” 

“We are proud to have this work in Utah recognized nationally,” UEA Interim Executive Director Lisa Nentl-Bloom said. “This recognition reflects what public educators, union members and workers across Utah made possible when they stood together to protect collective bargaining and the right of working people to have a voice in decisions that affect their work, their families and their communities.”

During the conference, UEA Director of Communication and Public Relations Hailey Higgins presented on the communication strategy behind the referendum campaign and joined a crisis communication panel with other state education association communicators. In both conversations, the focus was on the people behind the work and the shared effort it took to protect collective bargaining in Utah.

In 2025, Higgins led the communication strategy for the HB 267 referendum, which helped turn a sweeping attack on public-sector labor unions into Utah’s most successful citizen referendum effort. 

Working with UEA and Protect Utah Workers coalition partners, the campaign mobilized 5,000 public educators, union members, and volunteers across the state to gather more than 320,000 signatures in 30 days to put collective bargaining for public-sector labor unions on the ballot. In December 2025, Utah lawmakers voted to repeal the controversial law. UEA Communication Associate Meg Tanner was also recognized for branding excellence in design.

UEA Communication Associate Meg Tanner was also recognized for branding excellence in design. In 2024, the team was also honored by the State Education Association Communicators for UEA’s rebranding campaign.