Tony Vargas 

Tony Vargas is a Nebraska State Senator elected in 2016. Tony has focused on addressing educational .equity, increasing affordable housing, and improving healthcare access. Although he is a democrat serving in a Republican-majority legislature, he passed 30 laws and has worked effectively across party lines; respected for his leadership and civility, he was elected by his colleagues to be Vice-Chair of the Executive Board. This year, he fought for COVID-19 relief by securing $85 million in emergency funds and fighting for meatpacking worker protections. As executive director, he leads an association of organizations who support thousands of people with disabilities across Nebraska. Tony was recently named a “Top 20 Under 40” official by the Council of State Governments. In 2018, Tony was selected for the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, a partnership between the foundations of Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon Johnson. He began his career as a teacher in N.Y.C. with Teach For America. He earned his bachelor's from the University of Rochester and his Master's Degree from Pace University. ony is a Fellow of the Civil Society Fellowship and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.