Joshua Leavitt

Josh Leavitt is a Republican candidate for Nevada State Senate District 18. He is a lifelong Nevadan, family man, community leader, and entrepreneur passionate about growing Nevada businesses, improving education, and making Nevada the best place to raise a family. Josh has spent years working with governing officials on workforce development and technology policies and legislation, and he was instrumental in developing the Las Vegas Startup Ecosystem. He is committed to strengthening our economy by making it easier for people to start businesses, removing regulations, and cutting government waste. He will improve education by ensuring that parents can choose the right schools for their children. And he will create jobs by building pathways to high-paying and high-demand careers.

Josh has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Society for Information Management, National Center for Women in Information Technology Nevada Affiliate, Governor’s Office of Science Innovation and Technology, CCSD, CSN, and Workforce Connection. He is the founder and CEO of IONNovate, Intagly, and Tech Alley, a non-profit that brings the community together to share knowledge. His previous roles include the CIO of Maverick Helicopters and Regional Director of Tech Impact, a non-profit that provides workforce training to IT careers.

• I am committed to making starting a business easier by lowering fees, simplifying the process, and removing outdated and pointless regulations.
• Nevada wastes millions of dollars a year on redundant technology, licensing, and services by allowing each government agency to control its budget, staff, and purchasing power. As a former CIO, I know the value of aligning technology strategies. I will help the State create an effective technology governance plan to control spending and align resources to serve Nevadans better.
• Improving Nevada’s education system is a critical priority for the future of our State and is the cornerstone of individual success and the foundation of a thriving community. As a State Senator, I will focus on reducing class size, teacher support, accountability and transparency, and making Nevada a top state for education.

Education - Improving K-12 education and increasing the number of private postsecondary education opportunities.

Budget - Reducing the money spent on governmental functions and increasing revenue by cutting business costs and regulations.

Healthcare - Increasing the number of healthcare professionals and resources for mental healthcare in Nevada.