Leadership

Jan Jones Blackhurst

Board of Directors, Caesars Entertainment and former City of Las Vegas Mayor

Jan Jones Blackhurst served as the first female mayor of Las Vegas from 1991 to 1999. Following her second term as mayor, she joined Caesars Entertainment, where she created the casino industry’s first regulatory practices for problem gaming. Since 1999, Ms. Blackhurst, has served as the Executive Vice President of Public Policy & Corporate Responsibility. And in September of 2019, Jan was appointed to the Caesars Entertainment Company Board of Directors.

During her 20 years at Caesars, Ms. Blackhurst helped develop and grow the industry’s first Responsible Gaming practices to include an ambassador model for the gaming industry and the first industry code of commitment. Under her leadership, Caesars Entertainment has earned a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for 10 consecutive years. Most recently, she led the Company’s Gender Equity Initiative. Ms. Blackhurst also served as Chair of the Caesars Foundation, strengthening communities through philanthropic activities and corporate gifts.

Ms. Blackhurst serves on numerous boards, including the Board of Directors for the U. S. Chamber of Commerce and the Women's Leadership Board at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She is Chairwoman of the Nevada Resort Association and Las Vegas Stadium Authority.

She has also received many recognitions and accolades throughout her career including the Americanism Award from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the Woman of Diversity Award for "100 Years of Influence - Women Shaping the First 100 Years of Las Vegas", Outstanding Service in a Land-based Industry from Totally Gaming, PR News CSR Professional of the Year and was named by the Las Vegas Business Press as one of its “Women Who Mean Business.” In 2014, she was one of the first women to be inducted into the American Gaming Association (AGA) Gaming Hall of Fame.

Jan Jones Blackhurst has spent most of her professional career pressing against the glass ceiling. Now, she’ll get the opportunity to show others the way after being named Chief Executive in residence at UNLV’s International Gaming Institute. But in her new position, funded by the 2019 Nevada Legislature, she’ll be able to support gender equity through UNLV’s “Expanding the Leaderverse” program by speaking with young students as well as in the college classroom and with professionals in the workplace.

Ms. Blackhurst holds a bachelor's degree in English from Stanford University and attended the University of Southern California's School of Food Marketing Management.

Mendy Elliott

Flynn Giudici Government Affairs
Senior Vice President

Mendy Elliott has an extensive career in Community, Corporate and Government Relations. She was most recently with the State of Nevada when she was appointed by Governor Jim Gibbons to serve as Director of Business and Industry in 2007, a post she held until July 2008 when the Governor promoted her to the serve as his Deputy Chief of Staff.

Ms. Elliott was recruited into state service after a 30-year career in the financial services industry, making her keenly knowledgeable in policies and regulations governing the financial services industry. She spent 24 years of her financial career with Wells Fargo Bank. Among her various positions, she served as a Personal Banking Officer, Branch Manager, and Commercial Loan Officer. Her most recent posts included Senior Vice President of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and Private Banking Manager. Additionally, she served in the capacity of Senior Vice President, Community and Government Relations Department at Wells Fargo where she oversaw all aspects of the bank’s government relations and community relations/foundation programs including serving as the main liaison with the Nevada legislature and the state’s University System. In each of these positions she worked on human resources projects and handled HR issues for her direct staff.

Additionally, Ms. Elliott is an active member of the community, serving in a number of volunteer roles. She is currently active in the Reno Sparks Chamber of Commerce, WIN, United Way of Northern Nevada, Nevada Women’s Fund, KNPB Public Broadcasting, Community Foundation of Western Nevada, American Heart Association, and the Nevada Humane Society.

Rita Vaswani

Senior Vice President, Nevada State Bank

Vaswani is the vice president, client relationship manager for Nevada State Bank and has more than two decades of banking experience. She also has a strong background in health care and focuses on banking relationships primarily serving Nevada’s health care industry. Dedicated to volunteerism and her community, Vaswani serves on several medical, nonprofit and advocacy boards. As a Las Vegas resident since 1992, Vaswani is very active on boards and committees in the community. Vaswani has been honored as one of the 2015 and 2014 Las Vegas’ Top 100 Women of Influence, Distinguished Women of Nevada, and Woman of the Year by the Asian Community Resource Center of Nevada.

Barbara Molasky

Donation Supporter

Barbara Molasky is a community leader dedicated to building social and cause-related awareness, and networking individuals and organizations to optimize civic partnerships benefiting the Las Vegas Valley. Barbara has over twenty years experience in building non-profit gift and grant programs that benefit disadvantaged organizations, community groups, and foundations. She has received recognition from the National Transportation Authority, Preservation Society, and the Discovery Children’s Museum.

Barbara has served Rogich Communications as the Executive Director of Community Development since 2011. Barbara develops and strengthens community awareness through fundraising efforts, including donation and giving programs, silent auctions, and community events. As business liaison, she optimizes exposure for organizations and promotes activities and community development. Barbara’s current activities are focused on Downtown Las Vegas and the Museum of Law Enforcement and Organized Crime.

From 2008 to 2011, Barbara served as Director of Events and Giving for Opportunity Village,
a non-profit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities in the Las Vegas community. She was responsible for event development, management, and volunteer supervision; coordinating multiple events of significant magnitude.

From 1995 to 2007, Barbara served The Neon Museum as Founding Board Member managing the installation of the Hacienda Hotel Horse on Fremont and Las Vegas Boulevard, representing the beginning of the Neon Museum. She also facilitated the acquisition and coordination of relocating the La Concha Motel to its current site.

From 1994 to 1997, Barbara served the City of Las Vegas as a Management Analyst for the Planning Department and Neighborhood Services. While at the city, she developed the Neon Museum, assisted with initial development of the Arts District and Gateway Arts Festival (ultimately becoming First Friday) and developed a fundraising program to furnish the Mash Crisis Intervention Center for homeless families. .

Barbara is a philanthropic organizer and over the years has served on many boards; founding member and President of The Neon Museum, Nevada Institute of Contemporary Art, The Jewish Federation, founding member of Discovery Children’s Museum, National Jewish Hospital of Denver, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Nathan Adelson Hospice, Build a Greener Block, Straight to the Streets, Las Vegas Arts Museum, and Finance Committee for the Nevada Democratic Presidential Caucus (first ever held in Nevada). Barbara is also a civic and community leader for the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, Discovery Children’s Museum, Public Education Foundation, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Harrah’s College of Hotel Administration, Downtown Las Vegas Alliance, The Vegas PBS Women’s Engagement Council and the Board of Directors of PBS and a board member of The Nevada Donor Network.

She is currently the Outreach Director of Core, powered by the Rogers Foundation and the Railroad Arts District.

Carol and James Jimmerson

Attorney & CEO

James (Jim) was admitted to the Nevada Bar, the Nevada and U.S. District Court of Nevada in 1976; to the California Bar in 1977; the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit in 1978; the U.S. District Court, Central District of California in 1981; and to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1982.

He has authored several articles for legal periodicals on subjects ranging from business torts to family law and representation of celebrities and professional athletes. Mr. Jimmerson also has served as a moderator and panelist for the American Bar Association’s annual meetings on business torts litigation and family law litigation and has spoken throughout the United States on orthopedics and the law and on many subjects, including trial skills, cross-examination, and the art of taking depositions.

Mr. Jimmerson is a former long-time member of the State Bar of Nevada Board of Governors and served as a lawyer representative to Ninth Circuit Judicial Conferences. He has been a Member of the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association and has been selected to be in The Best Lawyers in America and Pre-Eminent Lawyers in Martingale-Hubbell. He is a member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and the American College of Family Trial Lawyers, and a member of the Family Law Section of the ABA. Mr. Jimmerson also is a certified mediator and arbitrator for both the AAML and the American Arbitration Association. Pictured with Jimmerson is his lovely wife Carol. Jim and Carol are the parents of heroic donor, Jacob, who saved the lives of two others through organ donation. We look forward to the impact we will make together on our Nevada Strong community.

Carol Sue Jimmerson was born in Roswell New Mexico, and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada at age sixteen. She married her husband, James J. Jimmerson, in 1992, and they have two children, Jacob Lowell Jimmerson in 1993, and Bentley Lorene Jimmerson in 2001. Carol also raised Jim’s children from a prior marriage, James and Chad, beginning in 1992 through their graduation from high school from the Meadows School. In addition to raising the couple’s four children, Carol and Jim founded Jacob Transportation Services LLC dba Executive Las Vegas in 2004, which Carol manages through the present date. Carol’s unique stature of being a women CEO in a man’s business led to her nickname “The Queen of Limousines.” Carol is now a leader in the field with five transportation-related businesses, and her expertise in chauffeured transportation, medical rides, and the taxi industry has let her to become well respected in this industry. She has received several awards as a woman-owned business, and for her service for the benefit of U.S. Veterans. Over the years, Carol and her husband have been involved in multiple community and charitable activities. In 2019, it became personal when Carol and Jim lost their son, Jacob, at age twenty five, to a drug overdose. This tragic loss spurred new charitable and philanthropic endeavors, including serving on the Board of the Nevada Donor Network Foundation, the State’s leading organization for organ donations and transplants (in honor of her son Jacob, whose heart and liver have allowed two additional organ recipients to continue their lives), and Victoria’s Voice, a leading charity which has successfully lobbied for legislative changes for the use of Narcan (Naloxone) dispensed by first responders, and which promotes education of our youth to reject drug usage. Carol joins Jackie and David Segal, and other leaders throughout the Country, to create and present programming in an effort to defeat this insidious disease. Carol continues to reside in Las Vegas with her husband of 30 years, Jim, their adult sons, James and Chad and their wives, their three grandchildren, and their adult daughter Bentley.

Damon Schilling

Manager of Public Affairs AMR and MedicWest Las Vegas

Damon Schilling is the Manager of Public Affairs for AMR / MedicWest Las Vegas and Global Medical Response’s Southwest Region. Damon was born and raised in Las Vegas. He started his career at Southwest Ambulance (now MedicWest) in March of 2003. Starting as an EMT and completing paramedic school in 2006. Damon also worked in the dispatch center while he was going through Paramedic school. Since that time Damon has held many roles within the organization including, Preceptor, Field Training Officer and Public Information Officer.

Damon made his transition into leadership as the Community Relations and Special Events Coordinator for Las Vegas in 2014. He held that role until January of 2017 when he was appointed to the Public Affairs Manager position. Damon served as the PIO during the tragic events of 1 October in Las Vegas 2017. Damon is a founding member of the Nevada Ambulance Association and sits on several boards and committees in Las Vegas valley as well as having active roles in municipal politics and local chambers of commerce. Damon has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Nevada State College. He and his wife Allie have two amazing boys, Porter and Levi. In his downtime, Damon loves spending time with his family, golfing, hunting, is an active member in his church and watching the Vegas Golden Knights.

Dawn Gibbons

Chair, Nevada Transportation Authority and former First Lady of Nevada

Dawn Gibbons was born in Atlanta, Georgia and moved to Nevada at the age of 20. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a bachelor's degree in geological studies. Following graduation, she owned and operated two wedding chapels in Reno, Nevada. During this period, she met her future husband, Jim Gibbons, then a Delta Air Lines pilot. They married in 1986. Together they have one child, Jimmy, who has served in the United States Navy.

In 1991, Dawn Gibbons was appointed to the Nevada Assembly, filling a vacancy created when her husband resigned his seat in order to serve in the Persian Gulf War. She resigned from the state legislature in April 1991, allowing her husband to reclaim his seat. Following her husband's reappointment to the seat, she resumed her career in business until 1998, when she was elected to the Nevada Assembly, serving from 1999 to 2005. During the 2006 election season, she was defeated in the Republican Party primary to succeed her husband in the U.S. House of Representatives, finishing in third place behind Nevada Secretary of State Dean Heller, the eventual winner of both the primary and the general elections, and State Assemblywoman Sharron Angle. In that same election cycle, her husband won both the Republican primary and the general election to become Governor of Nevada.

Gibbons was the Senior Vice President of Intermountain West Communications Company and was a radio talk show host for Fox News and co-hosted the Dawn & Jim Show and the Dawn & Rory Show. In February 2013, she announced her engagement to Jim Hooban, President of the Independent Nevada Doctors Exchange.

John Farahi

Co-Chairman Of The Board, Chief Executive Officer, Secretary Of Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc.

John Farahi is Co-Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Secretary of Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc.

He has been Co-Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since its inception and of Golden Road, a direct wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, since June 1993. He has served as Secretary of the Company since November 2011. From 1973 until June 1993, Mr. Farahi was President, Director, and General Manager of Golden Road. Mr. Farahi is a partner in Farahi Investment Company (“FIC”), which is engaged in real estate investment and development.

Mr. Farahi served on the Washoe County Airport Authority as a Trustee from July 1997 until June 2005. Mr. Farahi is a former member of the Nevada Commission on Tourism and served as a Board Member of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors’ Authority until 2017. Mr. Farahi was appointed in 2013 by President Barack Obama to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council.

Mr. Farahi holds a political science degree from the California State University at Hayward. The Board believes Mr. Farahi is qualified to serve as a director due to his specific experience as a casino operator and his knowledge of the casino industry.

Karla Perez

Regional Vice President Of Universal Health Services

As a tenured executive with Universal Health Services, Karla Perez currently serves as the Regional Vice President for the Western Region of Universal Health Services. In her current role, Karla provides oversight to the operations of Spring Valley, Summerlin, Desert Springs, Valley, and Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Centers in Las Vegas, Northern Nevada Medical Center in Sparks, Nevada and an additional acute care hospital currently under construction in Henderson, Nevada. Karla has multi-state experience having previously overseen hospitals in both Washington and California.

Karla has worked in the Las Vegas community for over 30 years, beginning her career in 1983 as a medical record clerk at Valley Hospital. Through the years, she assumed a wide variety of duties ranging from business development to overall hospital operations. These responsibilities have generously allowed her to advance her career with numerous promotions over the years to her previous positions as Group Vice President, CEO of Desert Springs Hospital and CEO of Spring Valley Hospital. Karla was named to the 2002 UHS Chairman’s Council, a recognition reserved for the top CEOs in the company. She repeated that recognition again in 2006 and in 2007. She was also the recipient of the Eagle Award from Universal Health Services, an award given to CEOs for achievement of excellence and commitment. Karla was recently appointed by Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, to serve on the Governor’s Council for Behavioral Health Services representing the acute care hospitals in the State of Nevada.

Karla graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee with a B.S. degree in Health Records Administration. In 1992, she was honored by the University with the “Graduate of the Decade” Award and in May 2010, she received the Distinguished Alumni Award. In 1992, she also received her master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of St. Francis. In 2008, she was honored with the Professional Achievement Award from the University of St. Francis Alumni Association.

In addition to her healthcare provider responsibilities, she serves on Boards of Directors for the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, Nevada Mutual Insurance Company, the Nevada Clinical Services and the Nevada State Bank Board of Directors. She was formerly on the Board of Directors for the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP), where she received the “Heroes with Heart” award in 2005, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Nevada Hospital Association and West Care and served on the Board of Directors for the American Heart Association, where she received the Crystal Heart Award.

She has also been a member of the Board of Directors for the United Way, American Red Cross and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, where she received the “Outstanding Team Player of the Year” award. She was formerly the Chairman of the Board of Directors for MASH Village, a homeless shelter, and was a member of the Board of Directors for the American Diabetes Association. She was honored by the American Diabetes Association with the “Women of Valor” Award.
Karla was also selected by In Business Las Vegas Magazine as one of Southern Nevada’s Most Influential Businesswomen and received the Chamber of Commerce’s “Community Achievement” Award for Medical and Health Services. She was also honored by the March of Dimes with the “Nurses Choice” Award. Karla received the Woman of Distinction Award, from the National Association of Women Business Owners in the Medical, Professional Services Category and was recently recognized as a “Healthcare Hero” for Southern Nevada.

Kelly LeGrow

Vice President, Brown & Brown Insurance

With more than 25 years of healthcare and insurance experience, Kelly E. LeGrow has established a strong executive reputation as a sought-after consultant with expertise in provider networks, compensation development, contract negotiation, and the management and development of numerous plan benefits. During the course of her career, she has developed and implemented operational, business and marketing strategies for hospitals, third party administrators, pharmacy benefits managers, managed care organizations and physician groups. Kelly also has developed PPO and HMO networks, home health agencies and insurance brokerage firms. She was instrumental in the expansion and elevation of Waymark Insurance Services, representing many influential organizations across Las Vegas, and continues to expand that service as she joins Brown & Brown.

In previous positions, Kelly oversaw the strategic development and marketing consulting of large self-funded, fully-insured, managed care and ancillary healthcare clients, also providing unique healthcare delivery programs and developing several key analytic tools including evaluation metrics, benchmarking and comparing different benefits designs. Past appointments include executive positions with Sierra Health Services, Silver State Administrators, Prime Health, John Alden.

Life, Horizon Health Care PPO and Hi-Tech Healthcare Services. She holds a current health and life insurance license and is highly skilled in evaluating and negotiating contracts on behalf of physicians groups. Kelly has lived in southern Nevada since 1984 and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She has served as vice president of the Nevada Neuroscience Foundation, chair of the board of the Nevada chapter of the American Lung Association, founding board member of Nevada Executive Women in Health Care, and a member of the national Women Business Leaders.

Kerry Bubolz 

President & Chief Operating Officer, Vegas Golden Knights 

On October 3, 2016, the Vegas Golden Knights announced Kerry Bubolz as the first President and Chief Operating Officer of the Golden Knights. In his role, Bubolz oversees all business aspects of the franchise and the community facilities that are operated by the enterprise.

Bubolz is entering his fourth season with the Knights, building off the organization’s success in their first three years. The Knights have exceeded expectations averaging over 103% attendance when combining playoffs and regular season totals through the first three seasons. Under Bubolz’s leadership, the Knights have achieved top metrics across areas of their business, including top rankings in sponsorship, ticket sales and retail per cap per game. The team also has over 50,000 Vegas Golden Knights license plates on the roads in Nevada.

Bubolz has instilled a commitment to community and service in the franchise through the organization’s various charitable initiatives. The Golden Knights Foundation is the charitable link between the team and the Las Vegas community focusing on several projects including, fighting homelessness, serving veteran and first responders, and fostering physical, social and emotional growth of Las Vegas youth. Bubolz’s commitment to growing hockey in Southern Nevada is evidenced by the team’s hockey development programs, including the “Golden Knights Hockey Academy” which reaches over to 105,000 children in Clark County.

Prior to joining the Knights, Bubolz spent 13 years with the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. In 2013, he was named President of Business Operations where he oversaw ticketing and suite sales, corporate sponsorship revenue, broadcast, marketing, communications, and community engagement for the franchise.

The Tulsa, Oklahoma native brings an abundance of National Hockey League experience to Las Vegas, as he previously served as vice president of sales for the Carolina Hurricanes and the Dallas Stars. Bubolz lives in Summerlin with his wife Melissa and his daughters Madison and Emma.

Lauren Molasky Fierst

Board Member

Lauren Molasky Fierst is a Las Vegas native and mother of two who has been battling cystic fibrosis since birth. Determined to never let her disease define her, she lives a life full of gratitude for all of the experiences she is able to have. Despite having a chronic, progressive and debilitating disease, she focuses on raising awareness and advocating for cystic fibrosis and organ donation. She moved to southern California to be listed for and receive a double lung transplant.

After many years in the fashion industry as a designer, stylist and blogger, she shifted her focus to a passion project and published her first book, The Sky Cracked Open while in end stage CF. During the height of covid, her declining health forced her to live in the hospital for months on end while waiting for a match. She received her life saving double lung transplant in October of 2020 and has lived each day since grateful, excited and hopeful for the future while accomplishing a variety of endeavors. She lives in Las Vegas with her amazing husband, son, daughter and dog Charlie.

Michael Young

Director & Medical Property Advisor At IREPLV, LLC.

Michael Young has actively been involved in the brokerage and development of healthcare properties for over 25 years. As founding partner and CEO of Huffman West, locations in Nevada and California, and the Nevada CEO of Venture Corporation, Young developed over 1.5 million square feet of healthcare properties including clinical space, ambulatory surgery centers, cancer centers and general office space. Total brokerage and development experience exceeds $1 billion.

Since 2012, as Director of Real Estate of IREPLV, LLC, Mr. Young has led a team focused on the brokerage of medical office and special purpose medical facilities which has provided services for over 200 local physicians and medical groups. The brokerage team focuses on sales and leasing, both tenant and landlord representation, and medical property investment sales.

Notable recent projects include Centennial Hills Center, a 300,000-square foot medical campus in Northwest Las Vegas, Cimarron Courtyard, a 180,000 square foot medical condominium project in Southwest Las Vegas, Coronado Canyon, a 100,000 square foot medical campus in Henderson, Nevada, Rainbow Commons, a 25,000 square foot medical office building in Southwest Las Vegas, and Russell Gateway a 48,000 square foot development in the airport submarke. Significant property sales and sale leasebacks include Desert Perinatal Associates southwest office sale leaseback, Las Vegas Urology Medical District office sale leaseback, West Valley Imaging sale leaseback, and MRI receivership sale.

Mitch Britten

CEO & Founder, Thrive Cannabis Marketplace

Britten relocated his family to Las Vegas two years ago from Colorado, where he was a leader in developing that state’s medical marijuana industry. There, he served as director of operations for the nation’s largest producer, retailer and employer in both the medical and recreational marijuana industry in Colorado. For his Nevada enterprises, Britten partnered with long-time Nevadans Ed Findlay, Julie Murray, chief executive officer/principal, Moonridge Group; and Phillip Peckman, CEO, Peckman Capital, all of whom have years of outstanding business and community service throughout the valley.

Green & Gold Supply Co., a brand-new cannabis cultivation facility Mitch founded, has begun operations in North Las Vegas. The company incorporates the most advanced indoor growing equipment available and will bring 12-15 unique strains to the Nevada market. Using hydroponic growing methods with state-of-the-art mechanical and electrical systems, Green &   Gold Supply Co. will deliver the highest quality product to medical patients. Its proprietary branded cannabis products will be sold in dispensaries throughout Nevada. Strains will be brought to market from the best genetics in the world and will be unveiled beginning in the first quarter of 2017. Green & Gold Supply Co. measures in at more than 15,000 square feet and was designed to be more efficient than other growing facilities by its ability to produce 21 percent more cannabis than a typical facility of its size.

“We want to bring the highest quality cannabis to market in Nevada, and operating our own growing facility is the best way to do that,” explained Mitchell Britten, “A tremendous amount of tradition and science, as well as respect for proven natural remedies, has informed our operations to date. We remain committed to these standards as we work toward propelling the cannabis industry forward in Nevada and beyond.”