Jiajia Waters
March 5, 2020
Jiajia Waters, '13 PhD Math, moved to Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2015 to begin a second postdoctoral position within Theoretical Division in group T-3, the famous group where computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was invented. In 2018, she was promoted to to staff scientist, a permanent position, also in T-3. She is married to Tim Waters, '09 MS Math, '12 MS Physics, and '17 PhD Physics, who currently is a postdoc in astrophysics at UNLV. The couple met in graduate school in the math department while in graduate school. They married in 2012 and now have a daughter, 3, and a son, 2.
James Park
November 20, 2019
James Park, '13 BS Biology and '19 Master of Public Health, is an environmental health specialist. He is married to Ashley Burgess Park, '10 BS Chemistry.
Gail Joan Nicole Baker Clark
November 20, 2019
Gail Baker Clark, '01 BSBA - International Business, is an outreach dental hygienist with Smile America Partners and also is an insurance agent with Symmetry Financial Group. The mother of a son and a daughter, she is pursuing a law degree at California School of Law. Her hobbies include reading, cooking, gardening, working out, exploring nature, promoting eco-friendly causes, singing, and dancing. The family lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Jimmy Durbin
October 21, 2019
Jimmy Durbin, '91 BS Hotel Administration, is the father of James J Durbin II, '18 BSBA - Finance. Jimmy lives in Henderson.
Rikki Tanenbaum
October 4, 2019
Rikki Tanenbaum, ’06 Master of Hotel Administration, has been appointed to the newly created Executive Leadership Cabinet of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. She is chief marketing officer (CMO) of the San Manuel Casino, the tribe's primary economic venture. The new board will support the tribe in its governmental and commercial endeavors. Tanenbaum oversee marketing and the office of public affairs across the organization. For the past year, she has led revenue generation functions including strategic marketing, casino marketing, brand marketing, and entertainment as CMO of the casino, which is located in Highland, California. Prior to joining San Manuel, she held leadership roles at some of the largest commercial and tribal gaming organizations in the country.
Peter Arceo
October 4, 2019
Peter Arceo, '96 BS Hotel Administration, has been appointed to the newly created Executive Leadership Cabinet of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. He is the general manager of the San Manuel Casino, the tribe's primary economic venture. The new board will support the tribe in its governmental and commercial endeavors. A casino and hospitality executive with more than 24 years of experience, Arceo assumed his current role in March. He first joined the management team at the casino located in Highland, California, in 2015, as chief marketing officer. Under his leadership, San Manuel launched its player development program, established a database marketing department, and took the property’s "All Thrill’ campaign to the next level.
Curtis Robinson
September 24, 2019
Curtis Robinson, '08 BS Earth Science, is head swim coach for Inconnu swim team. He lives in Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada.
Drew Heaps
September 23, 2019
Drew Heaps, '94 BS Hotel Administration, '10 MBA , has more than 25 years in leadership roles in the hospitality industry with skills in creating strategies that deliver profitability for owners and investors. He is proficient in all aspects of hotel operations including sales & marketing, team governance, multi-unit leadership, talent development, and capital-projects management. He also has expertise in franchise operations support and partnering with owners/hotel teams in creating tactics that deliver positive return on investment. He lives in South Jordan, Utah.
Anthony Guy Patricia
September 17, 2019
Anthony Guy Patricia, '04 BA, '08 MA, '14 PhD English, is an assistant professor of English at Concord University in Athens, West Virginia. His book, Queering the Shakespeare Film: Gender Trouble, Gay Spectatorship and Male Homoeroticism, was published in paperback in February after having appearing in hardcover from Bloomsbury Arden Shakespeare in 2017.
Reuben Wadsworth
September 17, 2019
Reuben Wadsworth, '09 MA History, is the author of the recently released book Red Rock Recollections, Volume 1: Fascinating Stories of Utah’s Dixie (Scrivera Press, 2019), which delves into the history of interesting places in Washington County. It is a compilation of stories he wrote as part of a series he did for the St. George News. Subjects in the book include Confluence Park, the Hurricane Canal, Smith Mesa, Terry Ranch, the Brigham Young Winter Home, and the shuttle system at Zion National Park. The last was the subject of his master's thesis. A second volume, focusing on places in the region outside Washington County, is forthcoming. At UNLV, he worked closely with history professors Andy Kirk and the late Hal Rothman. He is a middle school English teacher and Dixie State University adjunct history instructor.
Mariam Habashi
September 16, 2019
Mariam Habashi, '17 BA Political Science, '19 BA Psychology, is a registered behavior technician who works primarily with autistic children, a job she says she loves. When she was a sophomore she opened a vintage boutique that she ran until shortly before graduation. She plans to pursue a graduate degree in marriage and family counseling. Fashion, writing, and volunteering are among her hobbies. She lives in North Las Vegas.
Steven Slivka
September 16, 2019
Steven Slivka, '14 BA Journalism and Media Studies, recently was promoted to communications manager at Touro University Nevada. After working as a reporter following graduation, he transitioned to communications and public relations in 2015. He oversees production of Touro's internal and external publications, manages all university-affiliated social media accounts, and helps pitch stories to local media outlets. He is married to Marissa Moya-Slivka, '15 Journalism and Media Studies, whom he met in an Advanced Reporting class taught by Mary Hausch. They have a 2-year-old daughter named Scarlett. His hobbies include watching sports with his wife and daughter, watching Ken Burns' documentaries, and reading books that range from sports biographies to historical fiction. He insists that he is not lame, though he says his wife would disagree. The family lives in Henderson.