Stowe Shoemaker, Ph.D.

Professor & Special Assistant to the Vice President of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, William F. Harrah College of Hospitality
Stowe Shoemaker
Since becoming dean in 2013, Shoemaker has been active in advancing the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality to meet — and exceed — the Top Tier goals set by the university. His long and varied career in hospitality and gaming has garnered him numerous scholarly grants and honors including a Lincy Professorship, Michael D. Olsen Research Award, and many others. Research Interests…

Brett Abarbanel, Ph.D.

Associate Professor/Executive Director - International Gaming Institute
Brett Abarbanel
Dr. Brett Abarbanel is Executive Director the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, International Gaming Institute, and Associate Professor in UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. She has a research affiliate appointment at the University of Sydney School of Psychology’s Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic. Dr. Abarbanel's research explores the intersection of of gambling with…

Megan O. Basson

Executive Director of the International Center for Gaming Regulation
Palm trees and U.N.L.V. banner

Jungsun (Sunny) Kim, Ph.D.

Jungsun (Sunny) Kim
Dr. Jungsun “Sunny” Kim received her Ph.D. in Hospitality Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). She received her M.S. in Hotel Administration also from UNLV and a B.S. in Hotel and Tourism Management from Kyung Hee University, South Korea. She also served on the faculty of Texas Tech University, teaching hospitality marketing and hospitality finance…

Shane W. Kraus, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
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Anthony Lucas, Ph.D.

Anthony Lucas
Anthony F. Lucas received his Ph.D. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 2000.  He also received an MBA, in 1992, from UNLV, and a BS, in Accounting, from Ball State University in 1986.  Over a ten-year period, Dr. Lucas worked in the areas of financial and operations analysis for Harvey’s Resort Hotel Casino, Harrah’s, the MGM Grand, and the Palace Station Hotel Casino.…

Robert Rippee, MBA, Ph.D.

Executive Director, Black Fire Innovation Hub
Robert's Headshot
Dr. Rippee is currently the Executive Director of UNLV's Black Fire Innovation Hub, as the visionary guide for teams of students, faculty, staff, and partner stakeholders in fulfilling the vision and mission for economic development and diversity through problem-solving based idea creation, innovation, acceleration, and commercialization. Black Fire Innovation Hub brings one of the nation's top…

Daniel Sahl, Ph.D.

Director, Center for Gaming Innovation
Daniel Sahl
Daniel Sahl serves as the director for the Center for Gaming Innovation, part of the International Gaming Institute. In this role, Dr. Sahl works with undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and industry leaders to drive, develop, and commercialize new casino gaming technologies. Since its inception in 2013, the Center for Gaming Innovation has produced 18 issued US patents and successfully…

Ashok Singh, Ph.D.

Professor; Chair - Resorts, Gaming and Golf Management Department
Ashok Singh
Ashok Singh is an applied statistics expert who received his Ph.D. from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana (1977).  In addition to producing an extensive body of research, Singh has:  Taught undergraduate and graduate statistics, mathematics, and operations research courses at New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology, Socorro, New Mexico (1978 - 1991) Developed…

Donald Snyder

Presidential Advisor for Strategic Initiatives
Donald Snyder headshot
Donald Snyder has deep ties to the university and Southern Nevada. An executive with senior leadership experience in both the commercial banking and gaming industries, Snyder is immediate past president of UNLV and now serves, on a volunteer basis, as a presidential advisor. Snyder has been involved with UNLV for nearly 30 years as a volunteer or administrator. Prior to his term as acting UNLV…

Bo Bernhard, Ph.D.

Special Advisor
Bo Bernhard, Ph.D.
A fifth-generation Nevadan, Dr. Bo Bernhard happily calls Las Vegas home, but he works often in jurisdictions as diverse as South Africa, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, Macao, Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, Argentina, Brazil, Russia, Portugal, Albania, Austria, Greece, England, Mexico, and Canada – as well as dozens of states in the U.S. Dr. Bernhard began his research career at Harvard University…