jeffleanna.com

Jeff is a native Nebraskan, having grown up in Omaha and resides there today.

Politically, Jeff specializes in field management, community organizing and initiative campaigns at the local, state and federal level. In the area of photography, Jeff is gaining recognition
in the Omaha and regional art scene, winning numerous juried exhibitions and competitions, and is known primarily for his landscape, travel and abstract-nature photography.

Jeff is an AmeriCorp VISTA alum and is a strong believer in giving back to his community. Jeff has been awarded Presidential Volunteer Service Awards by the President's Council on
Service and Civic Participation in 2007 and 2009, for volunteer service to organizations including Eastern Nebraska CERT, Habitat for Humanity, the MS Society and U.S. Coast Guard
Auxiliary.

Jeff was a national award-winner as part of a national traveling art exhibit sponsored by the National PTA Reflections program in 1988. Jeff's watercolor painting of a mountain forest
scene toured nationally and was on display at numerous museums and art centers, including the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Art Institute of Chicago, The High
Museum in Atlanta and the de Young Museum in San Francisco.

Politics

With more than 13 years experience in campaign politics, Jeff has successfully managed political, initiative and issue campaigns at the local, state and federal level.

Currently, Jeff is advising friend and current Papio-Missouri NRD Board Member Larry Bradley in his run for the District 4 seat on the Nebraska Board of Regents in 2012.

In the summer of 2011, Jeff traveled to Wisconsin to join Advancing Wisconsin, a 501 c4, as a Regional Field Director and was involved in recall campaigns in 5 Senate Districts,
working to recall 3 Republicans and protect 2 Democrats who were members of the Wisconsin 14.

Jeff is also working with former Democratic nominee for Governor of Nebraska, Mike Meister, as Executive Director of a new PAC, the Nebraska Progressive VOTE Political Action
Committee, or Nebraska ProVOTE. Nebraska ProVOTE will work to build and sustain a progressive, grassroots organization in Nebraska focused on volunteering, organizing, training
and educating Nebraskans to affect political change at the grassroots level. Jeff served on Mike Meister’s historic, yet unsuccessful, campaign for Nebraska Governor in 2010 as the
Political and Operations Director, serving as the candidate’s primary aide and advisor.

Jeff has also worked for a national renowned political consulting firm in Washington, D.C. Specializing in field, organizing and initiative campaigns with a client list that’s a Who’s Who in
progressive national politics. Jeff has worked on projects for the firm for more than 5 years and on behalf of clients in nearly a dozen states including California, Colorado, Ohio and
Louisiana.

From 2005 to 2007, Jeff was elected to serve as the National Vice President for Students and Youth and a member of the Board of Directors for the Young Democrats of America, a 527
political youth organization with more the 100,000 members in nearly every state. Prior to serving as a national officer, Jeff served as the Midwest Region Director for YDA and was
elected Treasurer to one of YDA’s caucus organizations. In Nebraska, Jeff was the founding 2nd Vice President for the Nebraska Young Democrats. In 2004, Jeff served as President of
the Nebraska College Democrats was named as the National Vice-Chair of a College Democrats of America caucus organization. In 2002, Jeff founded the UNOmaha College
Democrats and served as its first President.

Jeff has worked as the campaign manager for numerous personal clients running for offices as diverse as natural resource district, city council, legislature, Board of Regents and
Congress. Jeff has worked as a member of field and finance staff for campaigns from local school board to the U.S. Senate, and everything in between.

Jeff got his start in politics from an unlikely source, working at Gallup as an interviewer for the nationally renowned USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll.

You can learn more about Jeff’s political consulting business by visiting Prairiefire Campaigns, LLC.

International Politics and NGOs

Currently, Jeff is working with The John Beasley Theater in the areas of donor development, e-advocacy, website development and boosting the social media presence of JBT.

Jeff worked for The Carter Center in 2010 and 2011 as an International Elections Observer with the Democracy Program Sudan Mission , observing the Southern Sudan Referendum
on Independence. Jeff worked closely with staff from the SSRC and IOM as well as observers and staff from the U.N., USAID, and U.S. State Department to ensure a peaceful and
credible election process.

Jeff has twice been accepted and participated in the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) in 2008 and 2009 at Tulane University and the University of Texas at Austin. Jeff's CGIU
commitment was in the focus area of Peace and Human Rights. Jeff's story was featured on President Clinton's 'Giving' website during the promotion of President Clinton's latest book.

In 2007 and 2008, Jeff served as the Chair of the YDA International Affairs Select Committee, to coordinate YDA efforts with IFLRY, the International Federation of Liberal Youth. Jeff
was instrumental, along with several other YDA officers and committee members, in YDA joining IFLRY as a full member in 2007. Jeff attended IFLRY General Assemblies in Andorra,
Dallas and Sarajevo. As YDA’s representative, Jeff participated in a number of Study Seminars sponsored by the Council of Europe. They include: Strasbourg, France (2006) Youth
and Minorities: Achieving Integrated multicultural Society; Barcelona and Andorra (2006) Dangerous Paths of Media: Youth Against Violence; Budapest, Hungary (2007) Fighting
Islamaphobia; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (2007); Dallas, TX (2007) Liberal Challenges in the 21st Century; Hamburg, Germany (2007) Youth and Poverty: Decisions Made and
To Be Made.

From 2006 to 2008, Jeff served as a member of Board of Editors for Libel: The Journal of IFLRY and regularly contributed articles to the publication.

Photography

Jeff is a rising star in the Omaha and regional art scene as an award-winning photographer. Jeff is most well-known for his landscape, travel and abstract-nature photography. An avid
traveler, Jeff has exhibited photographs from more than 30 states and 12 countries. Jeff has also exhibited photographs from events as diverse as the 2004 and 2008 Democratic
National Conventions, 2009 Presidential Inaugural, the 2009 World Series and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Currently, Jeff exhibits photographs locally and regionally at juried
exhibitions and sells the majority of his photographs through his participation in non-profit fund raisers.

Jeff is an avid storm chaser and has had photos of tornado and storm damage photos featured on CNN, the Omaha World Herald, the National Weather Service, the High Plains
Regional Climate Center and the UNOmaha Gateway.

You can learn more about Jeff’s photography by visiting Prairiefire Fine Art Photography, LLC.

Educational Background

Jeff received his undergraduate degree at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, with a degree in Political Science and a strong concentration in geography, specifically political
geography and GIS analysis. Jeff was recognized for his academic and leadership success, having been inducted into Pi Gamma Mu, Omicron Delta Kappa and Alpha Lambda Delta.
Jeff was recognized in Who’s Who Among Students at American Universities and Colleges. While at UNOmaha, Jeff served 2 years as a member of the Student Senate and was a 2000
member of the Homecoming Court while serving as President of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity colony. While at UNOmaha, Jeff served as Staff Assistant with the UNOmaha Athletic
Department.

After graduating from UNOmaha, Jeff attended the University of Akron for 1 year as a Graduate Scholar with the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics program.

Looking to expand his graduate school education, Jeff was accepted into the nationally ranked Public Administration program at the University of Nebraska. Jeff received his Master of
Public Administration (MPA) degree with a concentration in non-profit and organizational management. While a graduate student, Jeff served 3 years as a member of Student Senate,
representing first, the Graduate Class and later, the Graduate College. Jeff also served as a member of the Student Government Executive Committee as the Legislative and Public
Affairs Officer.

A strong proponent of continuing education, Jeff has continued his life-long quest for learning. Jeff has completed more than 25 courses through FEMAs Emergency Management
Institute, has a CAPM certification from the Project Management Institute and is currently completing a Graduate Citation in Project Management from Harvard University Extension
School.

Jeff graduated from Omaha Burke High School and was actively involved with the U.S. Army JROTC program, graduating as a cadet Lt. Colonel. Among the numerous awards and
honors, Jeff is most proud of is the U.S. Army JROTC Superior Cadet medal, the American Legion Medal for Military excellence, the American Legion Medal for Scholastic Excellence
and the Military Officers Association of America JROTC Medal.

Jeff was a 3-year letter winner on Burke’s JROTC Rifle Team, earning Expert Marksmanship badges in .22 cal Rifle and Pistol.

about me