Opportunity Alliance Nevada

To build financial stability for all Nevadans

Barbara Smalley

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Barbara Smalley is so excited to step into the role as the Program Manager for OANV in 2022. Since July of 2021, she has worked as an Eviction Mediation Navigator and Volunteer Financial Navigator for OANV. Both of these positions have allowed Barbara to help Nevadans as they navigate their finances, find resources and work through the eviction process.

Before coming to OANV, Barbara started a business as a learning coach working with school age children to help them navigate their e-learning studies during the COVID-19 shutdown.

She was also a South Carolina First Step 4K teacher working with children to encourage their social, emotional, physical and cognitive development by implementing a developmentally appropriate curriculum to prepare them for five-year-old kindergarten.

Barbara has a degree in Liberal Arts and enjoys time spent with her two sons and four pets.

OANV Welcomes New Executive Director and Program Director

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Click Here to Download Press Release

Reno, NV (February 2, 2022) – Opportunity Alliance Nevada Board of Directors is pleased to announce the promotions of Kellie George as our new Executive Director and Laurie Martin as Program Director.

Kellie George eagerly accepted the position of Executive Director after serving OANV over the past 15 years in several capacities, which include Board Member, Committee Chair of the Financial Stability Youth Committee, and most recently as “Platform Monitor” for the COVID-19 Response Team, aiding Nevadan’s financially impacted during the pandemic crisis. Kellie is a business finance and human behavior consultant; and has become a specialist in the “people” business by helping companies retain their talent, bridging the gap between workforce development and companies looking for skilled talent, and connecting people to resources that support financial stability and mental wellness.

Kellie provides training in business finance acumen, leadership, communication, and personal finance. She has her B.S. in Communication and over 35 years of experience in public speaking, business management, and market development. Her passion is to empower people through increased self-awareness and personal understanding. Kellie likes to spend her free time in the great outdoors.

Laurie Martin is thrilled to step into the role of Program Director after working as a “Platform Monitor” on the COVID-19 Response Team. She came to OANV as a lifetime certified Bridges Out of Poverty trainer, which she began in 2011, first as a “Getting Ahead in a Just Gettin’By World” facilitator through the FoodBank of Northern Nevada. Laurie is also a lifetime certified trainer for Bridges to Health and Healthcare and has worked statewide in urban and rural communities. Her background is in Public Education and Health, holding a Master’s degree in Public and Health Services Administration and a K – 12 Teaching Credential. Laurie worked most recently as Director of Community Youth Development for the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District. She was an elected trustee for Tahoe Forest Hospital District for eight years. At RhythmU, she facilitates embodiment practices for health and well-being, including HeartMath, HealthRhythms Drumming, and Conscious Dance.

Both Kellie George and Laurie Martin are available to talk with you and your organization about how to support, partner, and collaborate with Opportunity Alliance Nevada.

Tracy Sherwood

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Tracy Sherwood began her career with Opportunity Alliance Nevada in 2017 as the Office Manager under former Executive Director Lynne Keller.  Tracy applied her experience in directing the operations of an office; people management; marketing for client relations and program support; Board of Directors support; and budget maintenance earned from her experiences as the AmeiCorps VISTA Leader at the Washoe County School District and her time in retail management with Ventnor Group’s Footlocker Stores (where she simultaneously managed the Reno, Nevada Kids and Women’s Footlockers).

Tracy runs day-to-day non-profit operations, supports the Board of Directors, and works closely with the Executive Director, Program Director, and Program Managers to assist the organization to attain its mission of building sustainable communities across Nevada to stabilize and improve the lives of individuals and families.

Tracy is a proud graduate of Cottey College, a private women’s liberal arts college, owned by the P.E.O. Sisterhood, located in Nevada, Missouri.  After earning her Associates degree at Cottey, she moved back to Nevada to attend the University of Nevada, Reno and Truckee Meadows Community College, where she continues her goal of being a life-long learner.

Tracy was an active volunteer during her son’s time in the Washoe County School District, serving on the Board of the Council on Family Engagement, the Gifted and Talented Advisory Council, and in the Hunter Lade Parent Faculty Association.  She strongly believes that volunteering is a valuable way to gain experience in the workplace and in young people’s determination of whether a career path is the right fit for their future.

Tracy is the proud wife to a Nevada Air National Guard retiree and mother to a son who is currently attending the Nevada System of Higher Education to reach his goal of becoming a CTE instructor with the Washoe County School District.

In her free time, Tracy enjoys reading, riding her bike, walking, working on her planner and playing with her stickers, and spending time with her guys.

Tracy is an ardent supporter of “Go Grey in May” for brain tumour awareness month and welcomes the opportunity to offer support to other brain tumour/brain surgery survivors.

Laurie Martin

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Laurie Martin is thrilled to step into the role of Program Director for OANV in 2022. Since March of 2020 she has worked with Opportunity Alliance Nevada as a “Platform Monitor” on the Team for the COVID – 19 Response, helping Nevadans become economically stable through the pandemic and beyond.

Laurie came to OANV as a lifetime certified Bridges Out of Poverty trainer. She began Bridges work in 2011, first as a “Getting Ahead in a Just Gettin’ By World” facilitator through the FoodBank of Northern Nevada. During this experience as a co-investigator with under-resourced individuals from many walks of life and through many organizations, she learned first hand about the conditions of poverty in our community, and the desire, barriers and opportunities to get ahead. Laurie is also a lifetime certified trainer for Bridges to Health and Healthcare and has worked statewide in both urban and rural communities.

Laurie is grateful to work with OANV and is passionate about bringing all economic classes to the decision-making “Table” for systemic change.

Laurie’s background is in Public Education and Health, holding a Master’s degree in Public and Health Services Administration and a K – 12 Teaching Credential. Laurie worked most recently as Director of Community Youth Development for the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District.

Laurie was an elected trustee for Tahoe Forest Hospital District for 8 years.

At RhythmU, Laurie facilitates embodiment practices for health and well-being including HeartMath, HealthRhythms Drumming and Conscious Dance.

Kellie George

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Kellie George enthusiastically accepted the position of Executive Director for Opportunity Alliance Nevada. She has served OANV over the past 15+ years in several capacities as a Board Member, Committee Chair of the Financial Stability Youth Committee, and most recent as “Platform Monitor” for the COVID-19 Response Team, aiding Nevadan’s financially impacted during the pandemic crisis.

Kellie is a business finance and human behavior consultant; and has become a specialist in the “people” business. She helps companies retain their talent by providing trainings on how decisions pertaining to people, processes, and sales impact the bottom line and net health of the organization. She helps to place good people into great jobs by bridging the gap between workforce development and companies looking for skilled talent. And she has spent the last several years connecting people to resources that support financial stability and mental wellness.

Kellie provides training in business finance acumen, leadership, communication, and personal finance. She has her B.S. in Communication and over 35 years’ experience in public speaking, business management, and market development. Her passion is to empower people through increased self-awareness and personal understanding. Kellie likes to spend her free time in the great outdoors.