Joseph Kielminski, ’13 BA History and ’19 M.Ed., is a special education teacher at Foothill High School in Henderson. Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Jane Foley was joined by Gov. Joe Lombardo and Superintendent of Public Instruction Jhone Ebert presented him with the 2023-24 Milken Educator Award. The Award comes with a $25,000 cash prize that Joseph can use for any purpose. Along with the financial prize, recipients will join the national Milken Educator Network, a growing group of professionals across diverse roles and disciplines working to shape the future of education.

Timothy Gupton, '97 BA Romance Languages, received a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in 2010. He was promoted to the rank of full professor of Spanish linguistics in the Department of Romance Languages at University of Georgia. He has worked at UGA since fall 2010, when he was hired as an assistant professor. He sees his coursework in UNLV's Department of World Languages and Cultures — especially his coursework in Spanish and French linguistics with UNLV professor Deborah Arteaga — as foundational in setting him on a path toward a career in linguistics.

Nathaniel Niles, '07 Political Science, is a special agent in the Criminal Investigation Section of the Colorado Department of Revenue. He works complex investigations with a financial nexus. Cases typically involve theft, fraud, drugs, and prostitution. Niles works with various district attorneys throughout the state of Colorado. He has four children and lives in Denver. Niles enjoys going to the gym, traveling, and sports. He's a big fan of the Las Vegas Golden Knights, Raiders, and Rebels!

Ammir Aziz, '19 BA Sociology and '24 M.Ed., joined UNLV's School of Public Health as the regional program manager of The Defensive Line. The Defensive Line is a non-profit organization co-founded by former Las Vegas Raider Solomon Thomas to end the epidemic of youth suicide, especially for young people of color. The School of Public Health works in partnership with The Defensive Line to help execute its mission in Southern Nevada.

Ronald L. Smith, '98 MA Ethics and Policy Studies, is an executive with experience in international and domestic business, security affairs, military training, and diplomatic negotiations. A retired career Naval Officer, his previous positions include commanding officer; and director of the Logistics Readiness Center for Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet for Operation Sea Signal. He was responsible for the rescue, housing, feeding, health care and security for more than 50,000 Cuban and Haitian migrants at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. At the conclusion of the operation, Smith identified and redirected $14.3 million of a $400 million budget to US Atlantic Fleet projects. He interviewed and took part in the vetting process with the White House liaison and the Secretary of Defense’s chief of staff for selection as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs.  Smith was a candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2020. He was the only non-incumbent GOP candidate endorsed by the State Employees Association of North Carolina. He was appointed by the Speaker of the N.C. House of Representatives to the Judicial Standards Commission. Since August 2021, Smith has been working with Rescue From Chaos/Operation 620 and serves on the Global Friends of Afghanistan Advisory Committee. He is married to Joan M. Smith. They have three children: Ronald L. Smith, Jr.; Mark Smith, and Amy Smith.

Jill Derby, '70 BA Anthropology, is a lifelong Nevada political activist and recently published her memoir, When You Dare to Say Yes: Jill Derby and Nevada Activism. When You Dare to Say Yes is a decades-spanning account of how a conservative and conventional upbringing, which began in rural Nevada, evolved into progressive political activism that influenced the course of the state’s education system and advanced women’s gender equality in public life. Derby grew up in Los Gatos, California, but spent her early childhood on the family Flying Flapjack Ranch near Lovelock, Nevada, and every summer through college on the shores of Lake Tahoe in Glenbrook. She earned a BS from the University of California, San Francisco, and after living abroad, returned to Nevada to earn a BA from UNLV, and both her MA and Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis. Her political activism started in the mid-1970s with her involvement in Nevada’s effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. In 1988, she was elected to the first of three six-year terms on the Nevada Board of Regents. She was the Democratic candidate for Congress in Nevada’s Second Congressional District in 2006 and 2008. Derby is currently a senior fellow with the Association of Governing Board of Universities and Colleges, and past chair of the board of the American University in Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan.  

Arthur “Richie” Plunkett, '09 BA Anthropology, graduated with a master’s in mental health counseling in 2013 and, shortly after, accepted a job with the Kent Police Department in Washington State. He's been in law enforcement for over a decade. He now works for the Spokane Police Department. Plunkett was recently promoted to sergeant. He also worked as hostage negotiator, field training officer, and neighborhood resource officer. Before becoming a sergeant, Plunkett worked for three years in the Behavioral Health Unit and worked closely with many agencies to get individuals housing, substance use treatment, and mental health resources. He's taught locally to Spokane non-profits on Crisis Intervention and how to work with individuals through empathetic and compassionate means. Plunkett teaches for the WA Criminal Justice Training Commission (academy) in Crisis Intervention, Substance Use, Emotional Intelligence, Communication, and Below 100. He's presented regionally, nationally, and internationally regarding the toll of the job on police officer mental health and well-being. He's been featured in local and regional newspapers and media. One of his biggest accomplishments was being named the Washington State Officer of the Year by Police1 in 2020. Plunkett is married and lives in Spokane with his wife, Katie. They have been married 10 years and are foster parents. The couple has one son whom they adopted after 3.5 years in their foster home and hope to adopt more children. Plunkett enjoys fishing, biking, running, working out, camping, and reading. He follows UNLV football misses his days playing at Sam Boyd Stadium on the offensive line. He's also a huge F1 and Golden Knights fan.  

Leya Dagher, '23 BA Political Science, is Lebanese and passionate about spreading culture and tradition. She is 23, born and raised in Vegas, and enjoys outdoor activities, swimming, and traveling.

David Galich, '23 BA Psychology, is a psychologist. He enjoys reading, technology, RC’s, music, and extreme sports.

Christopher Aiken, '07 BA Psychology, is an associate professor in and head of the kinesiology department at New Mexico State University. He is married with two kids. His oldest daughter is named Scarlet in honor of his time at UNLV.