Board

Deane A. Albright is the senior partner of Albright, Persing, and Associates, Ltd., a large CPA firm in Reno, Nevada, which he founded in 1976. The firm specializes in all facets of accounting, taxation, auditing, and forensic accounting for large and medium businesses, nonprofits and individuals. In addition, Mr. Albright is an investor in several Nevada businesses and venture capital enterprises. Mr. Albright is a member of WIN, EDAWN, and the Reno Chamber Of Commerce. Mr. Albright is currently involved in several organizations that promote Nevada as a place for startup companies highlighting Nevada’s favorable tax environment, lifestyle and cost of living. He is secretary treasurer of the Reno Tech Hub project and played a significant role in working with the business group that attracted Apple Inc. to choose Reno as the site of their new iCloud data center. Mr. Albright is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno with a degree in accounting in 1971 and is a member of the Nevada Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Marybel Batjer was the President of the California Public Utilities Commission. She has led the Commission through the Covid-19 global pandemic, statewide emergencies related to climate change, and racial and environmental injustices. As the inaugural Secretary of the California Government Operations Agency, she modernized the IT procurement process; restructured the Board of Equalization by creating two new state entities: the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration and the Office of Tax Appeals. She has been the Vice President of Public Policy and Corporate Social Responsibility at Caesars Entertainment Corporation. She has her Master of Arts from John F. Kennedy School Of Government at Harvard University in National and International Security and her Bachelor of Arts in Administration Legal Processes. She is the Vice-Chair of the State of Nevada Colorado River Commission, Chair of the National Judicial College Board of Trustees, and serves on the Desert Research Institute Foundation and Nevada Museum of Art.

Greg Brower is currently the Chief Global Compliance Officer for the Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has held this position since 2021. Mr. Brower has an extensive history of state and national public service. In Nevada, Mr. Brower served as a member of the Nevada State Senate from 2011 to 2016 and as a Nevada Assemblyman from 1998 to 2002. In between legislative terms, he was U.S. attorney for the District of Nevada (2008-2009). Mr. Brower has also served as Deputy General Counsel for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and later as an Assistant Director for the FBI. He was a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy from 1987 to 1993. Mr. Brower earned an A.B. in Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley, and a J.D from the George Washington University Law School. He is a member of the Washington Legal Foundation Legal Advisory Board, the UNLV Boyd Law School Center on Law and Leadership Advisory Board, and the States United Democracy Center Advisory Board.

Alex de Castroverde is an attorney and the owner of De Castroverde Law Group along with his brother, Orlando. Their father, Waldo De Castroverde, was born in Havana, Cuba, and was a paratrooper in the Bay of Pigs invasion. Waldo moved to Reno, Nevada, in 1978, along with his wife Vivian De Castroverde (also born in Cuba) and their four children. After attending law school at night—while he dealt blackjack during the day—Waldo became one of the first attorneys in Nevada to open a law office with the focus of representing the Hispanic Community.

In 2005, De Castroverde Law Group was formed as a branch of the Law Office of Waldo De Castroverde. The firm has grown from three attorneys to over 20 attorneys and a total team of over 100 employees. The firm now has offices in Las Vegas, Summerlin, Henderson, Reno, Oakland, CA and plans on expanding across the United Sates.  The firm concentrates on personal injury, immigration, and criminal defense.

In 1995, Mr. De Castroverde received his undergraduate degree from the University of Nevada, Reno. He received his J.D. from Nova Southeastern University in 1999. Mr. De Castroverde is active in the Southern Nevada community, currently also serving on the Board of Directors for Cristo Rey St. Viator Las Vegas College Preparatory, the Advisory Counsel for the Nevada Independent, and the Las Vegas Bowl Committee.

Mr. De Castroverde is happily married to his wife Cathy of over 14 years, and they have three daughters.

Glenn Christenson is a longtime Las Vegan with an extensive business career.   Glenn is the Managing Director of Velstand Investments, LLC. Previously, he was the Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer for Station Casinos Inc. for 17 years.   Prior to joining Station Casinos, he was with the international accounting firm now known as Deloitte & Touche for 17 years where he was Partner-in-Charge of the firm’s Nevada Audit practice and the National Hospitality Industry Audit Partner.  In his nearly fifty years living in Southern Nevada Glenn has committed significant time to enhancing the education system as well as focusing on economic development and diversification in the community.  He has served as Chairman of the Governor’s SAGE Commission on K-12 Education, Chairman of the Community Implementation Council for AB469, Chairman of CCSD’s Budget Task Force and Superintendent’s Executive Advisory Committees among others. Glenn and his wife Ande have a long-term commitment to Nevada State College which is demonstrated through the Glenn and Ande Christenson School of Education Building.  In his role as Chairman Emeritus of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, he has also forwarded economic development causes in Southern Nevada.  Glenn graduated from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio and earned a master’s degree in Finance from the Ohio State University.

Kathleen Conaboy previously served as Senior Vice President of Museum Advancement at the Nevada Museum of Art. Prior to that, she was a vice president in the Government Affairs and Advocacy Group at McDonald Carano.  She has nearly four decades of experience in external affairs, specializing in communications and policy development. Previously Ms. Conaboy worked for 25 years in leadership roles in academic medicine in Nevada and Florida. She also consulted with a national firm specializing in accreditation, development of new medical schools, and organizational change in academic medicine and has been a program consultant to several private foundations. Ms. Conaboy has served in leadership roles on multiple local boards. She was named in 2012 by Governor Sandoval to the Nevada Public Charter School Authority and served as the board’s chair for four years. Ms. Conaboy recently served on the Renown Quality and Professional Affairs committee and currently serves on the Children’s Cabinet Foundation Board.

Harvey Fennell is a Principal of Dickson Commercial Group, and an owner of Dickson Realty Inc. Harvey has been a realtor since 1987 and specializes in land and commercial real estate sales. He is a member of the Reno/Sparks Association of Realtors and has served on its Board of Directors. He is a past president of the Reno-Tahoe Open Foundation and is past Chairman of the Board of the Renown Health Foundation and a former board member of Renown Health. He was a Founding Member of the Montreux Golf & Country Club and has served as its Treasurer. He is a member of the Community Foundation’s Housing Land Trust Advisory Group, and a member of the UNR College of Business Advisory Committee. Mr. Fennell graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1970 and obtained his CPA certificate in 1972. He is married to his wife Nancy who is also a partner in Dickson Realty.

Professor Daniel W. Hamilton is currently a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law at the George Mason University School of Law, where he teaches legal history and constitutional law. He was for 8 years, Dean at the UNLV Boyd School of law from 2013 until 2021. He joined UNLV from the University of Illinois College of Law where he was the Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Professor of Law and History. Dr. Hamilton received his Ph.D. in American legal history in 2003 from Harvard University. He received his J.D. from George Washington University and his B.A. from Oberlin College. Dr. Hamilton researches and writes primarily on American property ideology and the legal and constitutional issues raised by the Civil War. He has written numerous articles and reviews on American legal history, including works in Civil War History, the Chicago-Kent Law Review, the Journal of Supreme Court History, the Journal of American History, the Journal of Southern History, the Journal of Interdisciplinary History, the Journal of National Security Law, and the Law and History Review. His book, The Limits of Sovereignty: Property Confiscation in the Union and the Confederacy During the Civil War, was published by the University of Chicago Press.

Dr. Chris L. Heavey is the executive vice president and provost at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). In this role, he serves as the university’s chief academic officer and works closely with the president in overseeing academic, administrative, and budgetary policies and priorities for the campus. As a professor of psychology, he conducts research to improve understanding of the inner experience and its relationship to mental health. He is one of the nation’s leading scholars in the thoughts and feelings that make up the consciousness of people as they go about their everyday lives. Dr. Heavey has been at UNLV for more than 30 years, during which time he has been recognized for his award-winning work. He has also held several leadership and administrative positions over his career, including Senior Vice Provost, Dean, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Director of General Education, Associate Dean, and President of the Nevada State Psychology Board. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. He also holds a master’s degree from UCLA and a bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Cruz.

Pat Hickey is a fourth-generation native Nevadan from a pioneer family in Lake Tahoe. Besides being a successful businessman, he has worked as a journalist and editor for various Nevada news outlets covering the Legislature and Nevada politics. He was elected to the Nevada Legislature in 1997. Mr. Hickey subsequently was elected by his peers as Assembly Minority Leader, where he championed educational reforms, greater accountability, and increased education funding for Nevada schools. In the 2015 Legislative Session, Assemblyman Hickey chaired the Ways and Means Subcommittee on K-12 and Higher Education Funding. Upon his retirement from the Legislature, Governor Brian Sandoval appointed Pat to the Nevada State Board of Education, where served until January 2017. Pat is currently a Sunday columnist for the Reno Gazette-Journal. His weekly  “Memo from the Middle” column is the most widely read of local columns in the RGJ. Mr. Hickey is currently finishing a book for the University of Nevada Press titled, Sage and Spirit: Nevadans Explore Life and What Comes Next.

Paul Johnson has served as the Chief Financial Officer for the White Pine County School District since March 1997 and has had the privilege of serving on a number of Nevada fiscal panels and funding studies to evaluate the Nevada Plan funding formula for K-12 education and was involved in the development of the new Pupil-Centered Funding Plan (PCFP) formula.  He currently serves as a member of the Commission on School Funding (formed pursuant to Senate Bill 543). Effective July 1, 2018, Mr. Johnson was appointed as the Nevada Association of School Boards representative to fill a vacated position on the Committee on Local Government Finance (CLGF).  The Committee is responsible for policy decisions and fiscal administration topics in Nevada Revised Statute Chapters 350 and 354 as well as to advise the Department of Taxation on matters of local government fiscal administration. Mr. Johnson graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from UNLV and later received his M.A. in Management and Leadership. He has also received his Masters in Business Administration (MBA). In September 2002, he was appointed to the White Pine County Commission by Governor Kenny Guinn and served the remaining term through 2004.  During this period, he served as the Vice Chair and Chairman of the County Commission and served on several advisory committees. He is actively involved in civic organizations, local government affairs, economic development and youth athletics.

Trudy Larson M.D. was born in Reno, a third generation Nevadan. She found her way back to Reno after living and going to school in California to establish her medical practice in Pediatrics/Infectious Disease. She started her career as an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. She had a productive career in education, service and research where her focus was HIV/AIDS and immunizations. She attained the status of professor, department chair and associate dean in the SOM over her 27-year career at the school. During her time at the SOM, she had an active practice seeing HIV/AIDS patients at HOPES, was the medical director of the immunization program at the Washoe County Health Department, was a member/leader in numerous public and private organizations and contributed to the state in various volunteer positions. In 2011, she was appointed as Professor and Director of the School of Community Health Sciences at UNR. Upon recognition of the school as an independent college in 2017, she became the founding Dean of the School of Community Health Sciences at UNR and led the school through accreditation to become a School of Public Health in June of 2021. She continued her role as medical director for the Washoe County Health Department’s Immunization program through the early phases of the COVID pandemic.  Dr. Larson is past chair and chair elect of the Nevada Donor Network Board, is a board member at Northern Nevada HOPES, currently serves on the Governor’s Medical Advisory Team for COVID-19 and was appointed in June 2021 to the State Board of Health. She was awarded the UNR Outreach Faculty award in June in honor of her contributions to UNR and to the state.  Dr. Larson received her medical degree from the University of California, Irvine.  She completed a Pediatric residency at the University of California Davis Medical Center followed by a fellowship in pediatric infectious disease at UCLA and was at the University from 1984 until her retirement in July 2021.

Erin McMullen Midby is Director of Governmental Affairs at Boyd Gaming Corporation. As an attorney specializing in government affairs, Ms. McMullen brings a strong political background and several years of experience to Boyd Gaming. Prior to joining Boyd Gaming, she served as Director of Government and Public Affairs at R&R Partners. Previously, Ms. McMullen Midby served as an associate attorney with the government affairs group of Snell & Wilmer, where she specialized in governmental affairs, political lobbying, and administrative and regulatory law for clients in the insurance, health care, energy, banking, and taxation arenas. She has lobbied full time at the Nevada legislature since 2005, in 6 regular sessions and 8 special sessions. Ms. McMullen Midby is a fifth-generation Nevadan who earned her B.S. in linguistics from Georgetown University, and her J.D. from California Western School of Law. She is a member of the State Bar of Nevada and the American Bar Association, and an appointed member of the Henderson Community Development Block Grant Committee. Ms. McMullen Midby currently serves as the President of the Board of Nevada Advocates for Planned Parenthood Affiliates (NAPPA). She also volunteers her time to Three Square Food Bank, Communities in Schools, and Nevada Humanities.

Phil Satre is the Chair of the Guinn Center Board of Directors. He is also Chairman of the Board of Wynn Resorts, Ltd., the owner and operator of Wynn Las Vegas and Encore, Wynn Macau, Wynn Palace, Cotai, and Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, Mass. From 1980 to 2004 he served in various capacities at Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., including President and CEO (1984-2003) and Chairman (1997-2004). Phil has served on the boards of Nordstrom, Inc. (2006-2019); International Game Technology (2009-2018); NV Energy (2005-2013); Rite Aid Corporation (2005-2011) and Tabcorp Holdings Ltd.-Australia (2000-2007). Phil served on the Stanford Board of Trustees from 2005 to 2010. In the not-for-profit sector he has served as a Trustee since 2002 (Chairman 2009-2011) of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans LA; served on the Stanford Alumni Association Board (2018-2022); is a Trustee of the National Automobile Museum — The Harrah Collection, in Reno, NV; and was a co-founder and Board Chair (2013-2018) of the Guinn Center.

Donald D. Snyder has had a diverse and successful professional career in banking, gaming/hospitality, and higher education. This includes service as Chairman & CEO of First Interstate Bank of Nevada (now Wells Fargo), President & Board Member of Boyd Gaming Corporation and President of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

He currently sits on the Boards of Directors for two NYSE-listed companies (Western Alliance Bancorporation and Switch Inc.). Including his current board service, Don has served on the boards of seven public companies and several private and subsidiary company boards.

His active involvement with the community has involved service on several non-profit boards, including the chairmanship of several of those boards and commissions. He has been honored for his community leadership on numerous occasions during his more than 35 years in Nevada.

Don and his wife, Dee, have been married for 51 years. They have three adult children and four grandchildren. Don has also recently completed an autobiography, “Taking the Lead”, with coauthor Jack Sheehan.

Rikki Tanenbaum served as Chief Operating Officer for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians until July 2022, where she oversaw development and construction, cultural and natural resources, marketing/communications, philanthropy, government relations and asset integration. Previously she held the role of Chief Marketing Officer for the Tribe, where she had responsibility for marketing, communications and philanthropy. Prior to that, Ms. Tanenbaum was recruited to Yaamava’ Resort & Casino, formerly San Manuel Casino, to prepare one of the most profitable casinos in the U.S. for a significant expansion. Previously, Ms. Tanenbaum served as CMO of Golden Nugget Casinos (a Landry’s subsidiary) for over three years. Before her tenure at Landry’s, Ms. Tanenbaum held marketing roles at Caesars Entertainment and Penn National Gaming in regional markets. Ms. Tanenbaum started her career with MGM Resorts International, holding a number of marketing and development roles in Las Vegas. Ms. Tanenbaum splits her time between Southern California and Las Vegas, NV. Outside of work, Ms. Tanenbaum serves as the Chair of the Dean’s Global Advisory Board at UNLV’s College of Hospitality, and as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of The Animal Foundation. Ms. Tanenbaum received a B.A. in Political Science from University of Pennsylvania; a Masters of Hospitality Administration from UNLV; and an MBA from The Fuqua School at Duke University. 

Rick Trachok is Senior Counsel with McDonald Carano, focusing his practice on international regulatory and gaming law. Mr. Trachok has an extensive background in gaming law, particularly from the international perspective. Mr. Trachok currently serves as Chairman of Compliance for the German gaming Group, Gauselmann AG, and has been responsible for obtaining gaming licenses for them in approximately 200 jurisdictions throughout the world. He is also Chairman of the Global Compliance and Governance Committee for the world’s largest gaming manufacturer and lottery company, International Game Technology (IGT). Mr. Trachok has been recognized by his peers and consistently is included in the annual Best Lawyers rankings for Gaming Law and was designated lawyer of the year for Administrative and Legislative Law in 2021. He served 15 years as an adjunct professor at UNR, teaching construction law in the graduate construction management program (1988-2003). He was also an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law from 2006 to 2013, teaching the Laws of International Trade. Mr. Trachok is currently a Lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, teaching the Law of International Trade, Contracts for LLMs, Secured Transactions and Gaming Law. Mr. Trachok has served as the Chair of the Nevada Board of Bar Examiners since 2000 and has been a member of the board since 1991. He also was a member of the University of Nevada System Board of Regents, serving as its Vice-chair from 2013-2015 and its Chair from 2015-2017.