Board of Directors 2021-2022
Click on the plus sign below to read our Board of Director's biographies:
Marguerite Panetta Gray, President. Consultant.
Marguerite has over 25 years of experience in product development, merchandising and licensing for the resort and hospitality industry working for companies such as Universal Studios, Cedar Fair (Knott’s Berry Farm) and Yamaha Motor Corporation. Panetta Gray was most recently working in Business Development for Las Vegas-based Marshall Retail Group as Concept Development Expert. In her role, she worked with global and local brands as well as airports to find synergies for business expansion. Prior to, she led the Merchandise team at Marshall Retail Group for 14 years as Senior Vice President. As part of the Executive Team, she helped to scale the company from 40 locations to 200 in North America. Marguerite has strong creative and strategic thinking skills and is an entrepreneur that can work within a corporate environment.
Jason Jorjorian, Vice President. LGA Architecture.
Jason Jorjorian has been influential in LGA Architecture's growth since joining the firm in 1999. Now a principal of the firm, he spurs innovation and collaboration amongst the staff to challenge the status quo and create meaningful connections between people, processes and place. He has lead the design of significant civic and institutional projects throughout the valley while incorporating his passion for community, sustainability, and purpose into every engagement. A native to Las Vegas, Jason is a UNLV graduate and a member of the Vegas Chamber Leadership Las Vegas Graduating Class of 2021.
Linda Ly, Secretary. Galena Sport Physical Therapy.
Linda Ly is a first-generation college graduate from the University of Nevada, Reno with a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences. Healthcare and education are driving forces in her life and she hopes to bring the two together by providing strong, high-quality healthcare while educating the general public on preventative care. Linda is taking a gap year to prepare for graduate school applications and intends to become a Physician Assistant to help low-income families in the Las Vegas Valley. In addition, Linda's interests encompass leadership development, APIA community building, cultural change, civic engagement, and nonprofit work. Linda is a LIT Cohort 1 member and full-voting Board member of LIT's Board of Directors.
Stephanie Grant, Director. Coldwell Banker Premier Realty.
Stephanie Grant is dedicated to her business and keeping current with the Las Vegas Real Estate Market. Education is also very important to her by obtaining industry designations, certificates and receiving her Bachelor's of Science Degree in Business Management. She has obtained the Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR), Military Relocation Professional (MRP) designations and holds a Property Manager Permit and Community Association Manager License (CAM). She also works alongside buyer assistance programs, homeowner associations and enjoys volunteering with local non-profit organizations. She is a 2019 Nevada REALTOR Leadership Academy Graduate and involved with the local REALTOR Association.
Jacqueline Beato, Director. Live Nation Entertainment.
Jacqueline Beato serves as the Executive Vice President of Live Nation Entertainment where she oversees global communications, government relations, and provides operational support. Prior to that she was the Senior Vice President of Finance and Treasurer at Caesars Entertainment Corporation. Beato has a MBA in General Management from Harvard Business School.
Cindi Rivera, Director. Rivera Enterprises Inc.
Cindi is the Founder of Rivera Enterprises Inc. and Associate Executive Director at Futuro Academy. She is a first-generation college graduate who has a BA in Law & Society and Spanish at the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Masters in Early Childhood Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Will Gonzales, Director. Attorney.
Will is an attorney in Las Vegas who practices primarily in the area of business law. After moving from Southern California to Las Vegas in 2017, Will’s first exposure to LIT was at a fundraising event where he felt inspired and motivated by the students’ ambition for higher education and community leadership. He saw a little bit of himself in each student, driving him to become a guest-speaker and now a Board Member of LIT.
Will received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies from the University of San Diego, where he was also a member of the football team. Will received his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law with a concentration in Business & Commercial Law.
Will received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies from the University of San Diego, where he was also a member of the football team. Will received his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law with a concentration in Business & Commercial Law.
Andrew Woods, Treasurer. UNLV Center for Business and Economic Research.
Andrew brings more than 15 years of experience as a business and public affairs professional, complimented with a B.A. cum laude in Political Science and Economics from American University, scholarly work at University College London, and a M.A. in Public Policy from The University of Chicago.
Prior to joining UNLV’s CBER, Andrew started and ran a successful economic analysis, financial management, and public affairs consulting firm, as CEO of Woods Strategies, in Las Vegas, Nevada. In his free time Andrew likes to participate in bicycle races, swim, run, and climb mountains. Also he a bit of a space fanatic.
Prior to joining UNLV’s CBER, Andrew started and ran a successful economic analysis, financial management, and public affairs consulting firm, as CEO of Woods Strategies, in Las Vegas, Nevada. In his free time Andrew likes to participate in bicycle races, swim, run, and climb mountains. Also he a bit of a space fanatic.
Erica Mosca, Director. Leaders in Training Founder.
Erica Mosca is a proud first-generation college graduate, daughter of an immigrant, and social justice advocate. Part of the college access non-profit 10,000 Degrees in high school and serving as a fifth grade teacher with Teach For America, Las Vegas, Mosca experienced educational inequity in both her personal and professional life. “I am dedicated to empowering change from the community, for the community to ensure students can play the game to change the game to upend structural inequity and systemic racism. The opportunity to attain a college education is the foundation, though not prerequisite, for underrepresented students to become the diverse leaders of their own communities.”
Mosca currently serves on the Board of Directors of college access private school Cristo Rey St. Viator as the Academic Committee Chair, as an Authority member of the NV State Public Charter School Authority, the Board Chair of college persistence program & housing complex Q3 Student Partners' Community Advisory Board, serves on the Clark County Community Development Advisory Committee & is part of US Congressman Steven Horsford's Equity Cabinet. Previously, Mosca served on college access charter school Equipo Academy's Committee to Form, as the Chair of the United Way of Southern Nevada's Women's United Engagement Committee & as an Executive Board member of the Asian American Pacific Islander Democratic Caucus serving as the Corresponding Secretary. She has worked for Teach For America, TNTP & as a Special Projects Manager for previous Clark County School District Superintendent Dwight Jones.
Erica was awarded the 2021 Women Inspiring Nevada recognition, 2020 Community Hero Award from the Public Education Foundation for LIT's work during COVID-19 and the 2019 Boston University Young Alumni Award. Erica is a proud 2021 Leadership Las Vegas Phoenix class member, 2017 Emerge NV member, 2011 Education Pioneers Boston cohort member, 2008 Teach For America Las Vegas corps member and holds a B.S. from Boston University, an M.Ed. from UNLV & and Ed.M. from Harvard's Graduate School of Education. She is an avid J-Cole, rompers, Las Vegas and connecting people fan and was married over zoom during quarantine in April 2020 to her husband Nicholas Jared Smith who is serving in his 16th year in the United States Air Force currently stationed at Nellis Air Force Base. Erica is 35 and continues to own her home 16-houses down from her Teach For America placement school where her mother and father reside and daily run into LIT students and families. Erica and Nick live together with their dog Panda.
Communication will be relayed through [email protected].
Mosca currently serves on the Board of Directors of college access private school Cristo Rey St. Viator as the Academic Committee Chair, as an Authority member of the NV State Public Charter School Authority, the Board Chair of college persistence program & housing complex Q3 Student Partners' Community Advisory Board, serves on the Clark County Community Development Advisory Committee & is part of US Congressman Steven Horsford's Equity Cabinet. Previously, Mosca served on college access charter school Equipo Academy's Committee to Form, as the Chair of the United Way of Southern Nevada's Women's United Engagement Committee & as an Executive Board member of the Asian American Pacific Islander Democratic Caucus serving as the Corresponding Secretary. She has worked for Teach For America, TNTP & as a Special Projects Manager for previous Clark County School District Superintendent Dwight Jones.
Erica was awarded the 2021 Women Inspiring Nevada recognition, 2020 Community Hero Award from the Public Education Foundation for LIT's work during COVID-19 and the 2019 Boston University Young Alumni Award. Erica is a proud 2021 Leadership Las Vegas Phoenix class member, 2017 Emerge NV member, 2011 Education Pioneers Boston cohort member, 2008 Teach For America Las Vegas corps member and holds a B.S. from Boston University, an M.Ed. from UNLV & and Ed.M. from Harvard's Graduate School of Education. She is an avid J-Cole, rompers, Las Vegas and connecting people fan and was married over zoom during quarantine in April 2020 to her husband Nicholas Jared Smith who is serving in his 16th year in the United States Air Force currently stationed at Nellis Air Force Base. Erica is 35 and continues to own her home 16-houses down from her Teach For America placement school where her mother and father reside and daily run into LIT students and families. Erica and Nick live together with their dog Panda.
Communication will be relayed through [email protected].
Samantha Grimes, Director. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Samantha Grimes serves as the Executive Director of Public Relations for The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, leading press and communication strategies on behalf of the luxury casino-resort. Possessing more than a decade of experience, Grimes has had the privilege of representing some of the most celebrated brands in luxury hospitality and entertainment. She has contributed to the success of award-winning gaming properties, hundreds of live events as well as the launch of more than 40 first-to-market dining, nightlife, gaming, retail, and entertainment concepts in Las Vegas.
Grimes hails from northern Alaska and is a proud alumna of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas as well as a graduate of the Vegas Chamber's Leadership Las Vegas class of 2021.
Grimes hails from northern Alaska and is a proud alumna of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas as well as a graduate of the Vegas Chamber's Leadership Las Vegas class of 2021.
Allena Peters, Director. Digimarc.
Allena Peters is currently a Senior HR Generalist at Digimarc. Prior to that she was the Senior Human Resources Officer at R&R partners since July 2017. Before that she was an Operations & Recruiting Coordinator at Resources Global Professionals. She graduated from San Jose State University with a BA in Fine and Studio Arts in 2000.
Jocelyn Cortez, Director. Attorney.
Jocelyn is a native of El Salvador and, as an infant, moved to the east side of Las Vegas with her family. She is a double Wildcat (Las Vegas High School and University of Arizona for law school), with a four-year stop at UNLV for a bachelor's degree in English Literature in between. Jocelyn is the managing partner of GWP Immigration Law, a law firm dedicated to serving immigrant families in their pursuit of legal status and opportunity in the U.S.
Currently, Jocelyn also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Dream Big Nevada https://dreambignv.org/ (an immigrant advocacy non-profit) and as Abogada Consultora/Attorney Consultant for the Consulate of Mexico in Las Vegas. Several times over, Jocelyn has received recognition for her dedication and excellence in the field of immigration law, most recently being named a Top Immigration Lawyer by Vegas, Inc. in 2021. Jocelyn enjoys reading books (she is a self-described book nerd); trying new restaurants; and getting to know the world through traveling.
Currently, Jocelyn also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Dream Big Nevada https://dreambignv.org/ (an immigrant advocacy non-profit) and as Abogada Consultora/Attorney Consultant for the Consulate of Mexico in Las Vegas. Several times over, Jocelyn has received recognition for her dedication and excellence in the field of immigration law, most recently being named a Top Immigration Lawyer by Vegas, Inc. in 2021. Jocelyn enjoys reading books (she is a self-described book nerd); trying new restaurants; and getting to know the world through traveling.