Democrat Lianna Nguyen is a newcomer to Boone County electoral politics, making her first run for countywide office.
Nguyen is running for the Boone County Fiscal Court’s District 2 seat, where she will face Republican former state Sen. John Schickel in the November general election.
Nguyen, a Boone County resident since 2012, is the founder of Lianna’s Nail Academy, a Florence-based trade school that became Northern Kentucky’s first state-certified school dedicated exclusively to training nail technicians. Before founding the academy, she owned and operated her own nail salon.
Nguyen’s involvement in politics grew out of her advocacy within Kentucky’s cosmetology industry. In 2023, she testified before state lawmakers in support of changes to address barriers facing nail technicians. Those efforts helped shape provisions proposed in Senate Bill 14, which was legislation aimed at changing Kentucky’s cosmetology laws. The bill passed the General Assembly unanimously and was signed into law by Gov. Andy Beshear in 2024.
The following year, Beshear appointed Nguyen to the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology, where she currently serves as vice chair.
“I decided to run for public office in a natural way, from many years of advocacy and helping change in the state of Kentucky, inspired me to continue my mission to help the community,” she told LINK nky. “I believe with my leadership skills and business ownership experience I have a lot to bring to the table for our Boone County community.”
Nguyen said concerns over rapid development are among the main issues facing Boone County residents, particularly as growth puts added pressure on roads, public schools and other infrastructure. She said the county should prioritize adequate infrastructure, traffic safety, responsible budgeting and support for public schools when it considers new developments
“I see where the community is coming from, when they are worried about traffic congestion, overcrowding of public schools in the county and many more possible issues,” Nguyen said. “I feel that it is important to listen to the community and take all their concerns into consideration.”