Pennsylvania School Boards Association
Thomas J. Gentzel
Execuitve Director
Pennsylvania School Boards Association
Thomas J. Gentzel is executive director of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, which represents and serves more than 5,000 school directors, administrators and other officials from school entities throughout the state.
Gentzel previously served as a county administrator and, later, as assistant executive director of the state association of county commissioners. He joined the PSBA staff in 1980 as a lobbyist and, five years later, was promoted to head the organization’s Office of Governmental and Member Relations -- a position he held for more than 16 years. He became PSBA executive director in 2001 and leads a staff of 130 persons who provide a range of publications, conferences and seminars, as well as insurance programs, management and legal assistance, and advocacy services for local school officials.
In his official capacity, Gentzel is a member of the boards of the Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS), the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), the Pennsylvania Academy for the Profession of Teaching and Learning, and the Pennsylvania School District Liquid Asset Fund (PSDLAF). He chairs the Board of Directors of School Boards Insurance Company of Pennsylvania (SBIC of PA) and is a board member of the PSBA Insurance Trust, School Claims Service, and EasyProcure, a procurement card joint venture. In addition, Gentzel serves as Vice President at Large for the National School Public Relations Association, representing the interests of school boards, and was appointed by Govenor Tom Ridge and reappointed twice by Govenor Edward Rendell to the State Advisory Panel on Special Education. In 2006, he was named to the Outreach Advisory Board for The Pennsylvania State University. He previously chaired the Pennsylvania Coalition for Public Education, is a founder and former coordinator of the Alliance for a School Aid Partnership, and has served on numerous other committees. He is a member of Pi Alpha Alpha, the National Honorary Society for Public Affairs and Administration.
Gentzel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Development and a Master of Public Administration degree, both from Penn State. He and his wife, Sherrin, have been married since July 1974, and are the parents of three sons: John, Adam, and Nathan. In addition to his family, his interests include History, writing, and travel.