Fact Sheet
Utah Education Association

Purpose

The Utah Education Association, originally called “The Deseret School Teachers’ Association,” was organized in 1860 “for the purpose of establishing a society for promoting the educational interests of the community.” Today, the Association’s mission is to advance the cause of public education in partnership with others; strengthen the teaching profession; promote quality schools for Utah’s children; and advocate the well-being of members.

Membership

The Utah Education Association is Utah’s largest education association, representing 18,000 members in 40 school districts, Applied Technology Colleges, and the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. The UEA family includes educators teaching kindergarten through twelfth grade, teachers who serve learning disabled and special education students, administrators, librarians, psychologists, speech and physical therapists, counselors, coaches, Applied Technology College personnel, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

Structure

In the UEA, individuals elected by the membership determine the policies of the Association — and how to implement them. The UEA House of Delegates, which meets in the spring of each year, is the legislative body of the Association. Delegates are elected from each of the local education associations in the state. They determine the policies to be carried out by the UEA Board of Directors. The Board manages the business of the Association and includes the UEA president, vice president, two NEA state directors for Utah, one director representing each of the 10 UniServ units, and one director representing ethnic minorities. The UEA is an affi liate of the 3.2 million-member National Education Association, America’s oldest and largest organization committed to advancing the cause of public education. Founded in Philadelphia and now headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NEA has 50 state associations and more than 14,000 local association affi liates.

UniServ

The cornerstone of the UEA’s member representation system is the UniServ (Unifi ed Services) program — a statewide staffi ng network which provides professional consultants to serve members in each of 10 geographic locations. Fifteen UniServ directors offer on-site services, including bargaining and contract enforcement, grievance representation, school and teacher advocacy, political action and communications assistance. UniServ directors represent members at school district meetings and before boards of education. They also provide valuable guidance on professional development issues.

President

Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh, a 30-year veteran teacher at Salt Lake City’s Dilworth Elementary is president of the Utah Education Association. Gallagher-Fishbaugh was the 2009 Utah Teacher of the Year and earned the National Education Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence in 2010. She is a National Board Certified Teacher, a distinction earned by just 82,000 teachers nationwide.

Vice President

Tom Nedreberg, is currently technology director for the Tintic School District in Eureka and vice president of the Utah Education Association. Nedreberg has been in public education for more than 25 years, including positions as elementary school teacher, principal and special education director.

Executive Director

Mark Mickelsen, former UEA director of communications and public relations, serves as executive director of the Utah Education Association. Mickelsen has 26 years experience serving the needs of educators and public employees throughout Utah.

UEA Staff

The UEA employs 21 staff members at its headquarters in Murray, Utah. Staff members administer the programs and services established by the membership and member-elected leadership. Professional staff members are each assigned a “program area.” Current program areas include legal services, teaching and learning, member advocacy, communications and public relations, political action and issue organizing, government relations, research and bargaining.