Meet Patricia Nyberg, Candidate for Cochise County Supervisor

As Cochise County, Arizona, prepares for the election on November 5, 2024, one candidate is stepping forward with a unique blend of experience, creativity, and a commitment to community engagement. 

Patricia "Patsy" Nyberg, an independent, GoodParty.org Certified candidate, is running for the Cochise County Board of Supervisors in District 3. She brings a fresh perspective on leadership that is sorely needed in a region facing significant challenges. With a background in education, business, and the arts, Nyberg is poised to offer innovative solutions to the issues of groundwater management, government transparency, and partisan divides in Cochise County.

A Rich Background in Education and Community Service

Patsy Nyberg’s journey to becoming a candidate for county supervisor is rooted in her extensive experience as an educator, artist, and community leader. 

With 20 years of experience in education, including 10 years teaching in Cochise County schools, Nyberg has a proven track record of improving student outcomes through creative and rigorous curricula. As the Career and Technical Education Director at Bisbee High School, she not only taught culinary arts but also helped run a successful fundraising club that equipped students with entrepreneurial skills. She was also instrumental in securing grants for Career and Technical Education (CTE) funding.

“I'm a very hard-working person. Everything I've taken on, I do it to 100% of my abilities,” Nyberg said.

After years of teaching, Nyberg is currently working as a realtor and entrepreneur. She noted that in every position she has held, her training as an artist has given her unique insight.

“In every position I've ever held, I used skills that I learned in art school,” Nyberg said. “It gives me incredible insight, creative thinking, thinking outside the box, and being able to see things that other people just don't see. When you're an artist, you develop a really keen eye for things. Everyone has this, but not everyone pays attention to it. Everyone has the ability to have a keen eye, but I think artists have that honed in. It's dialed in from the minute I wake up.”

Nyberg said it’s time for someone with an artist’s background and insight to lead the way for change in Cochise County.

“I'm always open to challenges and change. I love change,” Nyberg said. “I think change is an opportunity. It's like taking a trip somewhere. The unknown is really scary for a lot of people, but I embrace it as a new adventure.”

Offering Cochise County an Independent, Anti-Corruption Alternative

Nyberg’s decision to run for county supervisor was fueled by a frustration with the current state of politics in Cochise County, Arizona.

“If we continue on with this bipartisan division, really nothing is going to get accomplished,” she said.

As an independent candidate, Nyberg is proud to be free from the influence of political parties and special interest groups. 

“There's a lot of conservative people here that have left the Republican Party because it's broken, and the Democratic Party is broken. That whole political partisanship is just not working anymore,” Nyberg said. “For me, it feels like we're entering into a new paradigm, and we need people that do not answer to political parties or special interest groups. That would be me. That's who I am. I can't be bought. Nobody's going to contribute to my campaign from Big Ag.”

Her independent candidacy represents a break from the status quo, offering voters a choice that prioritizes the needs of the community over party loyalty.

“We're really at a turning point here, and we need someone that has the ability to bring people together and work with the state. That's really difficult; it's so slow at the state level,” Nyberg said.

Focusing on Groundwater Conservation and Government Transparency

One of the most pressing issues facing Cochise County is groundwater scarcity, a situation that Nyberg described as being at a critical juncture. 

“Our groundwater issue is in a crisis. We've had several large, out-of-state and out-of-country farming mega-corporations coming, and they're coming to all of Arizona’s counties because the water isn't regulated,” Nyberg said.

Nyberg said she is concerned about the impact of these large operations on the local environment and the long-term sustainability of the county’s water resources. 

“Residential areas are in a panic situation because wells are going dry,” she said.

Nyberg also noted that if more candidates who side with agricultural corporations are elected, their policies could further contribute to the problem of water scarcity.

“That's the problem with partisan politics. Instead of really looking at what people need and what's happening here, it's all about toeing the party line, or you're shunned,” Nyberg said.

To address this issue, Nyberg advocates for stronger collaboration between the county and state officials to implement regulations that protect Arizona’s water resources. She also emphasized the importance of working with other counties to create a unified approach to groundwater conservation. 

“Whoever becomes our county supervisor must work with other counties as well,” Nyberg said. “They have to be a good networker. They have to be in contact with others, because it's really an Arizona-wide issue. It's not just here. That's a big part of my platform.”

In addition to her focus on environmental sustainability, Nyberg is committed to improving government transparency in Cochise County. One of her key initiatives is to improve the county’s website, so residents can more easily access the information they need. This includes information about how residents’ tax dollars are being spent in Cochise County.

Nyberg said that transparency and engagement are increasingly important as more people move to the county.

“You really have to have public engagement. You are elected by these people to represent them, so if you're ignoring them, that's not representing them,” Nyberg said.

A Call for Change in Cochise County

With the November 5, 2024 election quickly approaching, voters in Cochise County, Arizona have a number of important choices to make. Patricia "Patsy" Nyberg offers voters an alternative to the partisan status quo, promising to make local government more transparent and accountable to citizens.

To learn more about Nyberg’s campaign for the Cochise County Board of Supervisors, visit her campaign website here.

Not sure which district you live in? Check out this map of Cochise County’s three districts.

Finally, you can learn more about GoodParty.org Certified candidates by exploring our full collection of candidate spotlights.