Course Listing - by Instructor

Katia attained a master's degree in Linguistics from Holy Spirit University in 2010. The main focus of her thesis was an action research in which she administered and conducted a qualitative and quantitative testing methodology to integrate cultural instruction in the ESL teaching/learning process to enhance students' oral communication, taking into consideration the students' verbal and non-verbal skills. Katia has been teaching English as a Second Language for university students for over twelve years within the Necessary and Sufficient English Program (NSEP) that is developed by Georgetown University, Washington D.C. She has adopted a teaching methodology integrating the five English skills together: reading, listening, speaking, writing and interactive listening/speaking. She has also taught English in a business context for bankers of various ages (26-50). She has planned, guided and evaluated students' oral presentations, and taught them the use of Microsoft PowerPoint as an aid to organizing and delivering their public speaking. Katia has prepared native and non-native students for the SAT and TOEFL exams that help measure their English proficiency, and prepares them for university admission. Moreover, she has been teaching Accent Reduction for International Professionals (Levels I and II) at UNLV since 2011, helping professionals to modify their foreign accents to an understandable level for everyday use. All of these years of teaching (since 2002) have helped her select and adopt the best mix of teaching knowledge and experience that is required for the success of every student who has passion for improvement and success.

Beth Flory is the Chief Executive Officer of S.A.F.E. House in Henderson, Nevada, one of the state’s most comprehensive domestic violence agencies, providing crisis intervention, emergency shelter, counseling, advocacy, and community education. She joined S.A.F.E. House in 2009 and has served in multiple direct service and leadership roles before becoming CEO in 2021. Ms. Flory brings nearly two decades of supervisory and management experience, including leading multidisciplinary teams, overseeing program operations, and developing staff through trauma-informed and best-practice management approaches. She also serves on the board of directors for the Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (NCEDSV) and The Giving Store. Ms. Flory is a SHRM-Certified Professional and a 2022 graduate of Leadership Henderson. She is passionate about leading and mentoring teams that provide direct client services, with a focus on supporting staff development and ensuring individuals in need receive high-quality, ethical, and effective services.

Education

Master's of Human Resource Management, Keller Graduate School of Management, 2015

Bachelor of Arts, Major Psychology, Minor Sociology, Hope College, 2001

Carli Gilchrist is the Senior Training & Development Manager for FirstService Residential’s Nevada market and a licensed Supervising Community Manager, where she leads the design and execution of innovative learning and leadership development programs. With more than 20 years of experience in community association management, Carli specializes in onboarding, performance management, and professional growth initiatives that support associates at every stage of their careers. She is also a lead instructor for UNLV’s Community Manager Pre-Licensing Program, consistently helping participants achieve outstanding exam pass rates through practical, engaging instruction.

New Yorker by birth, growing up in the suburbs of New York and Connecticut, "Gabbie" was able to frequent Manhattan and benefit from all of its cultural resources. Gabriél attended Cornell University's College of Fine Art and Architecture, graduating with a B.F.A. Panting Major, an Art History Minor and the equivalent of a minor in literature. She took additional classes in the more "commercial" skills and illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. More recently, she added some computer skills to the repertoire. You can never have too many options. "Gabbie's" experiences as an artist in both the "Fine" and commercial fields continues to be extremely varied. Her work is in the collection of Comedian Bill Cosby, the former presidents and CEO's of large corporations, in the Trotter's Hall of Fame, Goshen, New York, in hand-painted costumes for the '80's group Full Force (CBS records), and Donna Sommers. In the same week, she worked on a twenty foot mural for a local casino, and a digitally "invented" pirate ship mast for a private home-owner's fantasy swimming pool. She has even designed sets of tarot cards......Whether crafting a watercolor still life to demonstrate traditional themes and techniques for students, or mixing media to capture a dreamscape or archetypal vision, the possibilities are unlimited, and the artist loves a challenge.

For the past 15 years, Jessica Kennedy has been calling Las Vegas home. Originally from Missouri, Jessica has lived all over the United States and has worked in the field of graphic design longer than she would like to admit. A graduate of Drury College in Springfield, Missouri, Jessica was employed in St. Louis and Chicago simultaneously after her graduation. Working with such diverse clients as Godiva Chocolatiers, The St. Louis Blues, Pepsi, National Industrial Services Incorporated, Kinko's, Iconn Watersports, The College of Southern Nevada Foundation, Las Vegas Hospitality Association, and several Las Vegas casinos, Jessica has a unique perspective on what it takes to have successful design in a vast array of markets. Her prowess in Social Media has been given accolades in the Las Vegas Review Journal and she is the social media "go-to" for News Channel 13. Teaching full-time at Rancho High School has allowed her to remain on top of social media as well as up-and-coming trends in graphic design and Internet security through networking with other high school graphic design instructors and industry professionals across the valley, and the United States. The responsibilities of being a full-time mom, business owner, business partner in a local art gallery, and full-time graphic design instructor keep Jessica busy and always on the run, yet she always has extra time for students who are in need of assistance.

Anthony LaBounty is Professor of Music and the Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he directs the UNLV "Star of Nevada" Marching Band, UNLV Symphonic Winds, the UNLV "Runnin' Rebel" Basketball Pep Band, and the UNLV Community Concert Band. Since his appointment to the faculty in 1988, he has helped develop the UNLV Bands to become one of the finest collegiate band programs in the nation. He teaches courses within the music education degree programs and is an active clinician and adjudicator throughout the United States. He has served as a guest conductor and performer throughout Europe, Japan, Mexico and China. He has conducted special performances by the UNLV Community Band at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland (March 2009) and at the Teatro Principe in Palestrina (Rome), Italy (June 2012). In 2005 he directed the UNLV Band before an estimated multi-national Asian television audience of 340 million viewers in a special invited performance at the Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Parade and Festival in Hong Kong, China. He is a past state chairman of the Nevada Chapter of the National Band Association, and is a member in the Phi Delta Kappa Honorary Fraternity, the National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, and is a past member of the Texas Music Educators Association. In 2005, LaBounty was awarded UNLV College of Fine Arts Outstanding Teacher of The Year. In 2014, LaBounty was distinguished by election to the prestigious American Bandmasters Association and was the first ABA member to be elected in the new, dual category of band conductor/composer. Under his leadership, the UNLV Symphonic Winds has performed as a special exhibition ensemble premiering the wind band transcription of Sonata for Alto Saxophone, Op. 29 by Robert Muczynski at the North American Saxophone Alliance Conference (2011). The group has also performed with special guest soloists John McMurtery (flute), Gary Cook (percussion) and Timothy Jones (percussion). The Symphonic Winds have also recorded numerous catalogued wind band repertoire holdings of TRN Music Publisher, Inc. LaBounty is a published composer of original works for band. Among his original compositions for wind orchestra: Psalm 92 (2015, Published by C.L. Barnhouse), Salmo Della Rinascita (2012, published by TRN Music Publisher, Inc.) Favor and Treasure (2013, published by Opus III/C.L. Barnhouse), Sharakan (2010, published by LudwigMasters/E.F. Kalmus). Prayer For Asia (2008, published by Opus III/C.L. Barnhouse), and Le Sentier (2007, published by TRN Music Publisher, Inc.). LaBounty's wind orchestra setting of How Deep The Father's Love For Us is published by Opus III/C.L. Barnhouse. Sonata Op. 29 for Alto Saxophone by Robert Muczynski transcribed for band by LaBounty is published by G. Schirmer/Hal Leonard Corporation. Salmo Della Rinascita, Favor and Treasure, Le Sentier, Prayer For Asia and How Deep The Father's Love For Us are recorded by the UNLV Wind Orchestra and available on the Klavier records label.

Dr. Rob Levrant has been the director of OLLI at UNLV since 2015. Prior, Levrant had an extensive career in higher education administration and community engagement. From 1996-2003 he served as Director of Housing and Residence Life at Rocky Mountain College where he taught an undergraduate leadership course, and led community education efforts aimed at improving student experience, public safety, and quality of life on campus and throughout the community.

Mary Ann Racheau has over 35 years of experience in costume and fashion design and construction. Racheau spent over eight years as a costume and shoe technician for Cirque du Soleil’s KA at the MGM Grand. Her background also includes 14 years as the lead seamstress with the Siegfried & Roy show at the Mirage and six years as the costumier for Nevada Ballet Theatre, Nevada Opera Theatre, the Mickey Finn Show, and various Las Vegas productions. She is a designer of her own unique line of collectible teddy bears, dolls and quilts. Skills include teaching, pattern cutting, designing, alterations, dyeing and construction of fashion garments and costumes, leather work, teddy bear, and quilt making. Racheau has assembled model garments for Cloth World in Las Vegas and Quiltique in Henderson, sample quilts for Sew Yeah in Las Vegas, and teaches privately and in classrooms throughout Las Vegas. She is certified as a “Master Sewing Educator" by Sewing Educators Alliance. This will be her fifth semester as an OLLI sewing educator.

Cristina Sanchez is a native Spanish speaker born in Mexico, where she studied in the Superior Institute for Interpreters and Translators (ISIT). In 2000, Cristina began her journey as a freelance Interpreter/Translator and Conference interpreter. Her experience extends to the legal, medical, administrative and financial industries.  She obtained her certification as Court Interpreter for the state of California in 2003. Cristina relocated to Las Vegas where she obtained her certification as Court Interpreter for the state of Nevada in 2005 and became a Federal Certified Court Interpreter in 2009.

Cristina accepted the position as Interpreter Coordinator in the U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2013, collaborating with all the members of the judiciary, providing assistance as an interpreter, and coordinating the requests for interpreters in other languages.

Cristina has been an active member of several Professional Interpreter/Translator Associations such as ATA, NAJIT, and NITA where she was part of the Board of Directors and President (2015-2019). She has shared her experience on many occasions as presenter in several seminars for interpreters, attorneys at the State Bar of Nevada and judges as faculty at the NJC (national Judicial College) since 2017.

Cristina has been an instructor in the Legal interpreting Program offered by UNLV since 2017.

I am a visual storyteller drawn to the quiet, honest moments that often go unnoticed. Working in both film and digital photography, my practice is rooted in capturing authenticity—images that feel lived in, human, and emotionally present. I specialize in food and street photography because both exist at the intersection of culture, memory, and connection. They reveal who we are, where we come from, and how we move through the world.

My artistic foundation was shaped early by studying my father’s photographs from Munich, Germany and the work of masters such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, Josef Koudelka, and Irving Penn. Living in Paris on and off for seven years deepened my understanding of light, rhythm, and everyday poetry, influencing how I frame the world and find meaning in small, fleeting details.

Alongside my studio practice, I am deeply committed to arts education, with 14 years of experience teaching photography. I currently teach at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and have instructed special courses at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, California. I began my teaching career at Collin College’s Continuing Education Department in Plano, Texas. Teaching informs my creative process, just as my creative work shapes the way I teach—both rooted in curiosity, observation, and storytelling.

At the core of my work is the belief that photography is not just about what is seen, but what is felt. Whether I am documenting a dish, a street scene, or a passing expression, I seek to create images that invite viewers to pause, reflect, and connect. My photographs are not about perfection, but presence—about honoring the stories that exist within a single frame.

As the Chief People Officer for Fontainebleau Las Vegas, Kimberly Virtuoso brings vision to this

luxury destination where she is responsible for strategizing, developing, and implementing culture,

employee engagement, talent acquisition, and organizational development initiatives. Mrs.

Virtuoso is focused on driving business results through the unique intersection of strategy, talent,

and culture, with a strong focus on employees, which are known as MEMBERS at Fontainebleau

Las Vegas.

With over a decade of industry experience, Mrs. Virtuoso joined the Fontainebleau Las Vegas

opening team in April 2022. Prior to joining Fontainebleau Las Vegas, Mrs. Virtuoso spent 7 years

at MGM Resorts International and served as the Executive Director of Corporate Human

Resources and previously served in a Senior Human Resources role for Caesars Entertainment.

Mrs. Virtuoso has prior hotel operations experience at Palms Casino Resort and the Ritz Carlton,

where she developed her passion for the hospitality industry. Mrs. Virtuoso most recently led a

Human Resources Consulting firm, partnering with private and public sectors to create and

implement talent planning, recruitment, labor relations, and learning and development initiatives.

 Since 2019, Mrs. Virtuoso has been an instructor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where

she develops and facilitates courses in Emotional Intelligence, Communications, Leadership

Essentials, and Human Resources. 

Mrs. Virtuoso holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University, a

bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management from University of Nevada Las Vegas, and a

recognized certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). 

In recognition of her leadership and impact, Mrs. Virtuoso has received the Talent Acquisition

Leader of the Year Award from HRO in 2025 and a C-Suite Honor from Vegas Inc. in 2026.

Mrs. Virtuoso also serves as the Vice-Chairwoman of the Civil Services Board in Henderson,

Nevada.

Greg Wilken is the Founder and Principal Member of Edunamo Consulting. Endunamo is a Human Resources consulting company that focuses on providing HR expertise and services to nonprofit organizations.
Prior to forming Endunamo, Greg had spent most of his career in corporate HR and practicing employment and labor law. He has worked in all aspects of HR with a particular focus on employee relations, labor-management relations and HR compliance.
Greg has a B.A. from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota where he majored in History and a J.D from the University of Baltimore School of Law.
Greg lives in Las Vegas and spends his free time running, cooking and traveling.