Samantha (Todd) Harrison, '24 BS Mathematics, is a stay-at-home mom and pursuing certification as a health coach. She welcomed a daughter in 2024 and is expecting her second child.

Cristina Gutierrez, ’25 BS Secondary Education, began her teaching career in January 2026 after being selected for a full-time secondary English position with Coral Academy following the completion of her student teaching at UNLV. While at the university, she served as a Global Ambassador and substitute teacher, experiences that helped strengthen her sense of community, adaptability, and cultural awareness. Gutierrez is passionate about teaching and enjoys reading, writing, and travel.  

Neil Woolf, ‘12 Ed.D. Higher Education Leadership, serves as president of New Mexico Highlands University. He also served as executive vice president at Southern Oregon University, associate vice president at Eastern Washington University, director of enrollment services at Nevada State University, and senior policy analyst for the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Vanessa (Haroan) Tu, 17 BA Psychology and '18 M.Ed. Special Education, is the founder of Bright Minds, a California-based behavioral health agency with a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and technicians serving children with autism. Since graduating from UNLV, she has co-founded two startup ventures, launched behavioral services within California public school districts, and published a workbook for parents of nonverbal children on the autism spectrum. Her work focuses on building scalable care models that bridge clinical and educational settings. Her husband, Cheng Yang Tu, ’20 DPT, is also a UNLV alumnus.

Davy Phrathep, ’24 Ph.D. Clinical Psychology, recently came out of athletic retirement to make his international debut with the Lao National Baseball Team at the Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok. Returning to competition allowed him to apply the mental skills and performance psychology training he developed during his doctoral work at UNLV. He now works as a licensed clinical psychologist with Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, supporting elite youth athletes at IMG Academy. A member of the UNLV AAPI community, he said representing Laos on the international stage was a meaningful way to connect his cultural identity with his UNLV education.

Katie Streit, ‘19 BA Journalism & Media Studies, works as a national correspondent for Spectrum News. She previously held a position as a general news reporter for Spectrum News 13 in Orlando. Streit continues to play tennis and travel. She’s training on walking the Camino de Santiago from Portugal to Spain.  

Amy Park, '24 BA Graphic Design & Media, is a promotions coordinator. She moved from Las Vegas to Niagara Falls, NY, trying to find her place in the marketing industry. She's now authorizing graphic design work for a Niagara Falls-based casino.    

Illiana Murray, '02 Hotel Administration, has had a career that spanned from Citibank on Wall Street and Las Vegas to consulting at one of the “Big 4” with Deloitte LLP in Georgia. She recently touched down in Miami, to lead the IT project management for the ERP platform for Lennar Homes. Her hobbies include watching the UNLV Rebel Football team win, travel, and music.

Brandon Hughes, ’09 BS International Business, worked in Beijing while earning an LL.M. in international relations from Tsinghua University in 2012. He joined the U.S. Army in 2013, serving four years on active duty and four years in the reserves, completing his service as an Army captain. After leaving the military, Hughes founded the consulting firm FAO Global, advising on international business, finance, global transactions, and corporate strategy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked in international banking at JPMorgan before returning to his firm. Since completing two study abroad programs at UNLV, Hughes has traveled to more than 25 countries. While living in New York from 2021 to 2022, he also performed stand-up comedy more than 50 times at top clubs. In the past four years, he has married and welcomed three children.

Larry Beat, '84 BA French, worked 20 years in the U.S. Air Force as an intelligence analyst with assignments in Germany and the Philippines. He also worked 13 years as a planning administrator for the City of Destin, Florida. Beat is now a photographer and artist at the Bad Habits Lounge Studio, where he produces surreal photos.

Zahoor Ahmed, ’84 BS Hotel and Restaurant Management, is chief financial officer and vice president of hotel operations for R.C. Hedreen Co., a Seattle-based hotel developer and ownership group. He worked at Hyatt Corporation, rising from CMT to regional controller. Based in the Pacific Northwest for more than 26 years, Ahmed is an avid ocean fisherman who enjoys traveling to Vancouver Island and beyond to fish for salmon, cod, and halibut. He also serves on the boards of Visit Seattle, the Downtown Seattle Association, and the Washington Hospitality Association, where he previously served as board chair for each organization.  

Adam Lopez, '00 Hotel Administration, is president of CMIT Solutions of Las Vegas, providing 24/7 IT support, cybersecurity, compliance guidance, and on-site engineering for casinos, hospitality groups, law firms, healthcare providers, and local businesses. With more than 20 years of experience, Lopez has held leadership roles including vice president of IT and IT Security at Goodwill; director of PMO for Golden Entertainment; and supported global loyalty programs and operations for Hard Rock, Caesars Entertainment, Bally Technologies, VizExplorer, and Crystal Cruises.