Rita Gomez Sanders served 8 years as Mayor for the City of Bellevue, Nebraska, home of Offutt Air Force Base. She was elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014.
Rita was born and raised on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Her father is of Filipino descent and her mother is of German descent. As a teenager, Rita moved to Germany for 5 years, then to Livermore, California. In 1983 Rita moved to Bellevue, Nebraska, where she started a family (2 sons ages 36 and 35). Rita and her husband are commercial re-estate developers, they built and own Richmont Senior Living Retirement Campus in the heart of Bellevue.
Rita’s education interest is in Global Studies and she continues to make education part of her lifestyle. She continues to take classes at Bellevue University. “It is as a way to keep in touch with the next generation, their thoughts, desires, passion and how they see the world.”
Rita’s involvement in her community has been very active. She lives by the motto “if you’re going to complain, be part of the solution.”