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The College of Liberal Arts Alumnus of the Year went from being uncertain about the future of his education to being one of the top residential real estate agents in the Las Vegas Valley.
Jamie Bichelman, '13 BA Psychology, is moving to Carson City to become public information officer for the Nevada department of transportation (NDOT). He will manage the public relations and information program for NDOT on a statewide basis; provide video interviews; write media releases, newsletters, and informational brochures; produce audiovisual presentations; and take photographs for the same agency for which his father worked for 33 years. A native Floridian, he previously spent two years managing communications for UNLV's public safety department.
Celinda Pena
Celinda Pena, '11 BS Human Services Counseling, '13 Master of Social Work, and Johnny Dominguez, '13 BA Political Science, were married May 5 after 12 years together. They both work directly with students on high school school campuses. Celinda, who is a licensed social worker in Nevada, works as a case manager, trying to assure that students graduate on time despite any barriers they may face. Johnny works as a college counselor preparing students for the next chapter of their education. Previously a UNLV admissions counselor, Johnny also is pursuing a master's degree in higher education at UNLV. Both are active in their respective Greek organizations, Kappa Delta Chi sorority, and Nu Alpha Kappa fraternity. They describe themselves as proud Rebels who enjoy adventure, exploring new things, cultural community events, spending time with family, and looking for ways to give back to their community. The couple lives in North Las Vegas.
Nathaniel Taylor
Nathaniel Taylor, '06 BA Political Science, founded the Taylor Consulting Group, a local government affairs and business consulting firm in 2009. His firm specializes in land use consulting, liquor licensing, gaming licensing, and government relations. He is one of only a handful of “enrolled agents” in the Nevada; this allows him to represent his clients before the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the Nevada Gaming Commission. Since graduating, he has worked in the public and private sector, experiencing very diverse challenges.
His career has included working for the city of Las Vegas as a management analyst, working for former state Sen. Mark James as his district manager, working for Clark County as a business license specialist, and completing a public service internship in Gov. Kenny Guinn’s office. He also has managed the #1 Zagat-rated Italian restaurant in New York City and has served as a trainer for Outback Steakhouse, Inc. His experience in the hospitality industry gives him a unique perspective when representing his firm’s many restaurant clients.
Jamie Bichelman
Jamie Bichelman, '13 BA Psychology, has worked as a full-time communicator/public relations person for UNLV's department of police services for two years. Now he will be taking his career to new heights by pursuing a master's degree in communication studies at UNLV. He will begin his studies in August.
Carlos Blumberg
Carlos Blumberg, '95 BA Political Science, joined De Castroverde Law Group focusing on personal injury, real estate, family law, and other business-related cases. He is a founding member of the Nevada Dispensary Association.
Michael Valiente
Michael Valiente, '12 BA Political Science, '16 JD, has joined the Las Vegas office of Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial, a “Litigation Department of the Year” winner.
Anthony Guy Patricia
Anthony Guy Patricia, '04 BA, '08 MA, '14 PhD English, is an instructor of English at Concord University in Athens, West Virginia. He recently delivered a talk at UNLV, "Gender Trouble in Michael Hoffman's A Midsummer Night's Dream," that was sponsored by UNLV's English department.
Heather Torgersen
Heather McGowan Torgersen, '09 MA Political Science, has joined UNLV's College of Liberal Arts as director of development. She has more than a dozen years of development experience. She began her career working on political campaigns and later transitioned into development work with nonprofits, spending nearly a decade in development with the American Cancer Society. While there, she worked in event planning and fundraising, led a national training team for development, and secured major gifts while managing a team of fundraisers. She is married to Andrew Torgersen, '08 BS Marketing. They live in Henderson
Herb Santos Jr.
Herb Santos, Jr., '85 BA Sociology, is managing owner of the NBA development team, the Reno Bighorns. The team finished its season as the Pacific Division champions and ended with a record of 33-17. He has been the managing owner of the team since the 2011-12 season. During that time his team has had a record number of players called up to the NBA. A nationally AV-rated attorney, he continues to practice law at this law firm in Reno. He also completed a term as president of the Nevada Justice Association (formerly known as the Nevada Trial Lawyers Association), became a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and was
appointed by Gov. Brian Sandoval to a second term on on the Nevada State Tourism Commission. He is married to his UNLV college sweetheart, Kimberly Saylors Santos.
Hilary Stovall
Hilary Stovall, '13 BA Political Science, is engaged to Kyle Pointer, '13 BS Mechanical Engineering. The couple will be getting married in November. They met at UNLV while working for the department of housing and residential life. Both work for Boeing. He is a design engineer, while she is a staff analyst. They live in Renton, Washington.