| Nathan Biah | |
| Birth Place: | Monrovia, Liberia |
| Office: | Member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives from the 3rd district |
| Termstart: | January 5, 2021 |
| Predecessor: | Moira Walsh |
| Party: | Democratic |
| Spouse: | Thumbelina Biah[1] |
| Alma Mater: | Rhode Island College |
Nathan W. Biah Sr. (born December 14, 1971)[2] is an American politician and educator who serves in the Rhode Island House of Representatives for the 3rd district.[3]
Born and raised in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, Biah was his parents' only child.[4] Biah was sent to a preparatory school considered one of the "most prestigious" in Liberia, but his education was interrupted by the First Liberian Civil War, which caused Biah to emigrate to the United States.[4] In 1999, he earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Rhode Island College, and in 2007, Biah received a master's degree in education from University of Rhode Island.[5]
Biah announced a primary challenge to incumbent representative Moira Walsh in 2020. Walsh, a staunch progressive, had been an opponent of Speaker of the Rhode Island House Nicholas Mattiello, who thus supported Biah.[6] Biah was also endorsed by Rhode Island Right to Life, an anti-abortion organization.[7] In contrast to most other successful primaries in the 2020 Rhode Island House elections, where progressives had ousted allies of Mattiello,[6] Biah defeated Walsh 64–35, and was unopposed in the general election.[8] He currently serves on the Innovation, Internet, and Technology Committee, the Finance Committee, which produces the state budget and the Education Committee.[9]
He had originally declared his candidacy for US Representative of Rhode Island's 1st congressional district in March 2023,[9] but has since withdrawn as a candidate and will not appear on the ballot for the special Democratic primary for U.S. representative of the 1st congressional district to be held on September 5, 2023.[5]