Kristina Carmona, ’18 BA Special Education, teaches high school students with autism at Basic Academy while leading the school’s Best Buddies Leadership program. She recently won a brand-new car, an unexpected milestone she describes as a reminder that great opportunities can come when you least expect them. Carmona credits the professors and mentors who supported her as a Rodman Scholar with helping shape her career as an educator.

Scott D. Horn, ’01 BS Special Education, is a substitute teacher. He enjoys collecting baseball cards.

Mike Taack, ’02 BA English and ’11 M.Ed., is founder, CEO, and head of school for WYLEES, the Western Youth Leadership, Engagement, and Empowerment Middle School, a tuition-free public charter school near UNLV. He continues to collaborate with UNLV’s College of Education and support current and future educators. Taack enjoys photography, painting, traveling, writing, playing video games with his children, and attending live music performances.

Patricia Violi, ’17 M.Ed., has been appointed inaugural director of Lancer Accessibility Resource Services at Pasadena City College. Drawing on her experience in higher education disability leadership, she will lead efforts to advance accessibility, inclusion, and student success through the new office.

Fernando Avila, ’05 Physical Education, works in real estate while coaching girls soccer at Western High School. He enjoys staying active, working out, playing soccer, and helping others pursue their fitness goals. He is a second-degree Taekwondo black belt.

April (Powell) Stewart, ’95 BA Communication Studies and ’05 M.Ed., was reappointed by Gov. Joe Lombardo to a second term as a commissioner for Nevada Volunteers. Stewart credits her UNLV experience with empowering her to give back to the community. She enjoys reading and traveling.

Melikabella Shenouda, ’21 BA Psychology and ’24 M.Ed. Higher Education, performed spoken word at TEDx Las Vegas during the event's second annual conference. Her piece, "Eclipse," explores themes of love, lust, and loss through wordplay and comic relief, with the goal of fostering connection and healing.

Ebenezer Belete, ’25 Ph.D. Learning Sciences, has taught at UNLV for the past four and a half years. He was selected by the university president as a commencement speaker for the 2026 spring commencement ceremony. Belete enjoys photography and has visited 22 national parks with his family, with a goal of seeing them all.

Jason Meyers, ’14 M.Ed., is an educator in Las Vegas. He remains connected to UNLV after earning his master’s degree.

Trisha (Barba) Lacuesta, ’16 B.Ed. Education and ’20 M.Ed., has worked as a CCSD teacher for eight years and as a Read by Grade 3 strategist for two years. Lacuesta also has coached Girls on the Run for two seasons. She enjoys traveling, food and movies, and is married to Winston Lacuesta. Lacuesta credits her UNLV experience with shaping her career as an educator.