Patrice Ross

President

Patrice Ross has over 10 years of Human Resources experience and has performed a variety of jobs from recruiter to benefits administrator to EEO specialist in the banking, manufacturing and trade show industries. She currently works for WSI-Nevada, a security contractor to the Department of Energy, as a Human Resources Supervisor overseeing compensation and benefits. In January 2010, she will assume the position of Human Resources Manager at WSI. Patrice earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and her Master of Arts degree in Human Resources with a minor in Human Resources Development from the University of Nebraska.

While working toward her Masters degree, she served as President of the University of Nebraska student SHRM chapter, which received a Superior Merit Award during her tenure. She has also taught undergraduate Human Resources classes for the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska and for Continuing Education at UNLV. Patrice has earned her Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR) certification and will complete her Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) certification in 2010.

Bud H. Pierce

Past President

Bud is a seasoned human resources professional with more than 35 years of experience in the field. He worked for the State of Kansas for 22 years in a variety of human resource positions, including serving as Human Resources Director for two large state agencies. Bud also worked for two years overseas with the U.S. Department of Transportation as a human resources advisor to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Communications. More recently, he served as the Human Resources Director for the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District for eleven years. Currently, Bud is the Associate Vice President for Human Resources at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, a position he has held for approximately 18 months.

Bud’s educational background includes undergraduate and graduate degrees in Psychology and Community Mental Health from Pittsburg State University, and an MBA from Baker University. He earned his certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources in June of 2004, has been a national member of the Society for Human Resource Management for many years, a Southern Nevada Human Resources Association member for the past nine years and currently Past-President of that organization, and was a recipient of the SNHRA Workplace Excellence Award in 2002 and 2006.

Cynthia Dobek

President Elect

Cynthia Dobek is Director of Business, Finance & HRM for Nevada Public Radio and has been a member of SHRM & SNHRA for 8 years and as a member of the SNHRA board for 5 of those years. She is slated to be the SHRM 2011 Las Vegas conference Co-chair, and is registered for the SHRM 2010 San Diego conference and had previously volunteered at the 2007 SHRM conference here in Las Vegas. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in HRM after graduating summa cum laude with a BS in Business Management in 2008. A past recipient of a $1,000 Pacific west regional SHRM scholarship which helped her to continue her education in Human Resources she gives back to the SHRM Foundation annually. She has served as a board member for various national and local boards over 10 years, holding every officer position, and is astute in the strategic and tactical governance functions of a non-profit boards and associations. Cynthia joined the staff at Nevada Public Radio 11 years ago, assisting the organization to become a 5-year consecutive winner in the SNHRA “Best Places to Work in Southern Nevada” awards. Prior to NVPR she worked for over twenty years in the private sector, mostly in retail, running a business providing outsourced accounting, payroll and financial services to other small businesses. She has successfully integrated her for-profit knowledge into the non-profit arena and is empathetic to small organizations with one-person HR departments. Cynthia is proud to be an actively involved HRM professional.

Carol Herrington, SPHR

Education Committee Chairperson

Carol Herrington, SPHR, has been a practicing human resources generalist for 23 years. For the past 18 years, she has served as the senior human resources professional in the positions she's held with heavy equipment sales and service, utility construction, engineering and architectural firms.

She is a long-time member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and an active member of SNHRA since 1986. Since joining SNHRA, she has served the organization as an officer, board member, and committee chair. Her current position on the board is chairperson for the Education Committee, where her primary objective is to assist other HR professionals in the pursuit of a PHR or SPHR certification. 

John Futrell

Programs Committee Chairperson

John C. Futrell is President of Futrell Financial Management, a wealth management company.  Formerly, the financial commentator for ABC and FOX news in Las Vegas, he now serves as an information source to the media on financial and business matters.  He has frequently been featured on local programs, news interviews and publications.  John has authored numerous articles as a Financial Columnist for business publications.  Additionally, the legal community often retains John to provide testimony to the courts when financial and business issues require an expert's opinion.  His 17 years in the financial arena also includes positions with Merrill Lynch and Paine Webber.

He is the President of the Las Vegas Executive Speakers Bureau, an agency for professional speakers and trainers.  John also speaks professionally on business topics including Motivation, Sales, Marketing and Wealth Accumulation. His entertaining style draws on his personal experiences with business in the professional world. He brings humor, education and motivation to his audiences.

Active in the southern Nevada community, John serves as President of the Financial Advisory Council.  He has been a volunteer with the Arthritis Foundation, Southern Nevada Chapter and the UNLV Swimming Alumni.  Now, he serves on the Board of Directors for Opportunity Village and the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Business Education Series committee.

John has been a resident of Las Vegas since 1972 and holds BS in Psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.  His favorite leisure activities include fishing, reading, and traveling.  Each year, John makes it a point to visit a foreign country.

Cynthia Adams, CEBS, MSHRM, SPHR

Treasurer

Cynthia Adams has an extensive background in finance and human resources. She has acted as a financial and management consultant for several public and private sector clients, helping them to establish hiring practices, establish and set organization and department budgets, analyze benefit and health plan options, conduct recruitments, review compensation models, conduct classification and compensation studies, and ensure compliance of benefit, retirement and health plans. She has also helped new companies and non-profits set up benefits plans and accounting, financial and administrative procedures and systems. She has experience working with various accounting systems, including QuickBooks Pro, QuickBooks On-line, Peachtree Accounting Pro, Axuim and Compeat software applications. She acted as an Employee Relations and Labor Consultant to SEIU Local 787 in Orange County, managing the MOU and contract negotiations as well as managing the employer-funded trust fund that provided an array of mandatory benefits to employees within the bargaining group under the MOU.

Cynthia holds a B.S. degree from California State University, Long Beach, in Dietetics and Food Administration, holds a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation from the International Employee Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and the Wharton School of Business, has a Masters Degree in Human Resources Management (MSHRM) from Boston University and holds a Senior in Professional Human Resources (SPHR) certification. She has completed the equivalent of an A.A. degree in accounting from Irvine Valley College and currently provides accounting, HR and benefits administration services to clients in Nevada, California and Texas.

She is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM), the Southern Nevada Human Resources Association (SNHRA), the Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA), the National Human Resources Association (NHRA), the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB) and the National Association of Bookkeepers (NBA).

Rosie Saenz

Publicity Committee Chairperson

Rosie’s experience includes more than 20 years in health benefits, managed care and worker’s compensation. Before joining Morgan Consulting Resources in 2000, Rosie served as the vice-president of the Worker’s Compensation Division for Sierra Insurance Group, with responsibility for a staff of 120. After spending 15 years at Sierra Health Services in various progressive opportunities, she joined Morgan Consulting Resources, Inc. in 2000 as an Associate. Now as a Principal in the company, she continues to match exceptional candidates with outstanding companies at the Director to CEO level in the health care industry.

Rosie is by nature, a learner, which explains her delight in getting to know clients and candidates and understand what is most important to them. She goes well beyond the stated requirements of the position to identify the factors that will lead to a superb match. With her understanding of what the best possible candidate looks like, Rosie identifies prospects with both the position skills and the talent and style to achieve success in the client company.

In addition to her dedication to MCR clients and candidates, Rosie devotes her positive perspective and energy to improving her community. She is a founding member of the Nevada Executive Women in Health Care and she works to improve educational opportunities for children in the Clark County School District (Las Vegas). She has served on the Board of SNHRA since 2008 (and has been a member since 2005). Currently, Rosie is Publicity Chairwoman, for SNHRA, overseeing events such as the annual mixers and vendor fairs.

Shaun P. Haley

Secretary

Shaun Haley is an associate in the Las Vegas office of Fisher & Phillips. He exclusively represents and advises private and public employers in labor and employment matters, including labor relations, arbitration, union organizing, and employment-related litigation under Title VII, the ADEA, the ADA, and Section 1983. He also advises employers on preventive measures, and he has had extensive experience in the development and defense of employment contracts and non-compete agreements. Shaun has spoken before employer groups on the issues of union relationships, as well as trained supervisors on general employment matters, including sexual harassment, discrimination, compliance with federal immigration laws, and prevailing wage requirements. Shaun has taught at a continuing legal education program for lawyers sponsored by the State Bar of Nevada. Also, he has co-authored or authored several publications, including "Section V: The Electronic Workplace," in Workplace Privacy: Real Answers and Practical Solutions (Thompson Pub. Grp. 2000) and "A Primer On Drafting Reasonable Non-Compete Agreements," The Nevada Labor Letter (Nov. 2000). In 2008, Shaun was named a “rising star” in the field of labor and employment law by Super Lawers – Mountain States. Shaun is a member of the Clark County Bar Association, the American Bar Association (Labor & Employment and Litigation Sections), the Las Vegas chapter of the American Inns of Court, the Southern Nevada Human Resource Association and the Society for Human Resource Management.

James Tueller, SPHR

Hospitality Committee Chairperson

An HR generalist with over 20 years of Human Resources experience, James has served as the Human Resources Director for United Blood Services – Las Vegas (UBS) since 2001.  Prior to UBS, his experience was in gaming and telecommunications.  He received his SPHR in 1997 and is a long-time member of SHRM.  Although a generalist, he specializes in employee relations, diversity, EEO/AA compliance and mediation.  He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Regis College and is experienced as a divorce and child custody mediator. A native of Salt Lake City, he came to Las Vegas in 1996.  Other homes have included Denver, CO, Washington, D.C., Louisville, KY and Chattanooga, TN.

Jeff Peterson, PHR

Membership Committee Co-Chairperson

Jeff Peterson is currently the Director of Human Resource Operations for Marriott’s Grand Chateau, a vacation club resort, here in Las Vegas. He is a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and is currently working on a degree in Human Resource Management. In his current position he is responsible for day-to-day functions of the HR office, including talent acquisition/retention, associate relations issues, performance management and LOA’s.

He has worked for Marriott for 7 years, starting with the Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland in positions in both Human Resources and Loss Prevention. Prior to joining Marriott, Jeff primarily held positions in Loss Prevention/Investigation management with JCPenney’s, Marshalls/TJMaxx and Target.

Kim Kaplan, PHR

Membership Committee Co-Chairperson

Kim has 22 years of experience in Human Resources in gaming, retail operations, and higher education.  Kim joined the University of Nevada Las Vegas as the University Libraries Human Resources Manager in January 2007.  Previously, she served as the Corporate Headquarters Human Resources Manager for Harrah’s Entertainment, and before her promotion to corporate she served in several human resources positions with the Rio Suite Hotel and Casino, a subsidiary of Harrah’s.

She has been a resident of Las Vegas for 22 years. She moved to Las Vegas after receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Regis College, Denver, Colorado in 1987. In 2001, Kim received her PHR. Kim has been a member of SHRM and SNHRA for many years and has served as the SNHRA Membership Committee Co-Chairperson since October 2008.

Leonard Wilson

Diversity Committee Chairperson

Leonard is a Graduate of California State University at Los Angeles, where he received his BA in Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations. He attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and received his Master of Public Administration; Personnel Administration.  Leonard has been in the field of Human Resources for over 20 years.  He has negotiated and administered several Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) for Registered Nurses, Pharmacists, Radiology Techs, Lab Techs and various other health care professions.  He is formally the Vice President of Human Resources for New York- New York, Hotel/Casino. And was the Human Resources Administrator for Valley Hospital Medical Center, Las Vegas’ second oldest hospital.   Currently he is the Director of Human Resources for Opportunity Village, in Las Vegas.   Leonard has taught labor relations at the University of Redlands, in Redlands Ca. And he is currently facilitating graduate classes at the University of Phoenix-Las Vegas campus. 

Mary Sanders

College Relations Committee Chairperson

As CEO of Milestones Unlimited, Mary Sanders is a skilled executive facilitator, trainer, coach, and author.   She has consulted with many Fortune 500 companies including General Motors, Ford Motor Company, ATT, Sprint, and General Dynamics.   She has also facilitated management and team building seminars and interventions with government agencies, banks, health insurance companies, workers compensation companies and hospitals.  She focuses her work on training trainers and coaches in advanced skills.

She is also licensed Health & Life Broker, Long Term Solutions, representing the major competitive health carriers in Nevada.  She likes helping people find affordable health care coverage that meets their needs.  She has worked within and as a consultant with the major health insurance carriers so she knows the system.  Her focus is to give good service to her clients from the beginning and continuing for the years ahead.

Mary is the author of two books, R.P.M. Realize Your Power To Motivate and The Work, An Employee’s Guide to Essential Attitudes and Performance for Success.  As a certified NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) Master Practitioner, she understands the power and use of effective communication to create change.  In her recent life skills book, The Work, she provides many insights for employees about the essential attitudes and performance for success.  

Her Bachelor’s degree is in Communication Sciences.  Her Master’s degree is in Education with a cognate in Management from Michigan State University.  She serves as the University of Phoenix Graduate School’s Organizational Behavior Faculty Lead Area Chair and as faculty member with in Nevada and on-line.  She has called Las Vegas home since 1992.

Non-Voting Committee Chair:

Barry Lippold

Board Member at Large
Website/Sponsorship/Marketing Chairperson;
Head of the Administration Team for SNHRA

Barry Lippold has been in the HR and Training fields for over 20 years.  He started his professional career as a Fundraising Training Manager for Michigan State University, his Alma Mater, and moved on to international training and design positions with NEBS, Kinkos and AlphaGraphics.

Today, he is the President of Marc Ison Design Plus, Inc., a corporation he formed 10 years ago in Manhattan and relocated to Las Vegas in 2004.  Specializing in website design, website marketing, print design, printing and multimedia, Marc Ison Design has produced 100's of websites and HR / Employee Communications pieces. Mr. Lippold has been involved with SNHRA on the Board for over 6 years, handling the marketing, design, website and sponsorships. His company was recently contracted to handle the administration for the Association.

Non-Voting Committee Chair:

Patrick Hicks

Legislative Committee Chairperson

Mr. Hicks is the Founding Shareholder of the Reno and Las Vegas offices of Littler and the former Office Managing Shareholder of both offices. Mr. Hicks is one of Nevada's most experienced employment law litigator and trial attorneys and he regularly appears in all state and federal courts in Nevada and elsewhere. He represents clients before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Nevada Equal Rights Commission and various other states' administrative agencies. He has successfully defended scores of jury trials, and he has also handled over 150 arbitrations and mediations. Mr. Hicks represents employers in wrongful termination and employment discrimination litigation and trial work; grievance arbitrations; Title VII proceedings; and counsels employers on the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, employee terminations, workplace violence, and pre-employment screening.

Mr. Hicks co-chairs the Firm's hospitality group; chairs the Firm's EPLI Committee; sits on the Firm's Diversity Advisory Group; and is a member of the Board of Directors. Mr. Hicks is regularly listed as one of America's leading employment attorneys including Chambers USA 2005 ("highly talented, thorough and responsive and widely respected for his trial expertise"), Chambers USA 2006 ("affable, cooperative, practical and organized"), Chambers 2007 , and Chambers USA 2008 ("client-oriented and thoroughly conscientious" and "known for his excellent trial skills"). Mr. Hicks was voted and is featured in The Nevada Super Lawyers including in the 2009 issue. Mr. Hicks was recognized as a leading expert in the employment law field by The Legal 500 US. Mr. Hicks was also selected for inclusion in the corporate counsel edition of Super Lawyers 2009 identifying him as one of the nation's premier labor & employment attorneys.