Course Listing - by Instructor

Name

Biography

Tonya Bates

Lee Business School

Scott Emerson is a nationally recognized nonprofit strategist, executive coach, and educator with more than 30 years of leadership experience helping mission-driven organizations strengthen governance, improve performance, and navigate complex challenges. He is the Founder and Principal Advisor of Granite Group Solutions, where he works closely with nonprofit boards and executive leaders to align strategy, clarify roles, and elevate organizational effectiveness. His executive career includes senior leadership roles with the American Red Cross and United Way of Southern Nevada, where he led large-scale operations, fundraising, crisis and emergency response, and community partnerships.

Scott is deeply engaged in board service and nonprofit leadership development. He has served on numerous boards and statewide commissions and is widely sought after for his expertise in board governance, executive coaching, and organizational strategy. For over a decade, he has taught nonprofit management and governance through UNLV Lifelong Learning (formerly UNLV Continuing Education), equipping current and emerging leaders with practical tools to build stronger, more accountable organizations. Known for his calm leadership style and systems-thinking approach, Scott helps organizations translate mission into measurable impact.

Holly Gagnon is the president of HGC Hospitality Gaming Consulting and is the Lead Independent Director of Bragg Gaming Group. From 2017 to 2020, Ms. Gagnon served as Chief Executive Officer of Seneca Gaming Corporation, which manages the gaming operations of the Seneca Nation of Indians. Prior to this, she served as Chief Executive Officer for Chumash Enterprises for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians from 2015 to 2017. Before joining Chumash Enterprises, Ms. Gagnon served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Pearl River Resort from 2012 to 2015 and, prior to this, in a number of key financial and operational roles with Caesars Entertainment Corporation, MGM Resorts International and Harrah's Entertainment Inc.. In addition, she is a founding board member of Global Gaming Women where she currently serves on the advisory committee and is a Trustee for the Conference Board and the Committee for Economic Development where she co-chairs the Women in Leadership Committee. She is a Distinguished Fellow for the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she has been part of the EDP team for the past 5 years. She lectures at the University of Massachusetts Isenberg School of Management on leadership and hospitality/gaming. Ms. Gagnon holds a B.S. in Accounting from Bentley University in Massachusetts and an MBA from Chaminade University of Honolulu and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Dan Gianoutsos

Carli Gilchrist

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.

Eileen Moore Johnson is a proven senior level operations and strategic human resources executive across the transportation, hospitality and casino gaming sectors. She has demonstrated an expertise in attracting and developing high performance teams and cultures to drive market outperformance and shareholder value. An executive with over 30-years of professional experience, Eileen has worked for and developed some of the best hospitality and gaming brands in the world. Her career has spanned corporate strategy, operations, marketing and human resources. She is highly accomplished at crisis management and corporate turnarounds through complex balance sheet restructuring, activist shareholders, mergers, divestitures and acquisitions. Her leadership has spanned LBO's, IPO's, Family Ownership and Private Equity (TPG & Apollo). Eileen has excellent communications skills and has been a key leadership communicator to the media, boards, shareholders, consumers, executives, employees, labor unions, regulatory bodies, celebrity partners, and as an on-air judge on The Food Network's: Vegas Chef Prizefight. She is also recognized for her innovation and leadership in DEI initiatives.
Eileen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Administration from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. Continuing education has consisted of strategic board and governance focused programs including, KPMG and Women Corporate Directors Board Training Boot Camp and was also a member of the 2019 class of Catalyst Women On Boards program.

Tim Jones

English Language Center Faculty

Rob Levrant

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.

David Loaiza-Funk

Dávid Loaiza-Funk is the President and CEO of Diversidad LLC, a company that eliminates language barriers while enhancing inclusion in the community of Southern Nevada. Dávid has a Masters degree in Healthcare Administration as well as dual certification in medical/healthcare interpreting through NBCMI and CCHI and a black belt in Lean Six Sigma for Quality improvement. Dávid has served as a coach, and manager of medical interpreters for the last 10 years at different organizations including University Medical Center of Southern Nevada. David serves as the Director-at-Large for the Nevada Minority Health and Equity Coalition and has received the American College of Healthcare Executives' Regent at Large Diversity Award in 2017 and the National Association of Latinos Healthcare Executives (NALHE) 2016 caucus leadership award.

Jim McClenahan

Jim McClenahan's mission is to link the University of Nevada, Reno College of Business's most valuable asset - its students -with companies that will benefit from their skills and talent and help those students grow in their personal and professional skills. As the college's executive director of outreach and engagement, McClenahan is responsible for connecting students to businesses through community events, internships, mentorships and providing contacts for career opportunities. He is also responsible for the Nevada Global Business program, which takes students around the world for experiential opportunities and for administering the college's Corporate Partners program. As the College expands programs, he handles professional and executive instruction, conference service, and serves as Interim Director of the Institute to Study Gaming and Commercial Gambling. McClenahan also teaches marketing in The College of Business Executive MBA program. McClenahan holds a master' degree in business administration from the University of Nevada, Reno and bachelor' degree in economics from the University of California, Santa Cruz. McClenahan currently serves as Past Chair of the Board of Directors for United Federal Credit Union, a $4 Billion national financial institution, and as past chair of the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement Northern Nevada, a nonprofit dedicated to financial literacy in K-12 schools. He recently finished his term as the past chairman of the board for The Reno Chamber of Commerce. He is an ordained Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church in the Diocese of Reno. He and his wife Karen have lived in Reno for the last 23 years and enjoy all the outdoor activities Northern Nevada has available.

Dr. Christina Nishiyama offers 20 years of human resource and organizational development expertise, with a proven history of leadership across business strategy, finance, and information technology. She has a distinguished track record of establishing HR operations for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, specializing in people-driven cultures, executive talent acquisition, and total compensation plans aligned with financial goals. Currently, Christina serves as Vice President, People and Culture for Professional Contractor Supply. Throughout her executive career, she has consistently built award-winning cultures, leading both PCS to a Great Place to Work® certification and The Mob Museum to a Top Workplace accolade. Her previous experience also includes several leadership roles at MGM Resorts International, such as Director of HR Initiatives and leading HR operations for Vdara Hotel and Spa, as well as serving as Vice President for Bienati Consulting Group. Deeply committed to the advancement of her field, Christina is an instructor at UNLV and an author of McGraw Hill’s aPHR, PHR, and SPHR certification books. She holds a Ph.D. in Learning Sciences from UNLV, where her academic publications in tier 1 journals explores perspective taking in online settings, power dynamics, and combating online misinformation. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from UC San Diego and an MBA from San Diego State University. While Christina is deeply dedicated to her professional work, her background as a long-time competitive swimmer continues to fuel her love for staying active. Above all, she finds her greatest joy in her roles as a wife and mother, especially when traveling the world and exploring new cultures with her family.

Rafael Oganesyan

Amy Pourciau

Amy is a Fortune 500 human resources executive with expertise in organizational development, talent management, and performance management. Amy's broad human resources experience includes establishing international offices, developing and leading enterprise-wide initiatives, rapid property expansions, centralizations and leading operational transformations, and talent development. Amy holds a master's degree in organizational leadership and learning from the George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies from UNLV.

Cynthia Radley

Alicia Rodriguez Lamas

Alec Sonenthal

Alec Sonenthal is a seasoned professional photographer with over 40 years of experience in corporate event and portrait photography. He's also a technology specialist and passionate advocate for smartphone photography and videography. Alec has worked as a newspaper photographer and editor and been deeply involved in the events and trade show industry for over three decades. Alec also travels extensively, capturing the world's historical, architectural and natural beauty.

Mrs. Tessier was born and raised in Paris, France. She earned her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Antony University and her master's degree in Education at Paris V University. After teaching various elementary grades in France, Mrs. Tessier and her family moved to the United States. She spent her first ten years in Annapolis, Maryland as a stay at home mom teaching her two young children both French and English. In 2009, the family had the opportunity to move to Henderson, Nevada. She loves teaching her native language and is excited to offer new French classes at UNLV in the Continuing Education department. When she's not sharing her knowledge on the French language and culture with the Las Vegas community, Mrs. Tessier likes to spend time with her family and friends. She also enjoys cooking gourmet meals and hiking in the our beautiful national parks.

Vernetta Thomas

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.

Petersen Training

Alvaro Vergara-Mery

Alvaro Vergara-Mery, PHD, CMI is a Certified Medical Interpreter and licensed trainer in the Cultural and Linguistic Services Department at University Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is in charge of interpreter education and training, language proficiency, cultural competence, translation and curriculum design. He has extensive experience as a practicing medical interpreter in a Level I Trauma center that serves a large population of Spanish-speaking patients and he is nationally recognized for his advanced level workshops for medical interpreters. He is a certified and licensed trainer and a cultural and language access consultant and has received California Healthcare Interpreters Association's 2016 Trainer of the Year Award. He is also an adjunct faculty member at UNLV's School of Medicine.

David Weinstein

David Weinstein has been a Las Vegas resident since 1979 and a professional photographer for over 40 years. Along with teaching at OLLI, David has also been a teacher with the Nevada Camera Club and a co-leader of the Photography Explorer program. Phones, and the mini computers within, make taking pictures both easier and more challenging and David enjoys discovering how all the features work.

Tania Williams

Tania Williams has served in the field of Human Resources for the last twenty-
eight years in various capacities. While currently working at the Regional
Transportation Commission as the Manager of Human Resources, her experience
includes specialization in organizational development, employee engagement,
and executive coaching. Prior to working for public agencies, Tania worked many
years as a generalist in key leadership roles within the retail and hospitality
industries.
In these roles, Tania provided direct oversight of employee/labor relations,
compensation & benefits, training & development, management development,
talent assessment, succession planning, reward & recognition, talent acquisition,
employee services, workers compensation, leave administration, employee
communication, and federal labor law and collective bargaining agreement
compliance.
Tania’s credentials include a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard
University and a Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University.
Additionally, she has earned several other certifications within the HR profession.
Currently Tania serves as a Vice-Chair board member for FirstMed Health and
Wellness Centers and is a member-at-large for the Public Sector Human
Resources Association.

Lydia Wolfe

Regina Yenser

Donna Zanetti