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Senator Bryan is an attorney and politician who holds the rare distinction of being the only individual to serve as a Nevada state assemblyman, state senator, attorney general, governor (1983–1989), and U.S. senator (1989–2001). During his tenure as Nevada's 25th governor, he focused on economic diversification and gaming integrity, while in the U.S. Senate, he became a prominent national figure for his fierce opposition to the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository and his authorship of the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1998. Following his retirement from federal office, he returned to private law practice in Las Vegas, currently serving as a director at the firm Fennemore. As of 2026, Bryan remains an active civic leader and recently published his memoir, My Life in Nevada Politics, which reflects on his 60-year career and the transformation of his home state.
Michon Mackedon is a Nevada native and has served for over 30 years as the Vice Chair of the Nevada Commission on Nuclear Projects. Her interest in Nevada and nuclear projects led her to write a book titled Bombast. The work began as an expression of her interest in language in general and, in particular, as it has been used to manipulate and mislead those living in the shadow of a nuclear event. In Bombast, she explores atomic testing and nuclear waste dilemmas in the American West through that lens.
Michon is a retired Professor of English and Humanities at Western Nevada College. She has served as the statewide chair of Nevada Humanities and, for many years, has edited In Focus, a journal of the Churchill County Museum and Archives.
Michon lives in Fallon, Nevada, where, alongside her husband, attorney Michael Mackedon (d.2025), she raised her children and worked on her writing, gardening and culinary skills. She currently writes a local history column for the Fallon Post and chairs the Fallon Mayor’s 250 America Commission.
April was born and raised in rural Texas but has called Las Vegas home for the last thirty years. As a working mom with young children, April put herself through college and law school at UNLV and eventually became a top-rated litigator in Las Vegas.
April has always enjoyed advocating for the marginalized and tackling challenging cases. She was selected as a Super Lawyer Rising Star and inducted into the “100 Hours Club” by the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada for her pro bono legal aid to those in need. Also, April proudly served on the UNLV Libraries Advisory Board, and she knows that education can help level the playing field and lift people out of poverty.
As a top-rated business litigator, April went to work helping the underdog and providing hundreds of hours of free, pro bono legal aid to individuals who couldn't afford counsel. Her work and dedication earned her recognition from her peers, but the results she achieved for victims are what matter the most to April.
April's desire to help others led her to volunteer at The Meadows School in a variety of capacities, and in 2014, she was elected to the Board of Trustees.
April and her husband, Matt, have three children and are now proud grandparents. In her spare time, April enjoys fishing, hiking Mt. Charleston and Red Rock, community involvement, and spending time with her family.
In 2024, April was elected to represent the Clark County Commission, District C. District C encompasses North Summerlin, Northwest Las Vegas, Mt. Charleston, Kyle Canyon, and Indian Springs.
As Commissioner, April prioritizes an open-door policy for her constituents and will consistently advocate for a more open, transparent government.
Former three term Nevada Attorney General, Frankie Sue DelPapa is a native Nevadan. She was born in Hawthorne, raised in Tonopah and North Las Vegas. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno and the National Law Center of George Washington University. She clerked for US District Court Judge Bruce Thompson and worked for US Senators Bible and Cannon. She was also elected Regent of the University System and Nevada Secretary of State. She resides in Reno and is active in many national and community organizations.
Brian Knudsen was elected to represent Ward 1 in June 2019 and re-elected in the June 2024 Primary Election, enabling him to continue to pursue his passion for public service. Since moving to Las Vegas in 2005, Councilman Knudsen has built programs and services for people and populations in Las Vegas and continues to serve the community as a member of the City Council. Brian served as Mayor Pro Tem Dec. 21, 2022, through June 30, 2026.
Mayor Pro Tem Knudsen currently serves on many boards and committees directly impacting the growth and infrastructure of Las Vegas. Brian chairs the City of Las Vegas Recommending Committee and serves as a proud member of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, Regional Flood Control District, Southern Nevada Council of Governments and the Springs Preserve Board of Trustees.
For nearly a decade, Brian worked in the city of Las Vegas on initiatives that shaped the downtown core, redefined the educational landscape, and rethought how city services are provided to Las Vegas residents. As a Councilmember, Brian now focuses his energy on transforming the landscape of the Las Vegas Medical District to bring world-class healthcare to the Las Vegas Valley, working with key community leaders to overhaul the crisis management system in our community, increasing safety across the city and improving overall outcomes for Ward 1.
Mayor Pro Tem Knudsen has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Utah in health education and mass communications. He also has a Masters of Public Administration degree from the University of Southern California.
Brian is happily married and he and his husband have adopted two children. Mayor Pro Tem Knudsen believes that his children, and all Las Vegans, deserve leadership committed to making Las Vegas an even better place to live, work and play. He plans to continue to build a community that ensures equal opportunity, has great schools, provides strong public safety, preserves our neighborhoods and strives to be world class in all we do.
Rory Reid is a founding partner of Reid Rubinstein Bogatz, a Nevada law firm. His law practice focuses on government relations, business development, real estate and state and local permitting. He also serves as Chief Executive Officer of The Rogers Foundation.
Rory was raised in Southern Nevada and educated in its public schools. He has been active as both a business and civic leader in the community and on the boards of several civic organizations.
Rory was elected to the Clark County Commission in 2002 and was appointed its Chairman in 2005 and 2007. The Commission oversees the nation’s 14th largest county, which includes the Las Vegas Strip. During his tenure, Rory championed economic development, ethics reform, open government, and improved social services.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal named Rory its “Best Local Politician” in 2007, and he was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Nevada in 2010. More recently, he was named among the “Best Lawyers in America”. He has received numerous other awards and recognitions for his extensive service.
Rory and his wife, Cindy, are the proud parents of three children and two grandchildren.
Lia Roberts is a prominent Romanian-American politician, academic, and diplomat. She remains active in international diplomacy and state-level policy. Lia holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara
Lia serves as the Honorary Consul General of Romania. In January 2026, she facilitated high-level networking between the Las Vegas business community and Romanian technology delegations during CES 2026. She is a Professor of Political Science and the Academic Director of the Center for Global Initiatives at Mount Saint Mary's University. Her research focuses on democratization, economic reform, and international relations.