People On The Move

The Nevada Department of Business and Industry has appointed Adam Teti as administrator of the Division of Industrial Relations.

With nearly two decades of public sector leadership experience, Teti brings a track record of operational excellence, leading cross-functional teams, policy development, budget development and interagency collaboration to the role.

Teti previously served as a commissioner at the Nevada Transportation Authority. Prior to that, he was a deputy administrator and chief of law enforcement at the Nevada Taxicab Authority, where he spearheaded department modernization initiatives and fostered strategic partnerships to enhance public safety and regulatory compliance.

The Nevada State Contractors Board elected Louis Polish Jr. to serve as chair for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

As chair, Polish will help with carrying out its mission to protect the public.

“Mr. Polish being elected as Chair reflects the confidence the Board has in his knowledge, leadership, and dedication to Nevada’s construction industry,” said Interim Executive Officer Paul Rozario. “We appreciate Mr. Lay’s leadership and look forward to Mr. Polish building on that momentum.”

Signs of HOPE (Healing, Options, Prevention and Education), a nonprofit dedicated to offering hope, help and healing to those affected by sexual violence and exploitation, has appointed Maureen Abdelsayed to its board of directors.

Currently, Abdelsayed serves as chief operating officer and chief legal officer of Integrated Data Services (IDS), a federal defense technology company, where she leads legal strategy, corporate compliance, and daily operations across contracts, intellectual property, finance, and human resources. Abdelsayed is also the founder and CEO of The Curious Esquire Travel, a bespoke luxury travel concierge/lifestyle enablement company based in Las Vegas and serving clients worldwide.

“Maureen Abdelsayed is an accomplished executive, attorney and entrepreneur whose leadership experience and commitment to service make her an outstanding addition to our Board of Directors,” said Kim Small, CEO os Signs of HOPE. “Her expertise in legal strategy, corporate governance and organizational leadership, combined with her philanthropic passion for giving back, will be invaluable as we continue expanding our impact. She also brings a remarkable ability to build relationships and engage community partners, which will help strengthen the resources needed to ensure our services remain accessible to survivors. We are honored to welcome her to Signs of HOPE.”

The Southern Nevada Trades High School, a free public charter school offering academic and career education in construction-related fields, announced that Stephanie Kirby has been named its new executive director.

Kirby brings nearly three decades of nonprofit leadership, fundraising and community engagement experience to her new role.

“As our school continues to grow, we were looking for a leader who shares our commitment to student success and has the ability to help expand enrollment and increase access to career and technical education. Stephanie will play a critical role in our continued growth, and we are excited to welcome her to our team,” said Brett Willis, chair of the Southern Nevada Trades High School Board of Directors. “We look forward to working with Stephanie as we continue preparing students for rewarding careers in the skilled trades while strengthening Nevada’s construction workforce.”

Southern Hills Hospital & Medical Center has named Dr. Suresh Ponnada as the new chief medical officer. In this role, Dr. Ponnada will help lead clinical strategy and support the quality, safety and effectiveness of care delivered throughout the hospital.

‌Staying within HCA Healthcare’s Sunrise Health System, Ponnada joins Southern Hills Hospital from Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center, where he most recently served as the associate chief medical officer. He brings a strong background in clinical care, hospital operations, physician engagement and patient safety, along with experience leading teams focused on improving outcomes and expanding access to care.

“Dr. Ponnada is a thoughtful leader who values collaboration and understands what it takes to support excellent care in a growing community,” said Nick Johnson, chief executive officer of Southern Hills Hospital. “His experience partnering with physicians, nurses and care teams will help us continue strengthening the way we care for patients across Southern Hills Hospital.”

American Nevada Company has named Kimberly Kern as vice president of property management.

She brings more than 35 years of comprehensive experience overseeing office, retail and industrial properties across multiple markets. She held the position of vice president of leasing and management with the Ribeiro Company and Pacific Business Centre in Southern Nevada and has managed approximately 1.8 million square feet of office, industrial and retail space throughout her career. At American Nevada, she now oversees a team of nine property managers and support staff to manage assets totaling almost 2.5 million square feet.

“Kimberly is a seasoned professional with decades of property management experience. She truly enjoys the day-to-day work of managing properties and working with her team,” said American Nevada Company President Phil Ralston. “We are happy to have her on our team, elevating operational efficiency, maintaining tenant satisfaction and retention, and adding value for our clients.”

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nevada has named Manan Shah as president of its Commercial Health Plans.

“We are excited to welcome such a highly respected and proven leader whose extensive healthcare experience will benefit our members, customers, and provider partners across Nevada,” said Beth Keyser, president of Anthem’s West Region Commercial Business. “Manan’s operational expertise, collaborative leadership style, and unwavering commitment to improving the health of the communities we serve will be invaluable as he leads our efforts to advance affordability, expand access, and deliver whole-person care.”

Shah most recently served as vice president and general manager of the Commercial Business for Anthem Blue Cross of California, where he led a business line serving more than 800,000 members.

Silver State Schools Credit Union has appointed Ralph Ramirez as president and CEO.

Since joining SSSCU in 2023, Ramirez has strengthened leadership, improved operational performance, expanded direct lending, increased non-interest income, and advanced strategic partnerships with Clark County School District and the UNLV Alumni Association, the credit union said.

With more than 34 years of financial services experience, Ramirez previously held executive leadership positions with USC Credit Union, F&A Federal Credit Union, Arrowhead Credit Union, and other industry organizations.

Claggett & Sykes Trial Lawyers has expanded its legal team with the addition of three partners.

Jill Chase joins as a partner and trial lawyer to advocate for patients who have been harmed by medical negligence. Andrew Guzik and Erica Medley join as partners in the firm’s mass torts and class action practice.

“Our clients deserve the very best representation, and that’s not possible without creating a team of best-in-class attorneys and fostering a culture of excellence,” said Matt Granda, managing partner at Claggett & Sykes Trial Lawyers. “All of our new talent bring extraordinary experience in complex litigation and deepen our bench of talented trial lawyers. Together, they strengthen our ability to advocate for clients in some of the most challenging cases we handle. We are thrilled to welcome them to our team as we continue to grow our national practice.”

The Urban Chamber of Commerce has appointed Christopher L. Shelton as president and CEO.

Shelton steps into the role as the organization builds on decades of advocacy for minority-owned businesses, entrepreneurs and economic development across Southern Nevada.

“Serving as president and CEO of the Urban Chamber of Commerce is one of the greatest honors of my professional career,” Shelton said. “I deeply respect the leaders who came before me and the individuals whose vision and commitment have shaped this organization. My goal is to build on that legacy while positioning the Urban Chamber for continued growth, innovation and impact.”

Discovery Children’s Museum has appointed Laura Christian as interim chief executive officer following the departure of Melissa Kaiser. Troy Moser also was appointed chair of the Board of Trustees.

Christian brings more than 20 years of experience in education, including 13 years of dedicated service to Discovery Children’s Museum.

Since 2018, she has served as vice president of learning experiences, leading program expansion, professional development, grant-funded initiatives, budget management, and staff development. Christian has also overseen content development for new exhibits, cultivated partnerships with community organizations to advance educational opportunities, and currently serves on the board of the Nevada Museums Association.

The Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE, an independent nonprofit organization that supports city of Las Vegas quality-of-life programs, has appointed new members to its board of directors: Asha Jones, director of development for Boyd Gaming Corporation; and Josh Kellman, founder of Voicebox.

“We are pleased to welcome Asha and Josh to the Mayor’s Fund board,” said Sallie Doebler, CEO of the Mayor’s Fund. “Both bring extensive leadership experience, strong community connections and a shared commitment to creating opportunities that strengthen Las Vegas and improve the lives of our citizens.”

Jones serves as director of development for Boyd Gaming Corp. where she helps advance the company’s strategic growth, real estate development and community engagement initiatives. Kellman is the founder of Voicebox, a strategic consulting firm that helps growth-stage businesses improve operations and scale effectively.

Teachers Health Trust, the self-funded, nonprofit health insurance plan for educators in Clark County elected two new officers to its board of trustees.

Patrick Jacobson, a seventh grade special education math teacher at Clifford Lawrence, Jr. High School, was elected as the chair, and Glenford Parks, a teacher at West Preparatory Academy, was elected as the vice-chair. Christina Hollowood, a specialized programs teacher at Sierra Vista High School, was re-elected as secretary.

Comprised of current and former educators as well as community representatives, the THT Board of Trustees plays a pivotal role in steering the course of the health program to ensure its continued effectiveness and responsiveness to the unique needs of teachers in Clark County.

Real estate brokerage Lee & Associates announced that Michael Zobrist, Lauren Tabeek, CCIM, and Scott Price have joined the Las Vegas office as principals.

Together, they bring nearly six decades of combined retail real estate experience spanning landlord and tenant representation, shopping center leasing, retail development, and investment sales.

As a team, they actively oversee leasing strategy on over 2.2 million square feet of retail property across the Las Vegas market, including several of the region’s most prominent grocery-anchored shopping centers, big-box centers, and retail strip centers, consistently positioning these assets for stabilized occupancy and long-term value.

Communities In Schools (CIS) of Nevada, the nation’s leading evidence-based dropout prevention organization serving 117 Nevada schools, has appointed Ayesha Molino, chief operating officer at MGM Resorts International to its board of directors.

Molino’s appointment marks the latest milestone in a decade-long partnership between CIS of Nevada and MGM Resorts International.

MGM Resorts has long supported CIS of Nevada through its commitment to expanding educational opportunity. From 2019 to 2026, the company invested nearly $700,000 to help provide evidence-based Integrated Student Support services to thousands of students across the state. Through the MGM Resorts Foundation, employees have further strengthened that impact, awarding more than $215,000 in grants to the organization since 2019.