Ryan Muir, ’14 BA History, is an attorney licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Last spring, he represented a client in a Title 2 SSDI matter before Social Security Administrative Law Judge. His client suffered from chronic migraines for decades that eventually caused her to leave her career, and finding her only migraine relief through steroid treatment. Unfortunately, prolonged steroid treatment led to the development of avascular necrosis in the hip, requiring a hip replacement. She had been denied disability benefits but after a hearing, she was approved and received back pay of over $90,000. He lives in Woodbury, Minn., with his wife, four children, and two dogs. He enjoys playing hockey, fishing, and following Minnesota sports in his free time.  

Regina Mitchell, '18 BA Psychology, conducts a Zoom cooking class, teaching others with vision loss what she learned in her own kitchen in what she describes as “descriptive cooking." She was on the fast track in the culinary world as a classically trained chef who had worked with notable chefs, including Emeril Lagasse and Julia Child. Later she provided team-building culinary experiences for Fortune 500 companies as a corporate executive chef and eventually landed a top position in Las Vegas with MGM Properties, providing personalized-services to elite hotel guests. Her life took a detour when she was diagnosed with bilateral panuveitis, a condition which affects the lens, retina, and optic nerve. She paused to contend with the challenges of vision loss and to earn her UNLV degree, which had an emphasis on neuroscience. More recently, she returned to cooking. She serves as an advisor to Hadley, a Illinois-based nonprofit that serves those with vision loss by providing practical help at no cost. She participates in Hadley’s "What’s Cooking?" discussion group series and is helping with the creation of a new Braille series.   

Ahiddibah Tsinnie, '00 BA English, is the author of the recently published book Yes, I Took My Meds, a raw, intimate dive into finding peace amongst the chaos. Dive into Tsinnie's world of family, culture, and motherhood while navigating her way through the ins and outs of bipolar disorder. Her story is one of courage and learning from mistakes. She lives in North Las Vegas.    

Matthew O'Brien, '15 MA English - Creative Writing, and former adjunct professor at UNLV (2012-16), has a book due out in October with Las Vegas-based Central Recovery Press. Dark Days, Bright Nights: Surviving the Las Vegas Storm Drains is an oral account from people who lived in the city’s underground flood channels and got out and turned around their lives. These redemption stories cast light on a rarely seen side of Las Vegas and offer a portrait of homelessness and recovery in America. (The book was edited by his classmate, Dan Hernandez, '15 MA English.) He also is the author of two other books, Beneath the Neon (Huntington Press 2007) and My Week at the Blue Angel (Huntington Press 2010). Additionally, he is the founder of Shine a Light, a program that provides housing, counseling, and other services to the people in the drains. Part of the proceeds from Dark Days, Bright Nights will benefit Shine a Light. From 2017 until this July he was a teacher and tutor with Escuela Americana. His hobbies include reading, working out, hiking, traveling, and urban exploring. He lives in San Salvador, El Salvador.