LINCOLN, NE – Today, Nebraska Governor-elect Jim Pillen announced that former state Assistant Attorney General Dave Lopez will serve as the director of his transition team, Pillen Campaign Manager Kenny Zoeller as the transition policy director, Pillen Deputy Campaign Manager John Gage as the transition communications advisor, and Ann Jablonski as his transition scheduler.

Governor-elect Pillen also announced that Lopez will serve as his Chief of Staff. Lopez was a partner at Husch Blackwell LLP where he practiced constitutional law and co-led the firm's State Attorneys General Practice. A veteran of Nebraska state government, Lopez previously served in the Nebraska Department of Justice as Assistant Attorney General under both Jon Bruning and Doug Peterson. He also served as the state's first Deputy Solicitor General. Over the past decade, Lopez led many of Nebraska's legal disputes, including: Defending Nebraska's withholding of public benefits to illegal immigrants, leading the state's defense against a frivolous, eleventh-hour attempt to stop the execution of Carey Dean Moore, fighting frivolous lawsuits from the ACLU and other left-wing organizations, opposing efforts to force Nebraska taxpayers to pay for sex reassignment surgeries for a state prisoner, and serving as counsel to the successful Voter ID initiative.

Zoeller will serve as the director of policy research. Zoeller led Pillen's successful election campaign that won 91 of Nebraska's 93 counties. Previously, he served as the Chief Government Performance Officer for the Department of Administrative Services, the Executive Director of the Nebraska Republican Party, Legislative Aide to Sen. Mark Kolterman, and as Policy Advisor to Governor Ricketts. Zoeller holds a B.A. from Concordia University and a Graduate Certificate in Public Management from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

"I have full trust in these individuals to help lead my administration's efforts to cut government and grow our state," said Governor-elect Pillen. "Together, we will work to protect, train, and keep our kids in Nebraska, provide transformative property tax relief, grow agriculture, and defend our commonsense, conservative values."

Additional appointments will be announced throughout the transition period.

Jim Pillen is a veterinarian, livestock producer, farmer, entrepreneur, and Governor-elect of Nebraska. Born and raised in Platte County, Pillen is a lifelong Nebraskan who has created over a thousand jobs through his family business, Pillen Family Farms. A former Husker defensive back, Pillen holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Animal Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Kansas State University. Jim and his wife of more than 40 years, Suzanne, have four children and seven grandchildren. The Pillens live in Columbus, where they attend St. Isidore’s Catholic Church.