Name: Rachel Ferreiro Degree: ‘23 M.Ed. Educational Policy & Leadership  Current Employer: Nevada Department of Education   How has your career evolved from when you first graduated to now?  I spent many years in the classroom, teaching and growing within the school setting. I transitioned into a STEM strategist role at a STEAM school, which allowed me to work across the…

  Name: Jason Beegen   Degree: ‘22 M.Ed. School Counseling   Current Employer: Clark County School District / Cortez Elementary School   Why did you choose UNLV for your School Counseling degree? UNLV was a no-brainer for me. Its strong reputation, along with positive recommendations from friends and colleagues who attended, made the decision easy. I wanted to…

Name: Hannah Rohrbach   Degree: ‘21 B.S.Ed. Early Childhood Education   Current Employer: Clark County School District   What led you to pursue a degree in education/human services? I had such a great elementary school experience growing up. I loved all of my teachers, especially my first grade teacher. They were incredibly caring and supportive, they encouraged me to become…

When Judith Navarro enrolled in the Nevada Forward™ Undergraduate Apprenticeship Program (UAP), she thought she was taking one last chance on a dream she had nearly given up.  She’d always wanted to become a teacher. She worked in schools throughout Southern California as a teacher assistant, playground supervisor, and special education instructional aide. Outside of work, she volunteered…

The UNLV College of Education is excited to announce that nominations for the Fall 2026 Wonderful Washoe Rebel award are now open! This alumni recognition program seeks to honor the outstanding College of Education alums who live and/or work in Washoe County. Educators, counselors, administrators, human service professionals, higher education staff-- anyone with a UNLV College of Education…

Name: Hazel Alejandro    Degree: ‘25 M.Ed. Higher Education    Current Employer: CSN   Why is it important to give back?  I think it's so important to give back to the community that nourished me so much. I didn't expect to love my grad program so much, or miss it as much, so I just wanted to get back in there and definitely speak to all the professors I had.…

Name: Lilly Sifuentes    Degrees: ‘99 B.S.Ed. Special Education    Current Employer: Clark County School District | Veterans Tribute Career & Technical Academy   What led you to pursue a degree in education?  My son was born with learning disabilities, which inspired me to pursue a career dedicated to supporting students with similar challenges. That…

Of Courage and Purpose: How Kimberly Reed is Forging Her Trail Kimberly Reed, '04 M.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction, loves a challenge. When she’s not teaching five AP classes at Pinecrest Academy Sloan Canyon, advising seniors, or coordinating student clubs, she runs competitively and mountain bikes. That’s not all.  She is also pursuing her doctoral degree, managing a fitness coaching…

Name: Alex Templeton Degrees: ‘05 B.A.Ed. Secondary Education (Social Science), ‘09 M.Ed. Educational Leadership  Current Employer: State of California, Employment Development Department   How did UNLV prepare you for your career?  I got involved with student government, and that experience helped build my confidence and leadership. It helped me understand that I can be a…

What did you do during the pandemic?   Many of us switched to remote learning and work, and others found new hobbies and made TikTok videos. We tried to stay engaged and connected with others, but also experienced isolation and loneliness. Amidst the uncertainty, Elena Nourrie, ‘17 M.Ed. Higher Education, and two longtime friends, decided to bring their community together. They organized…

Name: Melissa Lozito-Haskins    Degree: ‘08 B.S. Human Services    Current Employer: Empowering Minds PLLC   What led you to pursue a degree in human services?  I knew I wanted to work in a helping field, but didn't yet know what shape that would take. Being nominated as a peer counselor in high school had given me an early taste of informal counseling, and…

When Melissa McCormick, ‘18 M.Ed. Higher Education, walks into a room, people don't always assume she's a CEO. At 32, she’s not just leading Nevada State High School, one of the top charter schools in the state; she’s one of  Vegas Inc’s 40 Under 40 for 2026.  Under Melissa’s leadership, staff turnover has fallen from over 60% each year to less than 10%, and the school's five-star…