Our Board of Directors

Ryan Legue has over 25 years of experience in corporate communications, global live events, and media-based storytelling.

After a decade of event agency leadership, Ryan founded L37 Creative, a Las Vegas-based startup in 2013. He and his partners quickly earned the corporate event and content business of large international brands and expanded to open offices in Chicago and New York. “Inc. Magazine” recognized the company’s growth, naming L37 to the “Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America” for two consecutive years, before BCD Meetings and Events approached and acquired L37 Creative just five years after its opening.

Today, Ryan Legue serves as the Vice President and General Manager of BCD Meetings and Events’ live event production and creative content group. In this capacity, he leads global teams of creatives and event experts to deliver services across event design, brand experience, live event production, and creative content for Fortune 500 companies and their events around the world. Passionate about the impact of great content, Ryan recently oversaw the launch of “BCD Films,” a global capability leveraging the decades of experience of BCD’s award-winning directors, editors, and cinematographers to deliver cinematic storytelling to clients.

Ryan comes from a family of educators. His parents were teachers who served in underprivileged communities, and Ryan’s sister continues to teach today. Their perspectives and experiences continue to shape his views on education, and with three children who attend schools in the CCSD, Ryan is passionate about the outcomes of our schools here in Nevada.

For nearly 20 years Ryan has supported public education in Nevada through his involvement in the Public Education Foundation. In his volunteer capacity as Executive Producer and Creative Director for the Education Hero Awards program, Ryan is proud to have helped tell countless stories of educators, administrators, and community members who have made a di􀆯erence in the public school system of Clark County. These events brought awareness and recognition to people and programs of tremendous impact to our community and ultimately helped to raise millions of dollars for school district projects that would have otherwise gone unfunded.

In January of 1945, at the age of six (6), my mother relocated from Stamps, Arkansas, to Las Vegas. I attended Westside Grammar School from the second half of my kindergarten year through the seventh (7th) grade. In 1954 I graduated from the eighth (8th) grade at Madison School as class salutatorian, the first (1st) year of its existence.

In 1954, I attended Rancho High School, the first (1st)) year it was in existence, where I served as Student Body Secretary. This was the first (1st) year I attended an intergraded school. Rancho was rezoned my sophomore year which placed me at Las Vegas High School through graduation.

As a fifteen (15) year old I was employed as a sales associate by Larry’s Music Bar. As a young adult I became manager of the store and remained in that position until I accepted employment with Western Airlines in 1968.

Starting with Western Airlines as a reservations sales agent I progressed with the company to become their 1st African American and female station (location) manager. After Delta Air Lines purchased Western in 1987, I became their 1st as well. After receiving several managerial promotions including Regional Manager/Director with Delta Air Lines I remained in the corporate office for several years.

In 1994, I returned home and started actively working in my community. In 1999, I was elected President of the Urban Chamber of Commerce, a position I held for 8 years. In May of 2004, the Asian, Latin and Urban Chambers hosted a joint luncheon with 890 persons in attendance. In the two years that followed we had two successful luncheons with more than 1,000 in attendance.

In September of 2007, the UCC Board of Directors named me President Emerita in recognition of ten years of service.

In 2009, the UCC created a 501 © 3 which was respectfully named “The Hannah Brown Community Development Corporation”.

In 2010, I was successful in gaining approval for a Four Million Dollar grant from the Centennial Committee to refurbish the Historical Westside Grade School which I attended.

In 2010, Olive Crest named their Ladies of Distinction award the “Thalia Dondero/Hannah Brown Award”.

October of 2020, the CCSD School Naming Committee voted to name an elementary school in my honor. The Hannah Marie Brown Elementary School will open in August 2021.

On March 4, 2021, I was selected by the NSHE Board of Regents to receive the Distinguished Nevadan Award This is the highest award presented by the Board of Regents.

Career Highlights:

• Profiled in Ebony Magazine “100 Of the Most Promising Black Women in Corporate America”
• NAACP Legal Defense Fund “Black Women of Achievement” (1988)
• Negotiated a 4 million dollar grant to restore Westside Grammar School to a cultural center
• American Red Cross “Lifetime Achievement Award 2018
• Clark County School District “Excellence in Education 2018”
• Public Education Foundation “Champion of Children” 2018”
• City of Las Vegas Citizen of the Month January 2016
• Delta Sigma Theta Tribute Awards 2016
• The Public Education Foundation Board of Trustees
• CCSD Supt. Advisory Committee
• Honorary Associates of Arts Degree in Humane Letters-Community College of Southern Nevada
• Workforce Connections-Board Chair
• Valley System Board of Governors
• Nevada State College – President’s Medal 2009
• Nevada State College Foundation Board
• Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors
• Appointment-Executive Steering Committee for the Las Vegas Centennial Celebration (Las Vegas’ One Hundredth Birthday 2005 Activities)
• Olive Crest-Board of Trustees (Emeritus)
• JAG Nevada Board of Directors
• Proclamation from Governor Kenny Guinn 2003
• Martin Luther King Parade – Grand Marshall 2005
• Who’s Who In Black Las Vegas (Interesting Personality)
• U. S. Small Business Administration Minority Small Business Champion of the Year – State of Nevada 2006
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. 2016 Tribute Award
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. – Achievement Award
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., – Community Service Award
• Courtney Children’s Foundations First Annual Woman of the Year Award
• College of Southern Nevada’s Black History Month Award

Glenn Christenson is a longtime Las Vegan with an extensive business career. Glenn is the Managing Director of Velstand Investments, LLC. Previously, he was the Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer for Station Casinos Inc. for 17 years. Prior to joining Station Casinos, he was with the international accounting firm now known as Deloitte & Touche for 17 years where he was Partner-in-Charge of the firm’s Nevada Audit practice and the National Hospitality Industry Audit Partner. In his nearly fifty years living in Southern Nevada Glenn has committed significant time to enhancing the education system as well as focusing on economic development and diversification in the community. He has served as Chairman of the Governor’s SAGE Commission on K-12 Education, Chairman of the Community Implementation Council for AB469, Chairman of CCSD’s Budget Task Force and Superintendent’s Executive Advisory Committees among others. Glenn and his wife Ande have a long-term commitment to Nevada State College which is demonstrated through the Glenn and Ande Christenson School of Education Building. In his role as Chairman Emeritus of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, he has also forwarded economic development causes in Southern Nevada. Glenn graduated from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio and earned a master’s degree in Finance from the Ohio State University.

Mayor Shelley Berkley was elected by the people of Las Vegas in November 2024. Prior to taking office as mayor, she served as senior vice president of the Touro University system. Before this, she held the positions of CEO and senior provost at Touro University Western Division for a period of eight-and-a-half years.

Prior to joining Touro, Mayor Berkley served the state of Nevada in the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2013. She was the first woman to serve the district and held the position for seven terms.

During her 14 years in Congress, Mayor Berkley served on the Transportation Committee, Small Business Committee, Veterans Affairs Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee and the Ways and Means Committee (healthcare subcommittee).

Among her proudest accomplishments during her time in Congress was building the new Veterans Administration medical complex in Southern Nevada to provide quality healthcare to the veterans in our community. She was a vocal supporter of providing more funding for graduate medical education (residencies), and a vocal advocate of reforming our nation’s healthcare system.

Mayor Berkley began her career in public service in 1983 as an assemblywoman in the Nevada State Legislature. She worked to strengthen consumer protection laws and to crack down on drunk driving. She created the Senior Law Project and wrote the Lemon Law, which protects new car owners from defective vehicles. Both programs continue to this day.

Mayor Berkley was appointed and twice elected to the Nevada State Board of Regents, serving from 1990 to 1998.

Prior to serving in Congress, Mayor Berkley was a practicing attorney. She was an attorney for the Nevada State Commerce Department, in-house counsel for Southwest Gas Corporation and vice president for government and legal affairs for the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.

Mayor Berkley is married to Dr. Larry Lehrner, a kidney specialist, and she is the proud mother of two sons, two stepchildren and four grandchildren.

Raised in Las Vegas, Mayor Berkley attended John C. Fremont Junior High School and Valley High School. She was the first person in her family to go to college. She graduated from UNLV in 1973 where she was student body president.

Pamela Goynes-Brown was elected Mayor of the City of North Las Vegas in 2022 and assumed office that same year on December 1, becoming the first black Mayor in Nevada history. A longtime educator turned public servant, Mayor Goynes-Brown previously served as Councilwoman of North Las Vegas’ Ward 2 for over a decade and was the first female African American Councilwoman in that role. She also was the first female African American Mayor Pro-Tempore, having served for two terms.

A long-time resident of North Las Vegas, Mayor Goynes-Brown has lived in the city since 1964 when her family moved to the area. She pursued a career in public education, following in both her parents’ footsteps, and worked for the Clark County School district for 35 years before retiring as assistant principal.

Mayor Goynes-Brown holds a master’s degree from NOVA Southeastern University in elementary education, with an endorsement in educational leadership. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Prairie View A & M University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude.

Mayor Goynes-Brown received “Woman of the Year” in 2014 from Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. for her dedication and support to the Las Vegas community. She was recognized the same year for “Women in Business and Politics” from the Urban Chamber of Commerce and for “Women’s Equality Day” by the Women’s Democratic Club. She has received numerous certificates of recognition and congratulations from various local and state governmental entities. She was awarded the Who’s Who among Students in American Universities and Colleges in 1984 and was the recipient of the Ella Cullins Weaver Award in 1982. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Tau Beta Sigma Band Sorority and Mu Alpha Sigma Music Honor Society.

Mayor Goynes-Brown is a member of National Association of School Administrators, Clark County Educational Professionals Association, Clark County Association of Schools Administrators and Professional Technical Employees.

She is married to Romero and has two children, Bobby R. Owens, III and Michael A. Owens. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, traveling, fishing, playing bingo and watching/participating in various sports.

Boards and Commissions

• Clark County School District Local Oversight Panel
• Deferred Compensation Plan Committee
• Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
• Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance
• Southern Nevada Urban Micro Academy (SNUMA)
• RTC – Regional Walkability Plan Community Advisory Committee ● West Las Vegas Promise Neighborhood

John Guedry has 39 years of experience in financial services and banking industries in Nevada. Now CEO, Mr. Guedry joined Bank of Nevada in 2011, serving as both President and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining Bank of Nevada, he was the CEO and served as President of Business Bank of Nevada until City National Bank purchased it in 2007, where he remained as Executive Vice President until 2010. John currently serves as a Board of Director and Executive Committee member for Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, Las Vegas Bowl, and The Darren Waller Foundation. He is past-Chairman of the Nevada Bankers Association and Las Vegas Metro Chamber. a former Board of Trustee for UNLV Foundation and Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, and a former Board of Director for Clark County Public Education Foundation, among others.

John is an avid cyclist, completing tours and competitions in multiple states and countries. A native of New Orleans, Mr. Guedry moved to Las Vegas with his family in 1974. He graduated from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 1982, with a bachelor’s degree in business management. He and his incredible wife of over 38 years, Debra, have two talented daughters, Jennifer and Jaclyn & two active twin grandsons Bradley and Brayden.

Debra March has lived a life committed to improving her community and to service to the state of Nevada. She began her career with an emphasis in the real estate industry where she led the Nevada Real Estate Division and then became the director of the University of Nevada Las Vegas’ Lied Institute of Real Estate Studies from1996 to 2009. Here she focused on creating more livable communities and policies for responsible homeownership.

Her commitment to community service led her to be a founding board member of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce Leadership Henderson Program in 2003. A year later she was appointed to the Henderson Planning Commission which sparked her interest in public service and for being an advocate for smart growth and for sustainable economic development. She continued working on the Commission until 2009 when she was appointed City Councilwoman of Ward II and then won re-election twice. In 2017, Debra won the election for Mayor of Henderson, which is Nevada’s second largest city. There she remained in office until January 2023. During that time, Debra created the Women’s Community Leadership Network (WCLN) to promote opportunities for women and girls in Henderson.

In her early years, Debra served as a park ranger and social worker. She has also sat on many statewide and national boards that have improved Henderson and Nevada. In 2018, she served as chair of the Regional Flood Control District and then the Regional Transportation Commission among others. She is also a founding member of the Urban Land Institute Nevada District Council and is a member of National Association Industrial Office Properties of Southern Nevada.

Rick Neal is the chief executive officer of Goodwill Industries of Southern Nevada, Inc. (Goodwill), as of June 2019. Goodwill® is an innovative and sustainable social enterprise offering training services and job placement at Goodwill Thrift Stores and other local employers in Southern Nevada. Goodwill operates two Career Centers and offers a Mobile Career Coach with community-based programs funded through the support of philanthropic giving, government grants, and by selling donated clothing and household items in 17 stores collectively. Mr. Neal also serves on the Executive Council of the Goodwill Council of Executives.

Mr. Neal was employed by the Clark County School District, where he held the roles of the district’s first-ever Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff and External Relations from 2015 until 2019. In addition to his daily duties in these capacities, Mr. Neal was appointed by the governor to the Nevada Homeland Security Working Group; served on the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Multicultural Advisory Committee; and was appointed to the Nevada Intrastate Mutual Aid Committee, serving as the vice chairman.

Prior to joining the Clark County School District, Mr. Neal served in the United States Air Force for 25 years as a security forces officer, his career culminating at the rank of colonel as commander of the 799th Air Base Group at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada. Throughout his career, Colonel Neal served in various security forces roles at the squadron, group, wing, and major command level.

Colonel Neal entered the Air Force in 1990 as a distinguished graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program. He is a graduate of the Air Force Security Officers Course, Air Base Ground Defense and Emergency Services Team courses as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy (FBINA).

Mr. Neal earned a Master of Arts in Social Psychology from Bellevue University in Nebraska; a Master of Arts in Military Operational Art and Science from Air Command Staff College in Alabama; a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College in Pennsylvania; and a Bachelor of Arts Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Though he travelled extensively both as a military dependent and as a servicemember, Mr. Neal called Charlotte, NC home for most of his life. Mr. Neal now lives in Las Vegas with his wife, Adrienne. They have six children residing and working in Las Vegas, NV and Austin, TX. His hobbies include fitness and martial arts.

Major Awards and Recognition

• Legion of Merit
• Bronze Star
• Meritorious Service medal with five oak leaf clusters
• Air Force Commendation Medal
• Air Force Achievement Medal
• 2022 Vegas, Inc. C-Suite Awards Inaugural Honoree (Non-profit)
• 2022 Leadership Las Vegas Graduate