Interprofessional Academy of Educators
University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Member Spotlight

Shining a Spotlight on Eric Bloomquist

Eric Bloomquist headshot

Academy Member Since 2024
Communication & Learning Experience Manager
UNMC Faculty Development
Bio

What do you do at UNMC?
As a Faculty Developer, my job is to create experiences that help faculty thrive, lead more effectively, and strengthen the culture of UNMC. My team and I get to design, coordinate, and promote programs, workshops, resources, and communications that equip and empower faculty to grow in their roles as educators, clinicians, researchers, and leaders. Ultimately, our goal is to help UNMC faculty be wildly successful and to build meaningful careers.

Tell us about your educational research interests and teaching role.
I have broad interests relating to enhancing the vitality of the workforce. How can our educational experiences and learning environments foster connections both to our broader organizational mission, and among individual colleagues and teams? How can individual strengths be leveraged to craft meaningful, engaging work? How can we empower growth and development within the unique constraints and pressures of the modern day?

What is one of your most memorable teaching/education moments?
In alternating years, our office runs iLEAD—a longitudinal leadership development experience for a select group of faculty from across UNMC. At the most recent graduation ceremony, I surveyed a room abuzz with energy. As participants presented the outcomes and leadership lessons gained through the hard work of their incredibly diverse individual iLEAD projects, I was immensely satisfied knowing I had a part in creating the conditions for such growth and discovery.

What do you see as the biggest benefit to being a member of the IAE?
With so much incredible work happening independently across the institution, I am grateful that the Academy breaks down silos and offers a platform for interprofessional connection and collaboration.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I play and practice patience with my three young kids, who are the greatest motivators for me to do good work in the world.
I sing in a community choir, which is a fun artistic outlet and connects me to folks from across Omaha.
I read and listen to books. One of my New Year's resolutions for 2026 was to trade out my usual news and politics podcasts for audiobooks on my commute. I'm still plenty informed about the world, and my Goodreads "read" list for 2026 has already seen a twofold increase from my 2025 list.

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