Heath Mello | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Nebraska Legislature from the 5th district | |
| In office January 7, 2009 –January 4, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Don Preister |
| Succeeded by | Mike McDonnell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Heath Michael Mello August 2,1979 Omaha,Nebraska,U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Catherine Mello |
| Children | 2 |
Heath Mello (born August 2,1979) is an American politician who is a former member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Mello ran for mayor of Omaha,Nebraska,but was defeated by incumbent Jean Stothert in the 2017 mayoral election,receiving 46.56% of the vote.
On July 11,2023,the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce announced Heath Mello as the organization's new CEO after its CEO resigned. [1]
He was born in Nebraska,graduated from Gretna High School and resides in Omaha,Nebraska. Mello received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 2002. [2] He currently works as a Community Affairs and Development Specialist at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha,NE. [3] He is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. [4]
Prior to his election to the Nebraska Legislature,Mello worked as a senior aide to U.S. Senator Ben Nelson and as an Assistant Coordinator to the Nebraska Community Improvement Program. [5]
Mello,a Roman Catholic,is a member of St. Thomas More Parish in Omaha,NE and a member of the Knights of Columbus. Mello and his wife,Catherine,were married on May 22,2010. [6]
Mello was a Nebraska state senator who was elected to represent the 5th Legislative District in the Nebraska Legislature on November 4,2008. Legislative District 5 consists of the South Omaha and North Bellevue portions of the Omaha Metropolitan area. Mello was re-elected November 6,2012. He was opposed by NARAL Pro-Choice America [7] due to earlier introduction of anti-abortion legislation,and support of legislation introduced by others. Pro-choice advocates also assailed Senator Bernie Sanders and Democratic Party Chairman Tom Perez [8] for their support of Mello. [9] [10] The Huffington Post reported that Mello sponsored the final version of a 20-week abortion ban approved by the governor in 2010. He also cast anti-abortion votes,including supporting a requirement for physicians to be physically present during an abortion,which limited access to telemedicine abortion care. Additionally,he supported a law banning insurance plans in the state from covering abortions. He was endorsed in 2010 by anti-abortion group Nebraska Right to Life. [11]
Mello was elected to the Legislature in 2008 and reelected in 2012. In his final term in the legislature,Mello served as chairman of the Appropriations Committee [12] and on the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee [13] in the Nebraska Legislature,as well as the Legislature's State Planning Committee, [14] Homeland Security Policy Group and the Healthcare Reform Task Force.
Mello is an active member in national state legislative organizations;serving on the Economic Development [15] and Energy [16] Committees within the Midwestern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Governments,as well as,the Budgets &Revenue [17] and Labor &Economic Development Committees [18] within the National Conference of State Legislators. Mello is also a member of CLEAN (Coalition of Legislators for Energy Action Now), [19] the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators [20] and the Specialty Equipment Market Association State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus. [21]
On July 11,2023,Greater Omaha Chamber announce Heath Mello as organization's new CEO after in past CEO resign. [22]
As of March 10,2010 Mello served on the Board of Directors for One World Health Center, [23] Bellevue Community Police Foundation, [24] South Omaha Business Association, [25] the South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance [26] and the Q Street Merchants Association. He also served as a member of South Omaha Optimists,South Omaha Development Project,South Omaha Environmental Task Force,South Omaha Weed &Seed,Bellevue Chamber of Commerce,Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce,and Omaha Chamber of Commerce. [27]
Mello was appointed as chief lobbyist for the University of Nebraska system in December 2017. [28]
Mello is Roman Catholic. [29]
Heath Mello has introduced and supported anti-abortion legislation during his time at the Nebraska Unicameral, and Planned Parenthood Voters of Nebraska strongly opposed him when he took such actions,
Nor did it stop Perez from issuing a statement announcing that he "fundamentally disagree[s] with Heath Mello's personal beliefs about women's reproductive health,"
progressives began withdrawing support for Omaha, Nebraska mayoral candidate Heath Mello after discovering that, as a Nebraska state senator eight years ago, he supported an abortion-related ultrasound bill.
Mello has co-sponsored several bills in Nebraska's unicameral legislature that would restrict abortion rights, including a 2009 measure requiring doctors to inform women seeking abortions about the availability of an ultrasound.
Heath Mello has introduced and supported anti-abortion legislation during his time at the Nebraska Unicameral, and Planned Parenthood Voters of Nebraska strongly opposed him when he took such actions,
