The National School Boards Association announced today that Thomas J. Gentzel, the longtime executive director of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, will become the national organization’s executive director on December 1. Gentzel previously led the NSBA’s Organization of State Association Executive Directors.
In a press release, Gentzel said, “I am deeply committed to community ownership of public schools, which is the essence of school board governance. We will build on a strong foundation, taking an active role in shaping education policy and ensuring a quality education for all children in America.”
The NSBA represents the more-than-90,000 local school board members who are part of its state associations, putting forward what it calls “the school board perspective” on federal policy and other national-level education issues and coordinating the work of its members.
Gentzel will succeed Anne L. Bryant, who served as the NSBA’s executive director for 16 years. Bryant is retiring at the end of September. Joseph S. Villani, NSBA’s deputy executive director and chief operations officer, will step in as interim executive director for the months of October and November.