Opportunity Alliance Nevada

To build financial stability for all Nevadans

Sidney Sullivan

By

Sidney Sullivan is the Program Director of the Career & Partnership Programs Office at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, NV.

Sidney Sullivan is passionate about people and helping them find their way. She is currently the Program Director of the Career & Partnership Programs Office, a part of the Student Services and Diversity division of Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, NV. Sidney is also a lifetime certified Bridges Out of Poverty trainer.

Her personal goal is to help people find fulfilling employment that will support themselves and their families. She believes that everyone has the ability, but we all need a little help overcoming barriers.

Sidney holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism from the University of Montana and a Master of Science Degree in Equity and Diversity in Education from the University of Nevada, Reno.

To contact Sidney Sullivan, please email ssullivan@tmcc.edu.

Deborah Loesch-Griffin

By

Deborah Loesch-Griffin, Ph.D., is the owner, founder and CEO of Turning Point, Inc.

Deborah Loesch-Griffin earned her Education Specialist degree in Evaluation (1986) and doctorate degree in Educational Psychology and Child Development from Stanford University in 1987. For the past thirty-two years she has owned and operated a small woman-owned business, Turning Point, Inc. (TPI) that works in partnership with organizations and communities to convene conversations, serve as a social artist for designing and facilitating integrated spaces and events for community groups, and act as a catalyst for change.

TPI’s approaches include program development, management and evaluation; facilitation, coaching and mentoring for non-profits and for-profits and community coalitions in organizational development, leadership, and human resources.

Deborah Loesch-Griffin is a Say-It-Straight (SIS) Master Trainer and is also a Fellow of Creating the Future. She is the co-founder of a social justice non-profit, Community Chest, Inc., in Virginia City, Nevada. Throughout her many roles, she emphasizes both the power of one and the potential of the collective.

In 1998, TPI entered a ten-year partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) to co-sponsor the Center for Program Evaluation (CPE) to train and mentor individuals as professional evaluators using a partnership (i.e., empowerment or participatory) orientation. The Center continues to thrive under new leadership and Deborah maintains a partnership with them in her evaluation work.

For the past 30 years, she has served as a trainer, facilitator and evaluator on local, regional, statewide, national and international project. She specializes in rural community development and community youth development initiatives as well as provides leadership training, coaching and mentoring to individuals and organizations in transition to build their capacity to achieve their vision and create social change.

To contact Deborah Loesch-Griffin, please email deb.turningpoint@gmail.com.

Lynne Keller

By

Remembering Lynne Keller
lynne-kellerAs many may already know, our beloved Lynne Keller passed away December 16, 2020, at her son’s home in Spanish Springs, Nevada.

Lynne was a founding member of the OANV leadership team and served as the Executive Director, the Director of Finance, and finally, as our outside bookkeeper. Her early direction and support to OANV was the keystone to our growth and continued success.

Anyone who knew Lynne felt her passion for serving others. She was always willing to lend a helping hand to a young entrepreneur, to a new start-up or small business in our area or those who could benefit from her experience and wisdom. She was actively involved with the Small Business Development Center and the School of Business’ Sontag Competition at the University of Nevada Reno, where she lent her expertise and support to budding entrepreneurs.

Lynne held the distinction of being one of the longest-serving female General Managers of a casino during her tenure at the Gold Dust West Casino here in Reno. Many will miss “Momma Lynne” as she was referred to by the casino family. Her experiences in the gaming industry influenced all her later work in our community and her unwavering support of casino workers’ rights.

Please join OANV in celebrating the life of our extraordinary friend, mentor, colleague, and community supporter that was Lynne Keller. Her presence and influence will continue to be felt for years to come.

Lynne will be missed and our hearts are heavy at her loss.

Ta-Tiana Anderson-Hall

By

Ta-Tiana Anderson-Hall works with Charter College.

Ta-Tiana has coordinated all aspects of Teen Empowerment, including college preparation, career preparation, financial literacy, civic engagement and community leadership for the teen centers in the Reno Sparks area.

Ta-Tiana is no stranger to youth development, having been involved with the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows for almost 20 years, she has worked her way up the ranks from member, to Jr. Staff, to now Site Director. Before working full time at the Boys & Girls Club, Ta-Tiana was the Club’s Leader in Training Coordinator, a substitute teacher and tutored for the Washoe County School District as well as the University of Nevada, Reno.

Ta-Tiana has immense experience with youth and teen with a primary focus on at-risk youth and teens in the Northern Nevada community.  She has ran multiple financial literacy programs including My Path, Money Matters and Bite of Reality, over the last 5 years.  At Boys & Girls Club the teen team works hard to ensure our teens successfully graduate high school, attended college, join the military, attend a trade school or assimilate into the work force. Throughout her time at Boys & Girls Club, she has influenced national programing, by hosting teen focus groups as well as helped teens earn prestigious awards such as Boys & Girls Club of America National Money Matters Ambassador.

Damon Hodge

By

Damon is Public Information Coordinator for Southern Nevada Water Authority and Las Vegas Valley Water District.

A native of Las Vegas and a graduate of Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications, Damon Hodge is a writing, communications and public relations professional with nearly 25 years of experience in the media industry.

He has worked for daily and weekly newspapers, freelanced for local and statewide publications as well as national and international news services. He has published stories on a wide range of topics from politics, casino gaming, crime and sports to business, golf course management, music and food reviews. He has interviewed prominent politicians, entertainers and C-Suite executives along with ordinary people living extraordinary lives or experiencing extraordinary circumstances.

As a media professional, he has assisted clients with getting their stories in newspapers, magazines, on the radio and on television through press releases and coordinating media strategies.

In his current position, he is a public information coordinator for the Southern Nevada Water Authority and Las Vegas Valley District and handling communications related to water conservation and water-related public outreach to the African-American and Asian-American communities.

To contact Damon, please email damon_hodge@yahoo.com.