Ben Kieckhefer

Ben Kieckhefer
Chief of Staff to the Governor of Nevada
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 2, 2023
GovernorJoe Lombardo
Preceded byYvanna Cancela
Member of the Nevada Gaming Commission
In office
October 11, 2021 – January 2, 2023
Appointed bySteve Sisolak
Preceded byDeborah Fuetsch
Succeeded byBrian Krolicki
Member of the Nevada Senate
from the 16th district
In office
November 3, 2010 – October 7, 2021
Preceded byRandolph Townsend
Succeeded byDon Tatro
Personal details
Born1977 (age 46–47)
Springfield, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
April West
​
(m. 2005)​
Residence(s)Reno, Nevada, U.S.
EducationDePaul University (BA)
University of Illinois Springfield (MA)

Ben Kieckhefer (born 1977) is an American politician who has served as the chief of staff to Nevada governor Joe Lombardo since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Kieckhefer previously served as a member of the Nevada Gaming Commission from 2021 to 2023 and as a member of the Nevada Senate from the 16th district from 2010 to 2021.

Born and raised in Illinois, Kieckhefer holds degrees from DePaul University and the University of Illinois Springfield.[1] After college, he worked as a journalist covering the Nevada Legislature for the Associated Press and the Reno Gazette-Journal.[2] He served as communications director for Nevada governor Jim Gibbons and as the public information officer for the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services. He was also director of client relations for McDonald Carano, a Reno-based law firm.[3]

In 2010, Kieckhefer was elected to the Nevada Senate. During his time in the state senate, Kieckhefer served as assistant Republican leader from 2013 to 2018.[4] He resigned in 2021 after Steve Sisolak appointed him to the Nevada Gaming Commission.[5]

After Lombardo defeated Sisolak in 2022, Kieckhefer was named as Lombardo's chief of staff. He resigned from the Nevada Gaming Commission to accept the appointment and was succeeded by former lieutenant governor Brian Krolicki.[6]

Kieckhefer lives in Reno with his wife and four children.[7]

  1. ^ "Senator Ben Kieckhefer". www.leg.state.nv.us. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  2. ^ report, NNBW staff. "People: Ben Kieckhefer appointed to Nevada Gaming Commission". www.nnbw.com. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  3. ^ "Lombardo taps former state senator as chief of staff". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 2022-11-28. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  4. ^ Staff Report. "Lombardo names Ben Kieckhefer as chief of staff". www.nevadaappeal.com. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  5. ^ Staff Reports. "Reno senator appointed to Gaming Control Board". www.recordcourier.com. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  6. ^ "Former Lt. Gov. Krolicki named to Nevada Gaming Commission". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 2023-01-28. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  7. ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved 2023-02-19.