Name                           Mark Gudgel

Occupation                   English, Humanities, and World Religions Teacher, Omaha North High Magnet School

Education                     Bachelor's in English Education, University of Nebraska, Master's in Theology, Grace University, Ed.D. in Character Education, Regent University

Political Affiliation        Democrat

Website                       GudgelForMayor.Com

What are your connections to the community?

I moved here when I married my wife back in 2013. I live in Field Club and teach at Omaha North. I am the chair of the board of the vinNEBRASKA Foundation, and am on the board of the Omaha Performing Arts Presenter's Circle and the Field Club Home Owner's Association. Sonja and I love Omaha and want to improve it for our children as well as for yours.

What experience do you bring to the office?

I'd begin by saying that I view being mayor not as a career change, but as a transition; I've been a public servant for seventeen years and will remain one once elected. Further I'd add that I'm convinced that the experience of teachers prepares us well to hold office. I've also co-founded a global non-profit organization, the Educators' Institute for Human Rights, where I served as the executive director for six years until my son was born in 2015.

What would one of your top priorities be?

We have to end brain drain in Omaha. Conagra told us that's why they left. Kiewitt is building an 1100 employee facility right now in Colorado. TDA is gone, and at this rate there won't be a Fortune 500 left for my children to intern at by the time they're sixteen.  If we don't begin to efficaciously address the fact that Omaha's number one export are our best and brightest young people, then this city won't be worth living in soon. We can fix this and I have a plan for doing so.  I hope people will check out my web page and look over my policy proposals.

What motivated you to run for public office?

The short answer is that I have kids, and my kids and yours deserve better than Omaha has to offer right now. I wanted to change that. My campaign was born of three teachers sitting on my front porch doing what teachers do, trying to figure out how to improve the world for the young people we love and serve. I want to see Omaha transformed into a place where all people can thrive, now and for years to come. To do that we have to address the economy, climate change, our failed infrastructure, and much more. I'm eager to get to work.

What’s the biggest issue that Omaha faces?

In the short term, roads, and the reason is simple: humankind has been building roads for thousands of years, yet somehow you and I live in one of the few cities in the world that still can't seem to master the concept. It's not a lack of ability, but a lack of political will and leadership. The bottom line is that if our municipal government can't be trusted to fix a hole in the ground, then how can we trust them with issues of climate change, race relations, and our other larger problems? Do we have bigger problems than roads? Absolutely, but we're going to have to learn to crawl before we can walk, and this city has been mismanaged for so long that that just may take some time.

Is there anything else you want to tell voters?

The idea that Omaha can and should be better isn't a partisan idea. No matter who you are, how much money you have, or where you live, you don't want your children moving to New York and never coming back. The climate is changing for us all. The roads are terrible everywhere. I've invested countless hours in authoring my "Our Omaha" policy, my "LGBTQ+ Bill of Rights" and many others that you can find on my web page. I'd love to hear from you, and I'd be grateful to have your support. Thank you.