Former Sioux Falls superintendent to lead Nebraska education department

LINCOLN, Neb. — A former Sioux Falls School District superintendent and current state education official has been tabbed to lead the education department in Nebraska.

Brian Maher will serve as the next commissioner of the Nebraska Department of Education, according to a news release issued Friday, March 31. The Nebraska native will return to his home state to officially take over the position in July.

The pick comes as Maher has served in education leadership for more than two decades, serving as superintendent of two Nebraska school districts from 1999 to 2015 before running the Sioux Falls School District between 2015 and 2020.

Following his stint in South Dakota’s largest district, he was appointed by Gov. Kristi Noem in 2020 to serve as the executive director of the South Dakota Board of Regents, which oversees the state’s six public universities and two special schools.

The Nebraska education department’s news releases lauded Maher for successfully leading four bond referendums in three different school districts, as well as his lobbying efforts to increase funding for South Dakota’s public universities all while implementing a tuition freeze.

Maher will fill the spot left vacant by Matthew Blomstedt, who served nine years as commissioner until his resignation in January.

Nathan Lukkes, who currently serves as general counsel for the South Dakota Board of Regents, will assume Maher’s role at the conclusion of Maher’s contract in mid-June.