The Final Word.

• Author: Andrade, Jane Carroll

After serving three years in the Nevada Senate, Nicole Cannizzaro was elected to the chamber's top leadership position in March 2019. Cannizzaro is a deputy district attorney who earned her law degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. She is the first female Senate majority leader in Nevada history.

There are more women serving in the Nevada Legislature than ever before. Is the atmosphere different?

There's more diversity, and women are sitting at the table. There's a real sense of collaboration. That always makes for a better legislative process.

Is this a trend?

We didn't set out to make Nevada the first female-majority legislature. We went out and said we want to find the best candidates. They happened to be a lot of really amazing women--lawyers, doctors, environmentalists, social workers, teachers, moms, law enforcement officers, the list goes on--who have very real skills that make them very effective legislators. The trend you're seeing in state legislatures is that voters are looking for people who understand the issues they're facing and are looking for real-world solutions.

What makes an effective leader?

That's an interesting question because as a leader of a caucus, you are leading other leaders. My job isn't just to be a point of authority. My position is to help empower the leaders that are within my caucus to be the best representatives they can be for their constituencies.

How did your upbringing shape you?

I grew up in Las Vegas and my parents didn't have a high school education. My mom was a waitress and my dad was a bartender. From a very young age I wanted to be a lawyer. My mom said, 'You can do it, but you've got to work hard.' My mom used to work downtown in a little cafe, and I'd sit in the restaurant and do homework. She would serve these lawyers who worked in the courthouse down the street. They were very fancy. They had suits. They wrote on yellow legal pads. I just thought what they were doing seemed so important.

What drew you to public service?

The legislature had funded a scholarship for Nevada high school students who wanted to stay in-state for college. I earned that scholarship and got to go to...