Hello, I’m Kate Marshall
I grew up in a hardworking union household shaped by my family’s immigrant heritage. My dad’s roots in Mexico and my mom’s in Ireland. I was one of six children and learned resilience at an early age. Life wasn’t easy. I had to work my way through high school, college, and law school. Feeling the strong tug towards public service, I joined the Peace Corps and later served with distinction in the U.S. Department of Justice.
I was elected Nevada’s State Treasurer in 2006 and fought to clean up wasteful spending in Carson City. In my first act as State Treasurer, I streamlined budgeting, conducted an audit of the Treasurer’s office, identifying $6.2 million in off book accounts and no bid contracts. I stopped those practices, returned the money to the state’s coffer, reduced spending and protected millions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars. That’s the kind of accountability I will bring to City Hall.
“During the 2008 financial crisis that devastated Nevada, my steady hand and smart fiscal management allowed the state to recover tens of millions of dollars assumed lost to financial crash.”
My innovative leadership helped the state balance its budget while saving hard-working Nevadans millions of dollars. As Treasurer, I also launched groundbreaking initiatives like Nevada’s first-in-the-nation college kickstart program, which created a $50 college savings account for every Nevada public school kindergartner without using taxpayer dollars.
As Lieutenant Governor, I continued my record of innovative leadership for Nevada. I created the Office of Small Business Advocacy to support local entrepreneurs and small businesses that form the backbone of our economy. I worked hard to establish the Division of Outdoor Recreation and passed landmark dark sky legislation to protect Nevada’s natural treasures and outdoor economy. During the COVID-19 crisis, I took swift action and created the “Delivering with Dignity” program, which coordinated 17 nonprofits in Reno and Sparks to deliver over 76,000 meals to families in need while keeping local restaurants open during the pandemic.
Then, I got a call from the President of the United States asking me to serve as a Senior Advisor in the White House. I served as the liaison to all the nation’s governors, building relationships across parties and solving complex problems by bringing people together. I also worked tirelessly to ensure Nevada’s interests were represented at the highest levels of government.
I built bipartisan coalitions to support key initiatives, facilitated crucial meetings between Nevada leaders and federal officials, and helped secure vital federal investments for our state. My work included helping the University of Nevada, Reno obtain key meetings with White House officials, supporting union access to infrastructure opportunities, and facilitating funding for immigration services through Catholic Charities.
“I live, love and believe in Reno! I’m running for mayor to chart a new way forward—one that respects the unique needs of every neighborhood, partners with local leaders, works constructively with our city manager, and makes the most of every tax dollar. As a wife and mother of two, my goal is simple: to make Reno more affordable, more livable, and stronger for the next generation.”
Our future requires more than maintaining the status quo. We are at a moment in Reno’s history that calls for experienced, ethical leadership that knows how to get things done. I am that leader. I’ll focus on building an economy that supports both local small businesses and new opportunities, that ensures our workforce has access to good jobs and affordable lives. I will tackle our housing crisis head-on, improve our parks and roads, and create a path forward where every resident can afford to live, work, and thrive in our city.
