Education
BS, Political Science and Economics from University of Nebraska, Omaha.
Current Public Office, dates
N/A
Past Public Office, dates held
Subdistrict 7 Director for the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District Board. I was elected in 2012 and reelected in 2016.
Military experience
U.S. Army Reserve, 2005-Present. Presently, Major/Joint Training Officer US STRATCOM.
Volunteer experience
Served on the Keep Omaha Beautiful Board of Directors, Past New Leaders Council Finance Director, Past Omaha by Design Redevelopment Finance Committee, MAPA Heartland 2050 Committee, as well as other various other community boards and nonprofits.
Other Social Media
Instagram: Leahy_for_nebraska
X and/or Bluesky Handle
n/a
When I go door to door, the top concern that I hear is that our schools need to do a better job of setting our kids up for success in the workforce. Too many students are leaving high school or college without a direct path to securing a good job that pays the bills. We have good schools here in Nebraska compared to other states, but improving the school to career pipeline is an identified need across all districts and will be a focus of mine. I am supportive of increased partnerships between our schools and the community, whether that be businesses, trade associations, higher education, the military, etc., to get young Nebraskans firsthand experience in different careers so they can see there is a wide array of opportunity in Nebraska.
Nebraska is facing workforce shortages in nearly every sector. The solutions start by keeping people here. From recently graduated to retirees and everyone in between, we must make sure they do not think the grass is greener in another state. The second thing is to make our state more welcoming as a place where people can have a good career in an affordable community which adds up to a great quality of life. This includes making housing more affordable at every price point, addressing the rising cost of childcare for families, lowering taxes on small businesses, investing in community recreation, and more. If elected, these “pocket book” issues for working people will be my guiding light. Everyone should be able to thrive in our state.
Each community in our state has unique needs. We cannot have a zero-sum mindset which then pits neighbors against neighbors. We need to take a “both, and” approach. Our state can succeed when we work together to meet the serious fiscal and environmental challenges facing us. I do not want to push “one size fits all” solutions that ignore differences between communities. The best policies may look one way for Omaha, and a different way for Chadron, yet another way for Central City, etc. We should welcome local input to help tailor the right policy for each community. When allocating resources, we need to weigh the return on any investment, what projects are “shovel-ready”, and that we’ve balanced geographically and demographically.
The primary responsibilities are to represent their community in the legislative process, finding solutions to the problems affecting our entire state, and making sure that Nebraskans are safe and protected. The best way to do each of those is to be proactive in listening to constituents. As I go door to door, I get to share my ideas and reasons for running, but likewise, I get to listen to the frustrations, fears, and hopes that voters have right now. That feedback is already helping reshape my ideas as well as my “why”. None of us are as smart as all of us. Input that I get when I’m out in the community will influence my thinking in all aspects of the role. On ballot initiatives and elections, I will always respect the will of the voters.
Education
B.S. in Political Science, University of Nebraska at Omaha; MA in History and Government, Expected Graduation May 2027, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Volunteer experience
UNO Community Garden, UNO Student Government Association (Vice President & Chief of Staff)
Other Social Media
tiktok.com/@natefornebraska
Throughout my time in schools, it was always the teachers who wanted to be there who had the most impact on me and my peers. The teacher shortage in Nebraska is limiting students' opportunities to have similar positive experiences by stretching people thin. I would like to see the Nebraska Teacher Recruitment and Retainment Act, which offers grant incentives at specific milestones for educators, expanded and tied to the cost of living. Taking these steps could help set us on the path to expand the number of not only classroom teachers, but also paraeducators who face low pay and high burnout rates. Retaining these educators, who are asked to meet our students' needs, is a top priority of mine and could do a lot to strengthen K-12.
Increasing access to childcare is among the best tools at our disposal for promoting economic development and family well-being. If current childcare subsidies are allowed to expire, Nebraska will be among the least helpful to families with childcare costs. Meanwhile, states like New Mexico are launching universal cost-free childcare programs, guaranteeing access for all children. Nebraska should strive to compete with other states on this front because accessible childcare has been shown to promote economic development by filling vacant jobs and leading to long-term gains by helping break cycles of poverty, with the added impact of freeing up room in many families' budgets which can aid growth in other aspects of our economy.
Looking at Nebraska holistically and from a people-first perspective means understanding that the rural, urban, and suburban regions are deeply interconnected, and that their success depends on one another. I will always strongly advocate for my district's needs because I’m in the best position to understand them. It is imperative, though, that legislators work with their colleagues to develop policy for the entire state, as no one person can possess a complete picture of what is required for all people living in Nebraska. Through collaboration, compromise, and open dialogue, we can accomplish policymaking that works well enough for everyone.
I view the role of the state senator as half of the legislative process here in Nebraska. The other half is welcoming and even inviting constituent feedback on a wide variety of issues, because, with a unicameral system, the people are the Second House, akin to the House of Representatives and the United States Senate at the federal level. I believe that this process begins even with the decision to run for office, the conversations held every day, knocking on doors, and the responsibility for responsiveness once in office. State senators have the responsibility to keep the public informed, be active in communication, and seek out information to inform themselves and make good decisions from both experiential and empirical perspectives.
