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Name
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Organization
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James D. Johnson - Chair
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Jim holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Johns-Hopkins University. Prior to becoming a consultant, he worked in tourism at Hilton Hotels Corporation, Harrahs, Ski Lake Tahoe and the Copper Mountain Resort. He lives in Reno, NV with his wife, La Vonne. They have two grown sons. When he can get away, he can be found officiating boys’ youth and high school lacrosse in northern Nevada and California
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A'Keia Sanders - Vice Chair
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A'Keia Sanders presently holds the position of Senior Executive Grants Analyst in the Nevada Governor's Office of Federal Assistance. In her previous role, she served as a regional representative for US Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, concentrating on government affairs and community engagement. Her instrumental role encompassed facilitating effective communication of Nevada citizens' concerns to Washington, DC. With a fourteen-year tenure in the US Navy as a military police officer, Sanders stands as a recognized combat veteran, having served in the Middle East during the Global War on Terrorism in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).
Sanders harbors a deep passion for making meaningful contributions and giving back to the Northern Nevada community. Her active engagement spans across various responsibilities, encompassing her membership on the City of Sparks Equity and Inclusion Board, her role as the Programming Chair for the Northern Nevada Black Cultural Awareness Society, and her position as the vice president of the UNR Veterans Alumni Chapter.
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Tray Abney
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Tray Abney is a partner of the Abney Tauchen Group (ATG), offering a wide range of services to help navigate Nevada’s complex political landscape. Tray is proud to represent clients in the retail, agricultural, pharmacy, health insurance, behavioral health services, energy efficiency, and drone delivery industries before local, state, and federal government entities. Tray provides a unique blend of experience that includes a deep understanding of the political process, along with strong public policy expertise, and a history of successfully educating, lobbying, and influencing elected officials.
Prior to co-founding ATG, Tray served as the Director of Government Relations for The Reno+Sparks Chamber of Commerce for over ten years and was responsible for ensuring that the largest broad-based business organization in Northern Nevada had a voice at all levels of government, including city, county, state, and federal. Tray has experienced eight Nevada State Legislative Sessions (so far) and has been a key voice on business and taxation/government spending and efficiency issues in Carson City. He has successfully helped steer critical bills to signature (and veto) and maintains great relationships with elected officials from throughout Nevada and on both sides of the political aisle.
Before the Chamber, Tray served as Legislative Director for Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons and spent four years working for Gibbons, including as a senior legislative staff member in his Washington, DC congressional office. During the 2007 Nevada Legislative Session, Tray served as the Governor’s chief lobbyist in the legislative building. He was responsible for spearheading the Governor’s agenda and ensuring it was approved by the Legislature.
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Michele Anderson
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Washoe County School District Chief Communications & Community Engagement Officer
Michele Anderson serves as the Chief Communications & Community Engagement Officer for the Washoe County School District. She has extensive experience in comprehensive, integrated communications and marketing, and has been a key member of local government teams for more than two decades. Nationally recognized for her crisis communication management during numerous large-scale disasters, public safety incidents, and contentious issues, Michele has proven she excels in challenging environments. When she is not working, Michele can found enjoying the Nevada outdoors, cooking, or traveling.
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Diane Becker
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Diane L. Becker practiced law in California for forty-three years before retiring to live in Incline Village. As the former Chief Legal Officer for a large international corporation, and general counsel to several companies, Ms. Becker’s areas of practice included General Counsel Services and Legal Risk Management, Real Estate Law and Corporate Law. Ms. Becker is active in the local community, serving as a member of, among other organizations, CMAC, the IVGID Ordinance 7 Committee, and the Incline Village/Crystal Bay Citizen Advisory Board.
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Frank W. Cervantes
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After 31 years in State and County government, Frank Cervantes retired as Washoe County’s Director of Juvenile Probation Services January 2021. Frank, a fourth generation Nevadan, graduated from the University of Nevada in 1994 with a Bachelor of Social Work and a Minor in Criminal Justice. Frank is currently providing strategic consulting services to the Children’s Cabinet, a local non-profit youth and family service organization.
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Grant Denton
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Grant has experienced life on the streets firsthand. Once homeless, a drug addict and in and out of jail, he has learned valuable lessons about life and how to survive—and his experiences inform the projects he creates to help unsheltered people. Now sober, employed and a father, he is on a mission to help others get off the streets and back to a better life. Public officials say Grant brings a keen understanding of street culture and the difficulties of escaping homelessness to the table. A successful journey out of homelessness and drug addiction requires a hybrid approach. The first step is to meet them where they're at, wherever that may be. However, Grant emphasises, it's important NOT to leave them there.
The end goal is proper mental health management, a life free of drugs, and then self-sufficiency. Those steps require a lot of support.
He created a nonprofit, the Karma Box Project, that started out as a grassroots community effort to distribute and fill free pantry boxes throughout the region. Now, operating one of the countries most successful safe camps as well as outreach, bridge housing, and reentry programs, Karma Box Project is a model for innovation, engagement and
collaboration. The Project now creates employment, including for people in recovery and off the streets. It is funded by Washoe County and the city of Reno,Carson City, and with support from the city of Sparks.
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Rob Gaedtke
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Rob Gaedtke is President & CEO of KPS3 – a high-functioning branding agency, veteran PR firm, and innovative digital shop. Rob has nearly two decades of modern marketing experience working with brands across the nation that span nearly every business sector. Rob is also a husband, father, aspiring climber, board chair of the Children’s Cabinet, and member of this advisory council, the TMCC Business School advisory council, and the Reynolds School of Journalism advisory council. Rob’s personal vision is to “do amazing things.”
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Beth Macmillan
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Beth Macmillan joined Artown as Festival Manager in February 2001 and was promoted to Executive Director in November of 2003. As Executive Director she has produced Artown events, created “out of the box” approaches and strategic partnerships to presentations, co-presentations and future Artown commissions. Now widely recognized as a leader in the festival presenting model, she has made several presentations about Artown regionally and nationally. She currently serves as an At-Large officer on the Executive Committee for APAP.
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Manuel Mederos
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Since 2015, Manuel Mederos has served as the Language Access Specialist for the Northern Nevada International Center (NNIC), affiliated with the University of Nevada, Reno. He is also the host, director and producer of NNIC's podcast, DiploChatz. Mederos has a long history with NNIC, having started as a Spanish teacher for the after-school language immersion program and, years later, managing multiple youth leadership exchange programs for NNIC. Mederos currently oversees and manages all functions of the Language Bank, which provides high quality and confidential interpretation and document translations services to government, corporate, legal and healthcare industries. Mederos is an advocate for language access to limited English proficiency (LEP) individuals as well as an advocate for immigrants, refugees, civil and human rights. the arts, youth, and education.
You may recognize Manuel Mederos as an on-air host from KUNR Public Radio, the local NPR affiliate. Mederos joined KUNR in July 2021 as the station’s first Latino on-air host. He brings more than 25 years of experience as a professional radio and TV personality. Mederos infuses his language and culture into his work on-air, and hopes that by doing so, he is creating spaces for others to feel included as well as inspired to share their own stories.
In his spare time, Mederos can be found performing throughout the region as a tenor or working on voice-over projects as a voice actor. When he’s not using his voice, you can find him on one of the many beautiful nature trails this area has to offer.
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Wesley Mewes
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Wesley Mewes is a General Manager for Tesla Motors and former Regional Operations Director for Whole Foods Market. Wesley is a seasoned professional with over two decades of expertise in multi-unit retail business management and the successful launch of new retail locations across the United States. Through that experience Wesley gained a passion for fostering community engagement and partnerships at the local, regional, and neighborhood levels. Wesley is a graduate of Sierra Nevada College and has previously served as an Officer in the Nevada Army National Guard. A native of Nevada, Wesley is deeply rooted in this community. Wesley's involvement includes being a member of the South Truckee Meadow/Washoe Valley Citizen Advisory Board and a graduate of the inaugural Washoe County Leadership Academy.
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BJ North
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BJ North is the Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer of Plumas Bank. Ms. North brings over 35 years of banking experience and specializes in business and product development. She is a Certified Associate of Emergenetics International and has received a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and her Master's degree in Education Administration from the University of Nevada, Reno. Ms. North is involved in various national and local organizations and has served/serves on numerous boards including the International Women's Forum, the American Heart Association, the Renown Community Advisory Board, the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN), Western Industrial Nevada (WIN), the Washoe County School District Investment Committee, the Nevada Commission on Post-Secondary Education, and the Nevada Humane Society. Ms North was the recipient of The Jefferson Award, a prestigious national recognition system honoring community and public volunteerism in America.
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Linda Offerdahl
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Linda Offerdahl and her husband Richard moved to Incline Village from Minnesota in 1988 to start a family. They have been an integral part of the community ever since, serving on boards and engaging in philanthropy. Her local accomplishments include running numerous MOMS groups, early board member of the Children’s Cabinet, establishing the K-16 Council that first brought educational standards to Incline Schools, President of CYMBAL and board member emeritus, and board member of the Boys and Girls Club North Lake Tahoe when it established the Duffield Youth Center in Incline Village. She was one of the original founders of the Incline Star Follies when she was President of the IES PTA. She was President of AAUW from 1992-94 and was instrumental in growing the organization from 25 to 150 members. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Tahoe-Incline, where her accomplishments include President from 2017-18, and playing an active role in the Battleborn Chili Cook-off and Best Ball for a Cause fundraisers.
In 2006, Linda started her own business, Dress the Part(y) for Charity in the Village Center. Shortly after that, the original ICBA, was founded, then re-formed as the IVCBA, the Incline Village Crystal Bay Community and Business Association, in 2020. After graduating from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, Linda was a teacher for 5 years. At that time, she went back to school to get an MBA from the Thunderbird American School of International Management in Arizona. Before moving to Incline Village and “trading in the briefcase for a diaper bag”, Linda worked as a product manager for Lee Data in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
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Irene Payne
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Irene Payne has extensive marketing, communications and community outreach experience in private, public and nonprofit sector organizations. Irene was born in the UK and headed up global marketing for a London based nonprofit before moving to Reno and becoming Chief Communications and Community Outreach for Washoe County School District. A position she held until recently. Irene serves on various boards including Washoe County Regional Animal Services, Human Services Network and the Assistance League Advisory Committee.
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Ty Rogers
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Ty Rogers is the Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Quick Space, the Northern Nevada leader in temporary storage, office and site services in Sparks, Nev. He started at Quick Space in 2016 and has led the business development arm of the company to more than triple the annual revenue since his onboarding. With a self-described passion for people, management, and community involvement, Ty attributes the alignment of personal and professional values to success in both respective areas.
Ty is the current National President of the American Cowboy’s Team Roping Association and heads the production team for the annual National Finals event in Reno, Nevada for the 8,000+ member group. He also serves on several professional and charitable boards, including Dozers & Dirt, Empty Bowls, and The Community Food Pantry, serving hundreds of volunteer hours a year.
Ty is extremely proud of his heritage as a true Native Nevadan, specifically as a member of the Yerington Paiute Tribe. He served his tribe by interning for the Director of Education during college, sparking his commitment to education through this day. He also maintains touch with his Paiute roots through contemporary beadwork and has had work appear in popular magazines including Cowboys & Indians magazine.
He remains an avid team roper, equestrian and proud Nevadan.
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Jenifer Rose
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Jenifer Rose is the founder and CEO of Community Office Solutions, a business to business office supply company. Jenifer was appointed in 2015 by the City of Reno and currently serves as a Reno Tahoe International Airport Board Trustee, also serving as airport treasurer for 3 years. Jenifer was appointed by Washoe County and served on the Western Nevada Development District for 4 years.
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Don Tatro
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Don Tatro, Director of State and Local Policy at Redwood Materials, is a proud native Nevadan who grew up working on several ranches and training horses. Tatro began his career in Washington, D.C. and worked as a press secretary for two United States Senators. Following his time in DC, he launched his own successful startup company and later was Executive Director of the Builders Association of Northern Nevada.
Most recently he was appointed to the Nevada State Senate and is now with Redwood Materials.
Tatro also serves on the board of ACE Charter High School and the Washoe County Managers Advisory Committee and is former Chairman of Reno Mayor Schieve’s Housing Taskforce. He’s also been awarded the Young Professional Network of Reno’s Top 20 Under 40 (2017), Northern Nevada Business View’s Titan of Industry (2018) and most Influential People (2016).
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