First Lady of Nebraska Sally Ganem is the former principal of Howard Elementary School in Fremont, Nebraska.

Since retiring from Fremont Public Schools in 2006, Ms. Ganem has been active in the Fremont community as a member of the Low Income Ministry Board and the Social Sciences Advisory Board of Metropolitan Community College. She received the Lifetime Membership Award from the Fremont Noon Optimists, and is a past president of both the Fremont Area United Way and Big Brothers Big Sisters. She has been an American Heart Association volunteer and a volunteer for John C. Fremont Days, where she started the children's activities portion of the celebration.

Ms. Ganem has been involved in several educational organizations, including the Nebraska Association of Elementary School Principals (where she served as an officer and a member of various committees) and the Nebraska Council of School Administrators.

As honorary chair of the Nebraska Volunteer Service Commission, Ms. Ganem has established the First Lady's Outstanding Community Service Awards, which recognize distinguished volunteer service by individuals or groups who have helped to make Nebraska a better place to live, work, and raise families.

Ms. Ganem was born and raised in Omaha and graduated from Omaha South High School. She received both her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The first lady and Governor Dave Heineman have been married for more than three decades. They have one son, Sam, who graduated from Midland Lutheran College in Fremont and is a CPA with an Omaha accounting firm. Their daughter-in-law, Jessica, is a graduate of the University of Nebraska's Business College.