OUR BOARD 
OF DIRECTORS

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.

John Valery White is the E.L. Cord Foundation Professor of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) William S. Boyd School of Law. After a decade as Dean of the Boyd School of Law, Executive Vice President and Provost of UNLV, and Acting Chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education, Professor White returned to the faculty. His current scholarly focus is on the role of civil and human rights law in addressing the demographic consequences of globalization.

He is widely published, having contributed to multiple books and written articles dealing with human rights, civil rights, and discrimination. Professor White is a member of the American Law Institute, the Council on Foreign Relations, The Pacific Council, and the American Law Foundation. He serves in leadership positions across many non-profit foundations and boards, including having served as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC), the entity that produces and administers the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT).

He earned his BA from Southern University and his JD from Yale Law School, where he was a Notes and Topics editor for the YALE LAW JOURNAL. Professor White began his academic career at Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center as an assistant professor of law, ultimately becoming the J. Dawson Gasquet Memorial Professor of Law while teaching and publishing on civil and human rights law. He directed LSU Law’s summer program in Lyon, France and was a distinguished visiting professor at the University of Insubria in Como, Italy, where he explored the role of civil rights law and multicultural theories in response to globalization.

As a Schell Fellow at Human Rights Watch/Middle East in New York City in 1991-1992, Professor White analyzed humanitarian law and human rights issues related to the Gulf War and participated in a site visit to Egypt, investigating arbitrary detention and torture and prison conditions which led to book-length Human Rights Watch reports on torture and prison conditions in 1992.

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.

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.

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 is a partner at California Strategies, LLC, a public policy, and advocacy firm. Previously, she was the President of the California Public Utilities Commission and led the Commission through the Covid-19 global pandemic, statewide emergencies related to climate change, and racial and environmental injustices.

As the first 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.

As Secretary of Government Operations, eleven California Departments reported through the Government Operations Agency. From 2005 through 2013, Marybel was the Vice President of Public Policy and Corporate Social Responsibility at Caesars Entertainment Corporation. From 2000 to 2003, Marybel was Chief of Staff to Governor Kenny C. Guinn, and 2003 to 2005, Marybel was Cabinet Secretary to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

She has served on the State of Nevada Colorado River Commission, the National Judicial College Board of Trustees, the Desert Research Institute Foundation, and the Board of Directors for the Nevada Museum of Art. Currently she serves on the board of the Climate and Wildfire Institute.  She has a Bachelor of Arts in Administration Legal Processes from Mills College.

Lisa Becker is a fifth generation Nevadan, born and raised in Elko. She is the founder of ElleBee LLC, a communications and public relations consulting company. Lisa spent 13 years working for Newmont Mining Corporation in Nevada Colorado, eventually becoming the Director of External Relations and Communications for the region. Her priorities included responsible corporate philanthropy and fostering meaningful relationships with the rural communities. Lisa has always had a passion for the arts and was enthusiastic to join the WESTAF board in 2020. Since returning to Elko in 2007, Becker has been active in the community, including the Great Basin College Foundation, the McCaw School of Mines Foundation, and the Elko Area Chamber of Commerce. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art from Hillsdale College and a Master’s Degree in Communications and Leadership from Gonzaga University.

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Dana R. Bennett, Ph.D.  was most recently the Interim President of the Nevada Mining Association and before that, Interim Executive Director of the Guinn Center. Dr. Bennett is the former President of the Nevada Mining Association and served on the Guinn Center’s Advisory Council for nearly seven years. A lifelong Nevadan with more than three decades of public policy experience in her home state, Dr. Bennett has served as a Regional Director for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and as Governor Brian Sandoval’s Senior Researcher.

She began her policy career at the Nevada Legislature where she served as the Staff Director for Nevada’s Committee on Public Lands for nearly a decade and also staffed policy committees concerned with state and local government operations, technology in education, health care, and natural resources. Between her tenures in the legislative and executive branches of state government, Dr. Bennett spent many years in the private sector, operating a policy research business and employed as a legislative advocate with clients in mining, educational innovation, insurance, and construction, among others. With an abiding curiosity about Nevada, she took a break in her career to earn a PhD in history from Arizona State University.

Her dissertation explored the intersection between women legislators and tax policy development in Nevada before 1960. Dr. Bennett has authored three books and more than 50 articles, reports, and other publications. She is a member of the International Women’s Forum and serves as President of the Mining History Association and President of Friends of Midas. She lives in rural Elko County.

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.

Kerry Bubolz is the first President and COO of the Golden Knights, overseeing all business aspects of the franchise. In his sixth season, he has led the team to significant success since their inaugural 2017-18 NHL season. Bubolz has expanded Foley Entertainment Group’s portfolio, including AFC Bournemouth, Henderson Silver Knights, Vegas Knight Hawks, G League Ignite, City National Arena, Lifeguard Arena, The Dollar Loan Center, and the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation.

Bubolz negotiated the Golden Knights' first TV deal with AT&T SportsNet, extending coverage across the Western Rockies. Under his leadership, the team earned high viewership ratings and accolades for game presentation, including the NHL Players’ Association’s “Best Atmosphere in the NHL” and the Sports Business Journal’s Sports Team of the Year Award. The organization has also won multiple NHL Business Awards.

Committed to community outreach, Bubolz has driven charitable initiatives through the Golden Knights Foundation, focusing on hunger, homelessness, military support, and youth development. He also promotes hockey through the Golden Knights Hockey Academy, reaching over 200,000 children in Clark County schools.

Before joining the Golden Knights, Bubolz spent 13 years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, overseeing business operations and winning the NBA championship in 2016. He has extensive NHL experience, previously serving with the Carolina Hurricanes and Dallas Stars. Bubolz holds a marketing degree from Oklahoma State University. He and his wife, Melissa, live in Summerlin with their daughters, Madison and Emm.

Alex Bybee, a native Nevadan, was inspired by his experience in the state’s public education system and early involvement in politics and community organizing to focus on improving educational opportunities and economic mobility. He is currently the Chief Strategy Officer for Communities In Schools of Nevada, a statewide education nonprofit. Previously, he served as Nevada State Director for Teach Plus, pioneering new roles and building departments with creativity and collaboration.

With experience in seven Nevada legislative sessions, Bybee has achieved significant policy victories, including funding for educator leadership programs, reforms to the state teacher evaluation system, and a $4 million appropriation for Communities In Schools of Nevada. In 2016, he led the bipartisan Save Our Schools coalition, successfully passing a bond measure generating nearly $1 billion for Washoe County school construction and repair.

Bybee is committed to independent journalism, evidence-based policymaking, and civic discourse. He serves on the boards of The Nevada Independent, the Guinn Center for Policy Priorities, and the Foundation for the LGBTQIA+ Community Center of Southern Nevada. An alumnus of the Jameson Fellowship, Leadership Las Vegas, and American Legion Boys Nation, he also moderates the Sun Youth Forum and hosts a program on UNLV-TV.

A first-generation college graduate, Bybee holds a degree in political science and government from the Honors College at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he served as vice president of the undergraduate student government. Connect with him on Twitter @AlexBybeeNV.

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.

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.

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.

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 public education funding with respect to the Nevada Plan and the new Pupil-Centered Funding Plan (PCFP).

He currently serves as a member of the Commission on School Funding and serves on the Committee on Local Government Finance (CLGF).  Mr. Johnson graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from UNLV and later earned his M.S. in Management and Leadership (MSML) and Masters in Business Administration (MBA).

His connection to Governor Kenny Guinn started on the Governor’s campaign trail.  Governor Guinn appointed Mr. Johnson to the White Pine County Commission in September 2002 to fill a vacancy where he served as the Vice Chair and Chairman and was involved in several advisory committees. He remains actively involved in civic organizations, local government affairs, economic development and youth athletics.

Trudy Larson, M.D., a third-generation Nevadan, was born in Reno and returned to establish a medical practice in Pediatrics and Infectious Disease after studying in California. She began her career as an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, focusing on HIV/AIDS and immunizations. Over her 27-year tenure, she became a professor, department chair, and associate dean. Dr. Larson treated HIV/AIDS patients at HOPES, directed the immunization program at the Washoe County Health Department, and contributed to numerous organizations.

In 2011, Dr. Larson was appointed Professor and Director of the School of Community Health Sciences at UNR. She became the founding Dean when the school gained independence and led it to become an accredited School of Public Health in 2021. She continued as medical director for Washoe County's Immunization program during the early COVID-19 pandemic.

Currently, Dr. Larson chairs the Nevada Donor Network Board, is a board member at Northern Nevada HOPES, served on the Governor’s Medical Advisory Team for COVID-19, and was appointed to the State Board of Health in June 2021. She was honored with the UNR Outreach Faculty award for her contributions to the university and state. Dr. Larson earned her medical degree from the University of California, Irvine, completed a Pediatric residency at UC Davis Medical Center, and a fellowship in pediatric infectious disease at UCLA, serving at the University from 1984 until her retirement in July 2021.

Yolanda King was appointed to the Nevada Taxpayers Association in 2024. She leads a member-driven association that advocates for sound fiscal policies, promotes efficiency, and ensures accountability and fiscal responsibility. With over 20+ years of experience in Nevada public finance, Yolanda has held executive and finance roles in the state's largest county.

As a public servant, Yolanda demonstrated a strong commitment to being a good steward of taxpayer dollars, maintaining financial stability, and implementing solutions to improve residents' lives. She has extensive experience working with local and state elected officials and has been a lobbyist for numerous legislative sessions.

Yolanda's current professional appointments include serving as a member of the Council on State Taxation, the Clark County Debt Commission, and the Nevada Commission to Review Compensation. She is also a Board Member for the Governor's Office of Economic Development, contributing to the state's economic growth and development.

Yolanda was born and raised and currently resides in Las Vegas.

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Erin McMullen Midby is an attorney with a strong political background, specializing in government affairs for Boyd Gaming. She handles state and local policy affecting the company in Nevada, California, and Hawaii. Erin has been lobbying full-time at the Nevada legislature since 2005, gaining a deep understanding of the political process.

Before joining Boyd Gaming, Erin was the Director of Government and Public Affairs at R&R Partners in Las Vegas, managing legislative agendas for various Nevada clients. She previously worked as an associate attorney at Snell & Wilmer, L.L.P., focusing on government affairs, political lobbying, and administrative law.

From 2003 to 2005, Erin served as a legislative correspondent for U.S. Senator Harry Reid, assisting with policy issues related to taxes, budget, labor, and housing. A fifth-generation Nevadan, Erin holds a B.S. in linguistics from Georgetown University and a J.D. from California Western School of Law. She is a member of the State Bar of Nevada and the American Bar Association, and serves on the City of Henderson Charter Review Committee.

Erin is also involved with the Guinn Center for Policy Priorities, the R&R Partners Foundation, the Nevada Resort Association, and the Vegas Chamber’s Government Affairs Committees. She provides pro bono lobbying for various organizations and was named one of Vegas Inc.’s 40 under Forty honorees in 2021. Erin teaches advanced advocacy and legislative policy at the UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law and enjoys time with her husband, Eric Midby, their daughter, Mia, and their newborn son.

Dr. Erin Russell, Ph.D., is the regional vice president of external affairs for UnitedHealth Group. A health care executive for more than a decade, she currently manages advocacy engagements in the west region, including her beloved home of Nevada. She previously led the company’s state advocacy in Nevada. Prior to joining UnitedHealth Group, Dr. Russell worked at a statewide law firm advocating for various business and community interests.

Dr. Russell survived a stroke at the age of 31. Her road to recovery was filled with support, driving her passion as a health care advocate in the community and state that her family has proudly called home since the 1850s. Dr. Russell received a dual bachelor’s degree from the University of Nevada, Reno, a master’s degree from George Washington University, and doctorate from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She is on the advisory board of Spread the Word Nevada, and previously served two gubernatorial appointments to the Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education. She and her husband, Trevor Hayes, are proud parents of two children.

Rikki Tanenbaum is SVP of Strategic Partnerships at FanDuel where she oversees government affairs. She previously served as Chief Operating Officer for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, where her portfolio including revenue generation, government affairs and M&A among other areas. She held the role of Chief Marketing Officer for the Tribe and its casino, where she had responsibility for marketing, communications and philanthropy. Prior to that, Ms. Tanenbaum served as Chief Marketing Officer for Golden Nugget Casinos (Landry’s), and has held marketing roles at Caesars Entertainment and Penn National Gaming in regional markets. Ms. Tanenbaum started her career with MGM Resorts International, holding marketing and business development roles in Las Vegas. Rikki resides in Las Vegas with her family.

Tammi Tiger is a citizen of Choctaw Nation, and Muscogee Nation descendant. She is the Director of the San Manuel Tribal Education Initiative in the College of Hospitality at UNLV.

Tammi’s career in public service started with Clark County – Department of Public Works, where she has over 20 years of experience in administration. She serves in two state appointments, with the Nevada Indian Commission and the Secretary of State’s Advisory Committee on Participatory Democracy.

Tammi is a Native community organizer supporting local and national Indigenous organizations including; UNLV Native American Alumni Club, IAF, Inc and Native Organizers Alliance. Further, Tammi previously served on the Board of Directors with the Las Vegas Indian Center for several years and was awarded their Community Service award. She holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration; and is mom to Trevon, who is also a UNLV graduate.

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 served as Chairman of Compliance for the German gaming Group, Gauselmann AG, from 1997-2013 and was 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, First Year Contracts, 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.

Gi W. Yun is Dean of the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno. His research focuses on social psychological aspects of media and communication. The topics of his publications range from theories of communication, internet research methodology, social media, health communication, agenda-setting, newspaper’s community capital, and social network analysis to big social media data analysis. He enjoys thinking about tools and theories developed by media and communication scholars.

He is currently working on projects in the areas of health care advertising in local media, machine bias in information production and consumption, local media agenda-setting on immigration stories, and others. His research projects are funded by National Science Foundation, Google, or Online News Association.

Yun received his Ph.D. and M.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. His journalism and mass communication undergraduate degree is from Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.

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