woman sitting with her standard toy poodle on the grass
People | April 22, 2024

The human resources director for University Libraries finds magic in her Vegas life.

black and white photo of clara bow with dunes behind her
People | April 18, 2024

The original 'It Girl' — and subject of Taylor Swift’s latest song — has strong ties to Southern Nevada. Discover more from the UNLV Special Collections & Archives.

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People | April 16, 2024

2024 Service-Learning Award recipient Rachel Anderson combines passions of community service and teaching for new legal clinic.

Adrianne Snipes holding a small recycling bin inside a clinical lab
People | April 15, 2024

The supervisor for the Clinical Simulation Center prioritizes flexibility for students in the School of Dental Medicine.

David Vinturella

Instructor, Intercollegiate and Professional Sport Management Program
Sports betting
Sports marketing, advertising, sponsorship, and fundraising

David Vinturella, a part-time instructor with the UNLV College of Education’s sport management program, developed and taught the university’s first ever semester-long course in sports betting.

Vinturella's background includes working in marketing, sales, managerial, and leadership roles at various sports, entertainment, and casino sportsbook entities, including Caesars Sportsbook and the Harlem Globetrotters.

His expertise has been featured in outlets including Vox, The National Desk, and NBC Los Angeles.

Ph.D., Interdisciplinary Studies, Sports Marketing and Analytic, University of Alabama
M.S., Sports Administration, Georgia State University
B.A., Communications & Business, Spring Hill College
Media Expert

Riana Durrett

Director, UNLV Cannabis Policy Institute
Adjunct Professor, William S. Boyd School of Law
Cannabis law, policy, and regulation
Cannabis industry
Marijuana dispensaries

Riana Durrett — a well-known figure in Nevada’s cannabis law and policy space — is the inaugural director of UNLV's Cannabis Policy Institute, which launched in 2023. She also teaches cannabis law and regulation courses at UNLV's William S. Boyd School of Law.

Durrett's background includes appointment by the governor as the first vice chair of the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board. Prior to her work with the compliance board, Durrett served from 2015 to 2020 as the executive director of the Nevada Dispensary Association, where she established the association as the primary resource on best practices in Nevada's cannabis industry — developing the Nevada Dispensary Association into the primary regulatory and government affairs voice for Nevada's cannabis industry.

In addition to her work at UNLV, Durrett currently serves on the boards of the Nevada Taxpayer Association and the Nevada Conservation League.

Durrett is an attorney admitted to practice law in Nevada and California. While pursuing her law degree, Durrett participated in several internship and externship programs, including a judicial internship for the Suquamish Tribe, where her mother is an enrolled tribal member. 

LL.M., Gaming Law and Regulation, UNLV
J.D., UNLV
B.A., Political Science, UNLV
Community Speaker
Media Expert
U.N.L.V. signage with Fall leaves in the background
People | April 8, 2024

The award administered by UNLV's Office of Government and Community Engagement recognize individuals who are advancing UNLV's Top Tier goals to serve our region.

smiling young woman with trees in background
People | April 16, 2024

2024 UNLV Student Service Award winner Makayla Franklin inspires Black pride and representation on campus through Afrikan Black Coalition Conference.