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Our Education Heroes

	2009 Pat Mulroy General Manager of the Las Vegas Valley Water District and Southern Nevada Water Authority Since arriving in Southern Nevada more than 35 years ago, Pat Mulroy has dedicated herself to ensuring our desert community continues to be a vibrant place to live for future generations by focusing her energy around two of our most precious resources – water and children. Revered for her extraordinary vision, Pat sees solutions before most people even notice an upcoming dilemma. Whether recognizing the need to begin serious water conservation efforts or seizing the opportunity to protect Las Vegas’ birthplace and transform 180 barren acres into a cultural and educational center, Pat’s leadership and foresight are undeniable.
	2008 Jan L. Jones Senior Vice President of Communications and Government Relations, Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. For almost three decades, Jan Laverty Jones has demonstrated her unwavering commitment to Southern Nevada through her leadership in transforming Las Vegas into a cosmopolitan city and her enduring advocacy for families and children. Jan will be forever known as one of the great modern pioneers of our ever-evolving city. In 1991, Jan was elected mayor of Las Vegas – the city’s first female elected official. During her two terms as mayor, she advocated for the development of a thriving educational system able to meet the needs of a diverse and expanding student body. Jan serves on the board of directors of The Public Education Foundation and the Women’s Leadership Board at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Jan continues to be an inspirational role model for young women and a humanitarian whose ongoing work will benefit future generations of Nevadans.
	2007 Bruce Woodbury Former Commissioner, Clark County, Nevada With vision, leadership and character, Bruce Woodbury has served the children and families of Southern Nevada for four decades. With more than two decades as a county commissioner, he has supported the public school system, youth-oriented programs and educational initiatives as well as worked tirelessly on issues such as transportation, air quality and flood control. In honor of his service to Clark County, the Las Vegas Beltway was renamed the Bruce L. Woodbury Beltway in March 2004. Because of his tireless efforts and determination, as well as his extraordinary love for our community, the lives of hundreds of thousands of children and families in Southern Nevada have been enriched.
	2006 Thalia Dondero Former Regent, Nevada System of Higher Education Thalia Dondero’s countless contributions to Southern Nevada have touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of children and families. She served as president of the Clark County and State of Nevada Parent Teacher Associations, executive director of the Girl Scouts of Frontier Council in Clark County, the Nevada State Parks Board and was the first woman elected to the Clark County Board of Commissioners in 1974. She served as a commissioner for 20 years, and she served on the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents for a decade. With a humble spirit, grace and an extraordinary love for our community and state, Thalia has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to education and public service.
	2005 Larry Ruvo Senior Managing Director, Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada Larry Ruvo’s name has become synonymous in Nevada with words such as generous, compassionate, committed and determined. He has enriched our community through his business leadership and unwavering support of educational programs and countless community organizations and charities. Larry has raised millions of dollars for student scholarships through various efforts, including the establishment of UNLVino, and supports public school teachers, after-school enrichment programs and technology in classrooms.
	2004 Siegfried & Roy Holding to the philosophy, “In order to move forward…you have to give back,” Siegfried and Roy made it a priority from the beginning to reach out to the children of Clark County. Not only have they donated hundreds of books to school libraries, Siegfried and Roy have given their time and resources and even opened their own home and private animal sanctuary to children. They established The Secret Garden of Siegfried & Roy at The Mirage as a tribute to their love for animals and commitment to our community and children. While today they no longer enthrall the millions of visitors to Las Vegas each year, they remain the city’s most iconic entertainment figures whose work in charity and conservation continues as strongly as ever.
	2003 Tony Alamo TCA Management Tony Alamo’s determination and belief that better opportunities exist through hard work, integrity and education continue to inspire and motivate others. He serves on the board of directors of The Public Education Foundation, has established scholarships at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and is an active member of numerous community organizations in Southern Nevada. In 2002, the Clark County School District recognized Tony’s commitment to education with the official opening of the Tony Alamo Elementary School.
	2002 Senator Harry Reid United States Senate Senator Harry Reid’s contributions to our community and country continue to impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of children and their families, from reducing class size and introducing dropout prevention programs to promoting music and the arts and encouraging greater use of technology in schools. He has shown his support for Nevada’s public schools and universities by returning hundreds of millions of dollars to Nevada for research and technology projects, early education programs, English language programs and many more. The Clark County School District opened the Harry Reid Elementary School in Searchlight, Nevada, in honor of Senator Reid’s commitment and dedication to education.
	2001 Jim Rogers Chairman, Sunbelt Communications & Former Chancellor of Nevada System of Higher Education A widely respected and successful business leader and one of the most generous philanthropists in America, Jim Rogers has long recognized the importance and value of a quality education. His continued generosity and dedication to colleges and universities throughout the nation have impacted the lives of many. Jim served as chancellor of Nevada System of Higher Education from 2004 until 2009. His commitment and leadership to strengthen K-16 public education have been unwavering.
	2000 Barbara Greenspun and the Greenspun Family Barbara Greenspun and the Greenspun family have established a proud family tradition of passionate advocacy and action on behalf of all children in Nevada. Because they care deeply about the importance of a quality education, the Greenspuns are actively involved in The Public Education Foundation, were one of the first community partners of the Empowerment Schools Initiative, have established scholarships, donated to libraries and supported programs and initiatives at UNLV. The Clark County School District opened the Barbara and Hank Greenspun Junior High School in 1991 in honor of their tremendous contributions to public education.
	1999 Kenny C. Guinn Former Governor, State of Nevada For more than forty years, Governor Kenny C. Guinn has been a loyal friend to Nevada as our governor, business leader, Clark County School District’s superintendent of schools, philanthropist and volunteer. With visionary leadership and tireless dedication, he established new and innovative programs for our schools, communities and state. One of his greatest accomplishments as governor was the establishment of the Millennium Scholarship Fund. Governor Guinn’s commitment to students was honored in 1979 when Kenny C. Guinn Middle School was named for him.
	1998 William N. Vassiliadis and R&R Partners Chief Executive Officer For more than 30 years, R&R Partners has donated thousands of hours of expertise and services to further the work of public education. In addition to helping raise more than a billion dollars for new schools, R&R Partners and Billy Vassiliadis have supported The Public Education Foundation and many other programs that support and benefit children in Clark County.
	1997 John L. Goolsby Former President and Chief Executive Officer, The Howard Hughes Corporation In 1991, under the leadership of John Goolsby, The Howard Hughes Corporation became the first corporate donor to The Public Education Foundation. John retired on July 31, 1998, from The Howard Hughes Corporation, yet he continues to serve on a variety of boards and supports public education in Southern Nevada. In 2003, he and his wife, Judy, founded the Goolsby Leadership Academy in the College of Business at the University of Texas at Arlington. They were honored by the Clark County School District when the Judy and John L. Goolsby Elementary School was named for them.