Las Vegas – Communities In Schools of Nevada (CIS of Nevada) welcomes Ben Douglas, Marsha Irvin, Linda Kannal, Nicole Parry and Blaine Tripp to its board of directors. The collection of new members brings a breadth of professional and community experience that will help to oversee and contribute to furthering the mission of the local affiliate of the nation’s leading dropout prevention and intervention program.

CIS of Nevada Board Chair Susie Lee said, “The Board of Directors is thrilled to welcome these individuals to participate on the next level of service to the students of Nevada. All of them have demonstrated a commitment to helping children in our community achieve their dreams through education. We look forward to the energy and creativity they will bring to our outstanding board of directors. Together, we will move Communities In Schools forward in helping students overcome poverty in order to achieve academic success and ultimately graduate from high school.”

BEN DOUGLAS

Douglas, a finance executive in Las Vegas specializing in accounting, human resources, risk management, vendor relations and operations, has been working as CFO of Exotics Racing since 2010. After receiving his Master’s in Business Administration in 2003, Douglas became a faculty member at University of Phoenix where he has been teaching night classes for the last decade. Douglas also received his Master’s in Accountancy, looking to further his own understanding. Since 2011, he has added the ability to instruct accounting courses in the business degree program as well.

Douglas joins the CIS of Nevada board as the chair to their Southern Nevada advisory council. He is looking forward to furthering the mission and vision of CIS of Nevada in the Clark County School District (CCSD) and activating others that share that vision.

LINDA KANNAL

Linda Kannal is the director of the national support center for Cox Business and Hospitality Network and has been with Cox for 18 years. In her current capacity, Kannal works closely with all Cox Business markets, leading a team of individuals who use cutting-edge technologies to create an enhanced customer experience.

Kannal is actively involved in Cox Charities and also serves as a member of their board.

NICOLE PARRY

Parry is the vice president of special events for Wynn and Encore Las Vegas. She is responsible for the planning, direction and execution of world-class events, ranging from the biggest names in entertainment to high-profile casino events. A longtime resident of Las Vegas and eleven-year veteran of Wynn Las Vegas, Parry has excelled in her career path becoming one of the top executives in the industry.

Parry graduated from Brigham Young University where she achieved a Bachelor of Science in Recreation Management and Leisure Service. She is a passionate contributor to her church and community, focusing much of her free time on grassroots efforts to assist the homeless population, and is a champion for local youth programs. Parry brings a varied skill set to the board of CIS of Nevada.

BLAINE TRIPP

Tripp is a successful entrepreneur and owner of Nothing Bundt Cakes in Las Vegas. He brings his knowledge of strategic planning, financial management and organizational development to the board of CIS of Nevada. He has served as a coach for many years with the league commissioner and as a board member of Little League. Tripp brings leadership both on adult and youth levels, as well as a great understanding of intergenerational dynamics, to the board of CIS of Nevada.

MARSHA IRVIN

Irvin served on CIS of Nevada’s board of directors from 2004–2013. Returning with a wealth of industry and institutional knowledge, CIS of Nevada is pleased to welcome her back to its board.

Irvin has a Master’s Degree in special education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. She started her career as a teacher in Glenolden, Penn. and moved to Las Vegas in 1982. She has previously worked as the northeast region superintendent, the elementary assistant superintendent, the assistant superintendent, a special education teacher, as principal and as a teacher for many years with the CCSD. In addition, she was the chancellor at the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas.

Currently, Irvin works in the private sector as the Senior Director of Achievement for Catapult Learning LLC. She also serves on the Education Committee of the Clark County Black Caucus and Vice Chair of the AB 394 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to advise the legislature on a reorganization of CCSD. She is an active member of the Sunrise Hospital and Eye Care for Kids boards. She also served on the board of Agassi Prep from 2010–2016.

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About CIS of NevadaCommunities In Schools of Nevada (CIS of Nevada) is the local affiliate of the nation’s largest and most effective organization dedicated to keeping kids in school and helping them succeed in life. Working with both schools and the surrounding community, CIS of Nevada does whatever it takes to help kids stay in school and succeed in life. Based directly inside schools, CIS of Nevada connects students and their families to basic and critical educational and community-based resources, tailored to each student’s specific needs.

Operating in 55 school sites in Southern Nevada, Western Nevada and Northeastern Nevada, CIS of Nevada serves over 58,000 students. Nationally, Communities In Schools provides services in more than 2,200 schools in 26 states and the District of Columbia, serving 1.3 million young people and their families every year. As the nation’s leading dropout prevention organization, Communities In Schools is the only program proven to both decrease dropout rates and increase graduation rates. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.cisnevada.org.

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