Jasmine Crighton

Jasmine Crighton, '06 MA Journalism and Media Studies, is an assistant teaching professor in the School of Media & Communication at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Ohio. She started at BGSU in Fall 2019 after teaching for seven years at Western Illinois University in the Broadcasting & Journalism Department. She is a two-time winner of the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System’s Outstanding Advisor Award for College Television and recently has been recognized as a Distinguished Broadcast Adviser by the College Media Association. She also was named a “Noteworthy Journalism Educator” in 2019 by Crain’s NewsPro magazine.

Steven Slivka

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.

Jay Knepp

Jay Knepp, '64 BS Accounting, recently self-published Sinatra-The Vegas Way, which he describes as a souvenir book. He began his accounting career working at Conway, Moe & Hibbs while a student at what then was Nevada Southern University. In 1967 he passed the CPA exam, working for Peat, Marwick, Mitchell. Later he went into private tax practice and for two years wrote a tax column that was printed in Gannett newspapers in 89 cities. He also wrote six tax advice/recordkeeping books for Sunset Magazine/Books. Additionally, he self-published three other books, one of which, Pilot's Taxlog, was in print for nearly 40 years. He and his wife, Dorothy, have been married more than 30 years and have three sons, Jay, Jeff, and Erik, nine grandsons, and one granddaughter. One of the sons, Erik Knepp, '02 BA Communication Studies, also is a UNLV alum. A 49ers and Golden State Warriors fan for more than 50 years, Knepp played organized basketball for 40 years at every level except the NBA. At age 79 he still could shoot very accurately and throw a pretty hard fastball to the grandkids. The couple lives in San Rafael, California.

Aaron Manfredi

Aaron S. Manfredi, '05 BA Criminal Justice, '14 Master of Public Administration, is  a nonprofit founder/executive board member and actively advocates on a variety of subjects, including human trafficking, autism, veterans, ex-felons, and at risk-youth. A former educator and law enforcement officer, he is the father of a 21-year-old son, Bailey. Mountain biking, acting, and volunteering are his hobbies.     

Aeriel Halstead

Aeriel Halstead, '15 BA Psychology, '15 BA Communication Studies, has been accepted into the doctoral program in clinical psychology at Brigham Young University. Her research will focus on preventative interventions for intimate partner violence. Teaching dance as a salsa instructor is her hobby.  

Gregory Smith

Gregory M. Smith, '86 BA and '98 MA Criminal Justice, retired in 2018 after 25 years of combined public service at the Nevada attorney general's office where he was chief of investigations and chief of staff and at the Clark County district attorney’s office where he was assistant director. In September 2018, he founded Capricorn Consulting where he specializes in active shooter response training in the workplace, internal investigations, investigations training, and policy creation. He is the father of Mark G. Smith, '16  BA Criminal Justice.