Zachary Mellender
Zachary Mellender ran for election to the University of Nebraska Board of Regents to represent District 8. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Mellender completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Zachary Mellender earned a bachelor's degree from Capella University in 2020. His career experience includes working in nonprofit management.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Nebraska State Board of Regents election, 2024
General election
General election for University of Nebraska Board of Regents District 8
Incumbent Barbara Weitz defeated Zachary Mellender in the general election for University of Nebraska Board of Regents District 8 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Barbara Weitz (Nonpartisan) | 63.5 | 61,544 | |
| Zachary Mellender (Nonpartisan) | 36.5 | 35,357 | ||
| Total votes: 96,901 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for University of Nebraska Board of Regents District 8
Incumbent Barbara Weitz and Zachary Mellender advanced from the primary for University of Nebraska Board of Regents District 8 on May 14, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Barbara Weitz (Nonpartisan) | 66.0 | 24,173 | |
| ✔ | Zachary Mellender (Nonpartisan) | 34.0 | 12,464 | |
| Total votes: 36,637 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Mellender in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Zachary Mellender completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Mellender's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I’m an Eagle Scout and proud Eagle Scout Mentor, 4 times over. My teen years and adult years have been spent working at non-profits, mentoring youth, and trying to make Nebraska a better place.
Professionally, I am a senior leader in technology and data. I serve on two national industry committees and speak internationally on the use of data and technology in non-profits. I also serve on the Nebraska Information Technology Commission, which oversees the Office of the CIO in Nebraska. I was appointed by Governor Ricketts and confirmed by the Legislature.
I’m a proud father of the four best kids in the world and husband to the best wife (I’m a data guy, so it must be true). I’m an avid scuba diver and crossword lover.
I’m proud to be a Nebraskan and serve you already in public office. I hope to further serve our great State over the next 6 years.- Accountability. Our Board of Regents must act in the best interest of our state and taxpayers. Over 1 billion taxpayer dollars are managed by this group annually. Hiring and leading four campuses must have the highest standards and act on our behalf.
- Lower Tuition and Stop the Brain Drain. Nebraska has an annual net loss of college graduates. With as many science organizations, Fortune 500 companies, and some of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, we NEED to stop this. We need to attract and retain in-state students, as well as bringing high performers from out of state. Affordable tuition is a key component of this, especially for in-state students.
- Innovate and Lead. Nebraska was formerly a member of the AAU- a prestigious group for innovation and research. While we have not stopped innovating, the NU system does not receive the national recognition it deserves. Continued innovation, especially in precision agriculture, engineering, medicine, and technology are critical- they’re part of our past and part of our future.
I have always loved the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling. His other works aside, this poem is one of his finest achievements. He writes to his son, but the meaning may be applied to anyone of any gender or background.
If. If I can follow those ideals, I would be a leader and politician that I would support.
If.
Kipling's poem may be read below:
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
Tuition must be reasonable. Anyone who wants to go to college should have viable routes to do so. The board needs to ensure that the President of the University of Nebraska adequately governs each leader on every campus.
Finally, I moved into technology and data. I'm proud to say that I've made an impact in this area and grown the program from a new department to a critical impact within the Zoo and within the conservation industry. I've been privileged to serve on two national committees for the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. My experience in technology also led me to my first public service role, having been appointed to the Nebraska Information Technology Commission by Governor Ricketts.
Those in power must be the servants of their constituents. Those that make the decisions must be the ones held accountable. The Board of Regents is the ultimate authority for the University of Nebraska. They are accountable to the highest degree.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate University of Nebraska Board of Regents District 8 |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 14, 2024
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State of Nebraska Lincoln (capital) |
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