Advisory Board Members
The purpose of the K-20 Education Collaborative Advisory Board (ECAB) was to help The Lincy Institute in its mission to increase the capacity of nonprofit education agencies and organizations to improve education in Southern Nevada. ECAB was established in April 2014 as part of The Lincy Institute Education Programs. A call for nominations was made in October 2013, and 12 individuals were selected to serve as ECAB board members. Appointed members offered vast experience in a variety of education agencies and organizations and are known for their dedication to serving the community.
By providing expertise and professional insight, the Board guided The Lincy Institute in its efforts to identify community priorities and develop research-informed K-20 education policies and practices. ECAB members served a two-year term, with the final ECAB meeting occurring on April 4, 2016.
Edith Fernandez, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President - Nevada State College
Dr. Fernández is the Associate Vice President of Community Engagement & Diversity Initiatives at Nevada State College. Her career in higher education spans twenty years working with community college and university students with experiences in financial aid, admissions, academic advising, service learning, study abroad, residence life and student life. Prior to working at Nevada State College, she was the District Director for Congressman Steven Horsford. Dr. Fernández holds a doctorate degree in Higher and Postsecondary Education from University of Michigan, a MPA from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, a master’s degree in Education from Harvard University, and a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and Spanish from University of Nevada, Reno.
Robert Henry, Ph.D.
Adult Education Director - Clark County School District
Dr. Henry is the Director for the Department of Adult Education of the Clark County School District and has held prior positions with the district in special education and alternative education. He currently serves on the Clark County Citizens Advisory Committee for Juvenile Justice and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, the Vegas PBS, American Graduate Advisory Council, as well as the President of the Nevada Adult Educators organization. Dr. Henry received a doctorate in Educational Leadership from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, an Education Specialist degree in Counseling and Pupil Services from State University of New York, Albany, and two master’s degrees in secondary mathematics and counseling and pupil personnel from State University of New York, Albany.
Laura Latimer
Assistant Vice President - College of Southern Nevada
Laura Latimer is the Assistant Vice President for Community Engagement Services, Division of Student Affairs, at the College of Southern Nevada. Her professional pursuit has been to increase college access, persistence, success, and graduation rates for at-risk students. Laura holds a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Kentucky, is a lifelong member of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, and holds a Masters of Arts in Education from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia. She completed the Leadership Academy, Clark County and City of Las Vegas as well as the Advanced Leadership Academy, College of Southern Nevada. Laura Latimer is a native of Puerto Rico.
Susie Lee
Board President - Communities in Schools
Susie Lee is the President of the Board of Communities In Schools of Nevada and President Emeritus of Nevada Women’s Philanthropy. Lee arrived in Las Vegas in 1993, equipped with a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Carnegie Mellon University, and immediately began working to improve the Las Vegas and Nevada community. First, as a research director for a gubernatorial campaign, Susie drafted several proposals which are now state policy. She then became the founding Executive Director of Mobilized Assistance and Shelter for the Homeless (MASH) Crisis Intervention Unit. During the past 19 years, Lee has provided her time and commitment to several non-profit organizations including Public Education Foundation, Teach For America, Special Olympics, The Meadows School, Nevada Cancer Institute, and Keep Memory Alive.
Gwen Marchand, Ph.D.
Lincy Assistant Professor - University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Dr. Marchand is an assistant professor in Educational Psychology & Higher Education. She received her Ph.D. in Systems Science: Psychology from Portland State University in 2008, with an emphasis in human development, student motivation and engagement, and quantitative research methods. Her current research focuses on the motivational development of school-aged children and the social and personal factors that influence student engagement.
Ruben Murillo
President - Nevada State Education Association
Ruben Murillo, an elementary special education teacher from Las Vegas, Nevada, is currently completing his first year as President of the Nevada State Education Association (NSEAEA) representing over 22,000 members. Previous he served as the Vice President and President of Clark County Education Association. Ruben was born and raised in Kansas and has lived in Las Vegas for over 26 years.
Julie Pippenger
Chief Operating Officer - Andre Agassi Foundation for Education
Julie Pippenger is the Chief Operating Officer of the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education, she joined the Foundation in 1997. Prior to her current position, Julie served as a special events supervisor for the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino’s Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and worked on the Grand Slam for Children event, which eventually led her to join the Foundation in 1997. Julie received her BS in Travel and Tourism from Niagara University in New York, and has served on numerous boards in the Las Vegas area, such as, the Boys & Girls Club of Las Vegas for which the Foundation funded and built the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club that opened in 1998. Her contributions to the community have garnered several awards including the “Woman & Youth” award in 2000 as well as a “Hometown Heroes” award in 2006.
Seth Rau
Policy Director - Nevada Succeeds
Seth Rau is the Policy Director at Nevada Succeeds, a business-backed education advocacy organization dedicated towards improving student achievement across Nevada. He graduated from Tufts University, with a BA in Political Science and International Relations. Before joining Nevada Succeeds, Seth was a Teach for America corps member here in Las Vegas, teaching 5th grade at the 100 Academy of Excellence, a charter school in North Las Vegas. He also serves as a board member at CREST Academy, a new dual-language charter school that will be opening soon in Las Vegas.
Angela Silva, Ph.D.
Project Facilitator - Clark County School District
Angela Silva is both a school improvement facilitator for the Clark County School District and an adjunct professor at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she teaches rhetoric and research-writing through the theme of social justice and globalization. She has spent the bulk of her 25-year educational career as a teacher in both K-12 and university settings stateside and abroad. A product of the New York City public school system, Angela Silva received a bachelor and a master’s degree in comparative literature and linguistics from the University of Athens in Greece, and a doctorate in English from St. John’s University in New York City.
Tiffany Tyler, Ph.D.
Chief Operations Officer - Nevada Partners
Dr. Tyler is the Chief Operations Officer for Nevada Partners, Inc. During her tenure, Dr. Tyler has aided Nevada Partners in developing a constellation of workforce and youth development programs, including, The Fellows Academy, a nationally recognized dropout prevention program; the Juvenile Mental Health Initiative; and New Pathways, a diversion program. Dr. Tyler holds a doctoral degree in Educational Psychology, with an emphasis in counselor education and program evaluation, from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She earned a Master of Science degree in Counseling, from California State University, Northridge. Dr. Tyler also holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Sociology and Psychology from the University of Southern California.
Victor Wakefield
Executive Director - Teach for America-Las Vegas Valley
Victor Wakefield is the Executive Director of Teach for America-Las Vegas Valley. Victor grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan and graduated from Princeton University, where he studied History and American Studies. He joined Teach For America in 2007 as a language arts teacher at the West Gary Lighthouse Charter School in Gary, Indiana. After the corps, Victor led Teach For America's recruitment efforts at Princeton and Duke. During his tenure, 15% of the senior class applied to Teach For America at each of his schools and Teach For America was the #1 employer for graduating seniors at Duke University. Since moving to the Las Vegas Valley, Victor has immersed himself in the community and is now proud to call himself a Las Vegan.
Adriane Zaniewski
Region Director - Nevada PTA
Adriane Zaniewski moved to Nevada in 1990 from Toledo, Ohio and attended Clark County Schools. As a graduate from Bonanza High School, Adriane enrolled at University of Nevada Las Vegas, majoring in Human Services Counseling. She currently holds position of Region Director with Nevada PTA. A parent of three school-aged children, Adriane is active in several local organizations including the president of Wallin Elementary School PTA and a member of the Wallin Elementary Empowerment Board, CCSD Family Engagement Forum, CCSD Anti-Bullying Task Force and Positively Kids Health Insurance Program Advisory Committee.