EDUCATION
• Andrew Priest, campus president and provost of Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine and Health and Human Services (Touro University Nevada), announced the appointment of Nicole Wessendorf to director of communications and public relations.
In this role, Wessendorf will oversee all aspects of the company’s communications strategy, including media relations, corporate messaging, crisis communication and public outreach. She will work closely with the college’s deans and directors to develop innovative communication strategies that highlight student stories, groundbreaking research and campus news.
“Nicole’s extensive experience in nonprofits and communications infuses our team with a combination of expertise, creativity and strategic vision,” Priest said. “We are delighted to welcome her aboard and are confident that her fresh perspectives will inspire our team and significantly enhance Touro’s outreach to prospective students and the community.”
Prior to joining Touro Nevada, she was the public relations and community engagement manager at The Salvation Army Southern Nevada, where she notably created a significant increase in media attention to the human trafficking program. Prior she worked at nonprofit, Economic Opportunity Board as communications and outreach coordinator and R&R Partners creating digital content for Visit Las Vegas.
Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine and Health and Human Services (Touro College of Medicine) has the most medical school graduates in Nevada. Touro’s medical school is fully accredited, and a private, nonprofit, Jewish-sponsored institution. Opened in 2004, Touro was established to help address critical needs in health care and education and as a resource for community service throughout the state. Its mission is to provide quality education programs in the fields of health care and education in concert with the Judaic commitment to social justice, intellectual pursuit and service to humanity. Touro University Nevada is home to more than 1,500 students in a wide variety of degree programs including osteopathic medicine, physician assistant studies, education, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy and medical health sciences. The University’s Henderson campus houses the Engelstad Research Complex for Biomedical and Human Performance Research that is committed to serving humanity and contributing to intellectual progress through insightful scientific research. The campus also includes a multi-specialty health center for the public that accepts all health insurance and the Sharon Sigesmund Pierce and Stephen Pierce Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities. For more information on Touro University Nevada, visit www.tun.touro.edu or call 702-777-8687.
• University of Nevada, Reno Extension has appointed Sarah Chvilicek as the state associate 4-H program leader for the 4-H Youth Development program. With decades of experience in youth development, Chvilicek brings leadership and mentoring skills to help prepare Nevada’s 4-H members to become future civic leaders.
Chvilicek, previously Northern Nevada’s 4-H coordinator, will focus on expanding membership statewide to ensure all Nevada youth have the opportunity to benefit from the youth group’s transformative experiences. She also will prioritize growing after-school programs that complement classroom learning through hands-on opportunities, while increasing participation in clubs, projects and camping programs.
“Sarah’s appointment as the state associate 4-H program leader reflects her unwavering commitment to empowering Nevada’s youth,” said Lindsay Chichester, Nevada 4-H program leader. “With her leadership, the 4-H Program is poised to build on its strong foundation, creating even more opportunities for young people to thrive.”
Chvilicek will work closely with state 4-H professionals to establish a unified, systematic approach to youth development programs. Her immediate focus includes fostering partnerships, engaging volunteers and developing innovative educational initiatives to help youth build leadership skills, explore STEM fields and cultivate community connections. She also will collaborate with state officials to integrate the nationwide Beyond Ready Program into Nevada’s 4-H framework to equip youth with dynamic skills for an evolving workforce.
Chvilicek holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Nevada, Reno. Before joining Extension, she worked as a youth employment specialist for Montana’s Labor Department and later continued helping youth to secure jobs through Join Inc., a nonprofit focused on educational and occupational training in Nevada. She came on board as staff for the Nevada 4-H Program in 1989.
Parents and guardians of youth interested in joining the Nevada 4-H Youth Development Program can contact their local county Extension offices for information about clubs and programs available. Adults interested in volunteering can find more details or register online, and a program representative will contact them.
Extension is a unit of the University of Nevada, Reno’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources engaged in Nevada communities, presenting research-based knowledge to address critical community needs. It is a county-state-federal partnership providing practical education to people, businesses and communities. For more information on its programs, visit extension.unr.edu.
GAMING
• Digital payments solution leader Koin has appointed fintech veteran Craig Libson to the role of chief strategy officer, a pivotal addition as the company continues its growth trajectory in cashless gaming and digital wallet solutions across global markets.
As chief strategy officer, Libson will be instrumental in shaping and driving Koin’s overall strategic initiatives, broadening the company’s reach in key markets and spearheading efforts to enhance the entire digital payments landscape. He brings a proven track record in launching pioneering, sector-defining payment solutions, aligning perfectly with Koin’s vision for the future of cashless solutions.
Libson possesses a wealth of experience in and knowledge of global cashless payment solutions, his career defined by a commitment to helping companies modernize payments through implementing innovative technology, and by consistently pushing the boundaries in both the gaming and payments industries.
“Craig’s leadership style is truly innovative, and his experience and knowledge will be invaluable as we move into our next phase of growth,” said Koin President Gary Larkin. “He’s shown an innate ability to anticipate and adapt to market evolutions, which will play an important part in helping us expand our influence in the digital payments space.”
Libson has enjoyed a prolific career in payments before joining Koin. In 2015, he founded Cash2Go Inc., launching the first Latin American cashless gaming fintech solution, integrating multi-account card capabilities and synchronized player onboarding to optimize the user experience. More recently, in 2021, he founded Flexia Payments, which extended cashless innovations throughout both the United States and Canada. Between these and other ventures, his work has helped establish new quality standards in gaming and payments.
Koin is an advanced entertainment and lifestyle payment solution specifically designed to meet the demands of the highly regulated retail and online gaming markets. Founded in 2021 by Gary Ellis and Gary Larkin, Koin is guided by a talented leadership team with extensive experience in global gaming and payments. As a long-term partner of Euronet Worldwide, Inc., Koin leverages the resources of one of the world’s leading providers of advanced payment technologies. For more information, visit koinpayments.com.
HEALTH CARE
• Southwest Medical has added a new physician to help meet the growing need for health services in the Las Vegas community: Blessing Enudu, MD joins Southwest Medical’s Tenaya Health Care Center (2704 N. Tenaya Way) and specializes in adult medicine.
NONPROFIT
• With current Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada’s president and CEO Deacon Thomas Roberts’ retirement approaching at the end of 2024, the organization has named and hired his successor. Sara Ramirez will lead the organization as president and CEO effective Dec. 16.
Among numerous high-level endeavors, Ramirez led Catholic Charities of Central Texas for more than 11 years as executive director and previously served as vice president of advancement for Catholic Charities Fort Worth for nine years.
“Sara brings a wealth of experience and exceptional track record representing the Catholic Charities name nationally,” says Archbishop George Leo Thomas of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Las Vegas and executive chairman of the board of trustees for Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada. “We are confident that she will guide us toward even greater success in fulfilling our mission and growing our legacy.”
During her time at Catholic Charities of Central Texas, Ramirez spearheaded the organization’s response to major disasters including the 2013 West Fertilizer plant explosion, the 2015 Memorial Day floods and Hurricane Harvey in 2017. She also successfully developed a continuity of operations plan during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring uninterrupted service delivery and distribution of more than $4 million in direct client aid within six months. With the organization, she expanded programs to include seven distinct initiatives focused on eradicating poverty, fostering community empowerment and addressing urgent needs. She also brought several new programs to life, focused on counseling, veteran and refugee services.
Nationally, Ramirez has served as chair for Catholic Charities USA’s Executive Committee of Diocesans Directors, representing all 165 Catholic Charities in the United States. She has a Master of Science in social work from The University of Texas at Arlington and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Texas Tech University.
Since 1941, the mission of Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada has been to serve those in need regardless of race, religion or creed. This leading community resource offers help and hope with dignity as it strives to meet the diverse needs of men, women and children in Southern Nevada. Through the generosity of foundations, grants, organizations and individual donors, Catholic Charities operates 16 programs providing support to more than 4,500 people daily and encompassing four core areas: family services, food services, immigration and refugee services and homeless and housing services. Catholic Charities also operates the largest Meals on Wheels program and Emergency Shelter Services in Southern Nevada. For additional information, visit CatholicCharities.com.