I represent sixteen schools and 30,000 people living in district E, in northwest Reno, Nevada. I work with six other trustees to provide leadership and guide the school district in a progressive direction.

EDUCATION | University of Nevada, Reno Bachelor's Degree in Journalism

HOW TO GET STARTED | Based on what's expected of a public official, this line of work can basically become your life. The demands on your time are so great that you have to give up things in the past in order to focus on the present and think about the future. Know that it will happen. It's important to be professional and respectful at all times. This line of work is high-profile and to be effective you have to earn other people's respect.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | Traits like honesty and hard work are a given. Beyond that, there are a variety of personality traits that can all lead to success in this career. There are successful elected officials who are quiet and behind the scenes and others, equally successful, who are activist and comfortable out in the community. This is a career where people of all ages, all genders and all religions have the opportunity to succeed. With such a diverse group of traits, the common ground is the drive to work hard for others and to be honest and ethical. Sometimes the pressure of the position can get to people but most try to do the right thing.

how I got started | I first started working in public service when I was in the military. Serving on humanitarian missions, peacekeeping operations, and natural disaster clean-ups stoked the fire. When I left the military I wanted to continue public service. I decided to run for Reno city council in 2006. Even though I didn't win the election, I walked away with a lot of respect, additional experience and name recognition. That came in handy when I ran for Washoe County school board in 2008 and I was able to win with 65%.

why this job?| I chose this career because I like to help people, I'm a natural leader and I like to be involved in important, meaningful things. Serving in local government provides all those opportunities.

why I love this job!| (1) All the people I get to meet. The job of a political candidate and elected official is to communicate with as many people in that community as possible. During the past three years I estimate that I've spoken to 10,000 people in person and 7,000 people online through social networking. It's very exciting! (2) As an elected official I don't really have a boss except for the citizens as a whole. I have a strong personality and as an elected official I have the ability to do what I think is important and there's really no boss saying "you can't do that." (3) There's something exciting about having a job that allows you to make decisions that can have a real positive impact on a lot of people. Having a job like this, especially at a younger age really makes you think deeply, think ahead, and consider how my actions and decisions can affect all the people around me. It's a humbling responsibility, but very exciting as well.

my typical day| My typical day involves a lot of meetings, some one-on-one and others with groups of people. Meetings are important because that's where I learn a lot of information and influence people in a positive way. However, being in meetings all day is wearisome so I like to be creative and do other things throughout the community. For example, teaching college students and organizing local road trips to Lake Tahoe and other area attractions. I enjoy making business to business and door to door visits as an elected official to talk to people and meet people. I also of course meet my family and friend commitments, as much as possible. Reno, NV has a great nightlife. The surrounding area contains mountains, lakes, desert and there are many opportunities for outdoors recreation.

what they are | The main challenge of my job is making compromises on things, which can be hard especially if you passionately believe in something. There are also the challenges to one's time and privacy, and as an elected official, the possibility of losing a campaign.

all about growth | The demand for quality elected officials is extremely high. But the process of getting elected is so tough that far fewer eligible people decide to run for office.

my website| http:// www.myspace.com/scottkelleyforever