By day, he’s a business owner. By night, a cybersecurity professor. And in a past life? David Shultis was a butler at the Mirage and a singing waiter at a 1950s diner on the Strip. So, no, this isn’t your typical professor profile.

From hospitality to high tech, Shultis has lived many professional lives. But the common thread through them all? Curiosity, connection, and a deep-rooted desire to give back, especially to the university that helped shape him.

“I never really left UNLV,” Shultis said. “But I evolved as a person and professionally.”

A member of the first graduating class of international business at UNLV (’99 BSBA), Shultis returned with a new mission: to earn his Executive MBA (’20) and transform the way he approached leadership. 

He didn’t go it alone, his wife, Susanne Daniela Shultis, enrolled with him. “We were the first couple to complete the program together,” he said, “It made the journey even more meaningful.” 

Susanne is executive assistant to the CEO at Yamagata Enterprises Family Office, founder of Shultis Photography, and a partner at RedPanda Systems. 

At the time, David was already running a small IT consultancy, but “I felt I lacked the knowledge of how to run a company, instead of just working for one.”

The EMBA helped him realize his company needed a strong vision and that, combined with inspiration from his marketing course, sparked a complete rebrand. Las Vegas IT Consulting became RedPanda Systems, now a growing company with 11 employees and clients across the western U.S. 

“Every year since then, we’ve doubled our profit,” he said. “We found our identity. It took an EMBA to do that.”

And still, the classroom kept calling.

Today, Shultis teaches cybersecurity compliance — an unexpected, yet full-circle return to the university that shaped his business literacy. His class has quickly become a student favorite, not because compliance is flashy, but because Shultis makes it real. “Some students tell me they want to change their whole career path after this class,” he said. “And that’s what I love, watching the lightbulb go off.”

His teaching philosophy is simple: teach the why, not just the what. “You can memorize all day long,” he said, “but if you don’t understand the larger implication, you’re not really learning.”

His students benefit not just from his insights, but also his deep Las Vegas connections. He volunteers for mock interviews, helps with job placement, and serves on the cybersecurity program’s advisory board. “I want students to see the opportunities here,” he said. “Vegas has been good to me. I want to help others build their future here, too.”

His favorite part? Bridging the gap between the academic and professional worlds. “Students are asking for more than just a degree; they want purpose, application, meaning. I try to provide that.”

Shultis also makes a point to demystify cybersecurity for newcomers. “Cyber isn’t just hacking,” he said. “It’s compliance, risk, operations … so many directions to go in. You’ve got to be willing to pivot, be curious.” 

He emphasizes that staying current is critical in this fast-paced field. “If you're going to be good at this, you'll study in school and out of school,” he said. “Education will always be part of this job.”

It’s a lesson he learned from his dad. “He treated everyone with respect and was endlessly curious about people’s stories. I try to do the same.”

As a board member and mentor, he’s committed to growing local industry talent and building lasting connections between the university and Las Vegas companies. 

“It never crossed my mind that I’d come back as a professor, especially in cyber,” he said. “But once I saw the direction the program was heading, I wanted in. Not just to advise, but to do.”

He added, “I don’t want to just hear about progress; I want to be part of it. I want to put my feet on the ground and help.”