The Mob Museum, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, boasts a highly respected Board of Directors including professionals from local and state government, law enforcement, the judicial system, media and the business community.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS – OFFICERS
Steven Martinez is the Senior Vice President of Global Security for MGM Resorts. Mr. Martinez oversees all corporate security functions and works closely with property security teams to assist in the continued development of companywide best practices. From 1987 to 2013, Mr. Martinez enjoyed a distinguished career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), including a record of achievement in steering highly complex and sensitive global national security, cyber, and criminal investigations. Among a series of promotions throughout his FBI career, Mr. Martinez served as the Special Agent in Charge for the Las Vegas Field Office, as well as the Assistant Director in Charge in the Los Angeles Field Office. Mr. Martinez concluded his FBI career as the Executive Assistant Director for the Science and Technology Branch at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
With more than 30 years of experience in the Human Resources profession, Valerie Murzl has received national recognition for her creation of a non-traditional platform of benefits, including 24/7 On-site Child Care, Foreclosure Assistance and a Citizenship Program, among others. Past Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Training at Station Casinos and Past President of the FBI Las Vegas Citizens Academy Alumni Association.
Edward A. Koijane is a licensed certified public accountant in Nevada, California and Oregon, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and a member of those state’s Societies of CPAs. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Pepperdine University. Koijane has spent almost three decades in public accounting providing tax and accounting services to large, multi-national businesses. For over 10 years now Koijane has been the Las Vegas office tax managing partner at Ernst and Young. For over 10 years now Koijane has been the Las Vegas office tax managing partner at Ernst and Young.
Audry “JB” Batiste is a retired Air Force officer and served his country honorably over a 20-year military career. Through his selfless endeavors, he continues to serve and volunteer with several organizations throughout Las Vegas, and he is a role model and mentor to young children in underserved areas. Today, JB is an entrepreneur with over 15 years’ experience in financial and tax services, and now works with affluent clients as a Certified Financial Planner professional with Precise Wealth Management.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS – MEMBERS
A native Nevadan, former U.S. Senator Richard Bryan began his legal career in 1964 as a Deputy District Attorney in Clark County. In 1966, he was named Clark County’s first Public Defender. He served in the Nevada State Assembly from 1968-72 and in the State Senate from 1972-78. The Former prosecutor won his first statewide election as Nevada’s Attorney general where he played a major role in successfully defending Nevada’s gaming regulatory structure in federal courts. In 1982, he was elected to the first of two terms as governor. In 1988 he was elected to the first of two terms in the U. S. Senate. Before retiring, he was a director of the Fennemore Craig law firm and his practice focuses on government relations at the federal, state and local levels, particularly in the area of public land use issues. He serves on many area boards including the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement (The Mob Museum), Centennial Commission, Chairman of Preserve Nevada, Great Basin National Park and is a director emeritus of The Vegas Chamber, formerly The Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Paul Camacho is the Vice President of Casino Compliance for Yaamava Resort & Casino at San Manuel. Paul previously served as the Special Agent in Charge for the Las Vegas Field Office of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) directing investigations of all IRS CI special agents in Utah and Nevada. Over the course of his career in IRS CI, Paul has overseen sophisticated investigations involving drug trade organizations, embezzlement, large scale fraud schemes, money laundering, offshore abusive schemes, prostitution, public corruption, tax evasion and terrorist financing. Paul received the highest honor given to IRS CI employees, the Elmer Lincoln Irey Distinguished Service Award. Paul’s research into America’s battle of organized crime and corruption ultimately led to the discovery of significant historical documents and artifacts that are now on display at The Mob Museum.
Krista J. Darnold is passionate about arts & culture, education, and the wellbeing of others. As a community-wide ambassador, she has established strong roots representing numerous organizations tied to her passions.
In addition to the Mob Museum’s board, Krista also serves on the Vegas Chamber’s Leadership Las Vegas Council and The Smith Center for the Performing Arts President’s Advisory Council.
Krista has been a longstanding leadership member of both United Way of Southern Nevada’s Women United and the Junior League of Las Vegas. She is also a graduate of Leadership Las Vegas, Class of 2005 where she met her husband, Rick, a gaming executive and native Las Vegan. Shortly after they wed, they both graduated from the LVMPD Citizen’s Police Academy.
Prior to arriving in Las Vegas, she held sales and marketing positions with companies such as ESPN, AT&T and One America. Krista moved to Las Vegas in 2002 to join an international design firm as director of business development. She has served as the director of corporate partnerships at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts and vice president of member engagement and partnerships with the Vegas Chamber. She also led fundraising and community outreach efforts surrounding the 2016 Final Presidential Debate in collaboration with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Most recently, she held the position of industry relations senior director for the LVCVA having represented the organization as the liaison to external industry organizations. Additionally, she led collaborations between internal divisions and external business partners to support the goals of the LVCVA.
Krista has been recognized by community leaders as a champion for others, for her passion and enthusiasm in meaningful work with purposeful connections. She now spends a good part of her time with the helpers and healers of the Las Vegas community. She leads the Jameson Fellowship program in partnership with the Moonridge Group and founder, Gard Jameson.
Raised in Wichita, Kansas, Krista holds a degree from the University of Kansas.
Brandon Doll is the Principal of Sports & Entertainment Advisors, leveraging industry experience, storytelling, and creativity while utilizing data, modeling, and customer insights to address challenges, optimize commercial strategy, improve business outcomes, and capitalize on new opportunities for clients in collegiate and professional sports and entertainment. He previously served as Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Development for the Las Vegas Raiders from 2013-2021. In this role, Brandon led the relocation of the NFL’s Raiders from Oakland to Las Vegas, including gaining necessary approvals, securing financing, and developing a commercial strategy for the Allegiant Stadium project, generating significant stadium contractually obligated income, creating sustainable future annual stadium revenue streams, negotiating critical strategic partnerships and live entertainment events, and designing and implementing award-winning, revenue-generating nightlife, culinary, and attraction experiences, including the Wynn Field Club, Silver & Black Hospitality, and Allegiant Stadium Tour Program. Prior to working in professional sports, Brandon served as a Naval officer for seven years, completing tours aboard the USS Boxer (LHD-4) and with Commander, Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and making deployments to Australia, South America, and the Persian Gulf. Brandon holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the United States Naval Academy (2005) and a Master of Business Administration from the University of California Berkeley Haas School of Business (2014). In the Southern Nevada community, Brandon serves as a member of the Las Vegas Bowl Committee and as a member of the Board of Directors for Three Square Food Bank. Brandon has lived in Las Vegas since 2018 with his wife, Brie.
Rob Dondero is executive vice president, R&R Partners, in charge of oversight of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority account for the agency. He manages a fully integrated team that’s charged with filling 144,000 hotel rooms 365 days per year. His portfolio includes UFC, Ford, Bud Light, Major League Baseball, the NHL and more. This experience also makes him a leader in R&R’s business development efforts. He has also developed, negotiated, and promoted such special events as the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Launch Party; NBA All-Star Game; Latin GRAMMY Awards; Billboard Music Awards; Academy of Country Music Awards; Las Vegas Bowl; NASCAR Champions Week; Miss Universe/Miss America/Miss USA; and the internationally renowned gourmet food and wine event, Vegas Uncork’d. A great example of the results that he delivers was the launch of the Professional Bull Riders’ Championship Tour, which propelled bull riding into the mainstream of professional sports, established a fiercely loyal fan base and increased sponsorship revenues by 700 percent with such blue-chip brands as Ford, Wrangler, Bud Light and Coca-Cola.
As a principal at LGA Architecture, Galati focuses on forward-thinking, strategic solutions that result in organizational and operational excellence. Galati has received numerous honors throughout his career, including the AIA “Nevada Service Award,” the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce “Community Achievement Award for Business” and the American Planning Association “DeBoer Excellence in Planning Award” for his outstanding service on the City of Las Vegas Planning Commission. In addition to his service to The Mob Museum, Galati is also on the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee. Galati authored “Admit it! 21 things you already know but apparently have forgotten regarding client service” in 2005, “A Man in Transition, Reflections on Relationships, Leadership, and Life” in 2007, “Business From the Heart” in 2010 and “The Reluctant Leader” in 2021. He has received fellowship in both the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) and is a past SMPS National President.
Jim Germain is a tourism consultant who was born in Las Vegas and is a member of a pioneer Las Vegas family. Germain joined USA Hosts, Ltd., Las Vegas, in 1982 and served as Director of Sales, Vice President of Sales, Executive Vice President and was CEO for eleven years. As Senior Corporate Officer, he supervised 13 offices in eight states (three offices in Nevada). Prior employment included working in sales for the Flamingo Hilton Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas Hilton Hotel and Casino, and as Director of Sales for the Sahara Hotel and Casino. Germain also was a Hospitality Management Instructor at UNLV, Las Vegas. He serves on several professional and tourism-based boards.
Carolyn G. Goodman, elected to her third term in 2019 with 83.5% of the vote, became the mayor of Las Vegas in 2011, succeeding her husband, then current mayor, Oscar B. Goodman. Carolyn Goodman is well known in the Las Vegas community for founding The Meadows School, Nevada’s first nonprofit, nonsectarian, independent, coeducational, college preparatory school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grades. Recognized nationally by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the National Association of Independent Schools in 2006 with the Seymour Preston Trustee Award for Leadership, Carolyn Goodman has devoted much of her life to volunteerism in Las Vegas. In 1989, the University of Nevada recognized her with the prestigious “Distinguished Nevadan” award and in 2006 bestowed upon her an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree (PhD). In 2009, she was named a Sarah D. Barder Fellow in The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth and an Alumna of the Year in Education at UNLV. Carolyn Goodman holds national leadership roles as a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and also serves on the board of directors of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Known for his trademark, no-nonsense tell-it-like-it-is style, Oscar B. Goodman, the 20th mayor of Las Vegas, served for 12 years before swearing in his wife, Carolyn G. Goodman, as mayor in 2011. Passionate about downtown revitalization, Oscar Goodman is the primary visionary of The Mob Museum. As former chairman of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Oscar Goodman worked feverishly to promote Las Vegas as one of the most exciting destinations in the world. This self-proclaimed “happiest mayor in the universe,” Oscar Goodman is one of the nation’s best criminal defense attorneys and was named one of the “15 Best Trial Lawyers in America” by the National Law Journal. He spent more than 35 years defending some of the most notorious alleged Mob figures, including Meyer Lansky, Frank Rosenthal, Anthony Spilotro and others. In 1995, he appeared as himself in the movie, “Casino.” Oscar Goodman has been honored with the Public Leadership in the Arts Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Leadership Award for Public Service from the International Economic Development Council.
Michael Green, Ph.D., is a department chair and professor in UNLV’s Department of History. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UNLV and obtained his Ph.D. in history from Columbia University. Green is the author of several books about the history of Las Vegas and Nevada as well as broader topics in American history. His books on the Civil War era include Freedom, Union, and Power: Lincoln and His Party during the Civil War, Lincoln and the Election of 1860, and Lincoln and Native Americans. His works on Nevada include Las Vegas: A Centennial History with Eugene Moehring; Nevada: A History of the Silver State; and the oral history, A Liberal Conscience: Ralph Denton, Nevadan. He is writing both a history of the Great Basin in the twentieth century and a history of organized crime in twentieth-century America. Green is also active in writing and speaking in the community. For Nevada Humanities and KNPR, he writes “Nevada Yesterdays,” which is narrated by another board member, Senator Richard Bryan.
Peter Guzman currently serves as the President & CEO of the Latin Chamber of Commerce NV, the premier advocate for the Hispanic business, cultural and educational community in Nevada. He is also an accomplished small business owner, real estate investor, and developer who has been a Las Vegas resident for 50 years. His work in real estate has been recognized nationally by major real estate organizations, and he was recognized as the top producer for his company from 2002-2008 with over $650 million in sales. Mr. Guzman has also been recognized by government leaders for his ideas on affordable housing and creative ways to increase minority home ownership. Mr. Guzman is committed to youth mentorship and inspiring young people to follow their passion and has supported youth through scholarships he has funded. He and his wife of 30 years, Mercy, live in Las Vegas with their two children, Jovani and Tatiana.
Christopher L. Kaempfer is a senior partner of Kaempfer Crowell Renshaw and founder of the firm’s preeminent land use and governmental relations department. Over the years, Kaempfer’s practice has been devoted to the areas of land use and zoning law, administrative law, government affairs, construction law and sports law. Kaempfer has achieved an AV rating by Martindale Hubbell and has been named to Best Lawyers in America, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in Real Estate and Zoning & Land Use Law, Nevada Legal Elite and Mountain States Super Lawyer. Kaempfer coached high school softball at The Meadows for 12 years, winning a state championship. For his efforts, The Meadows’ softball field bears his name. Since 1985, he has been actively involved with the Las Vegas Aviators and its predecessors, the Las Vegas 51s and Las Vegas Stars. Kaempfer is also very active in Major League Baseball’s Baseball Assistance Team (BAT), an organization whose purpose is to provide financial and medical aid to former members of the baseball family. He is a benefactor member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and is also a proud supporter of UNLV Baseball, MLBPAA, and the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).
A founding board member of the Museum, John Hammes Mowbray is a 2nd generation Nevada lawyer, who has been practicing law in Southern Nevada for the past 40 years. Active in community and cultural affairs for decades, Mowbray is the lead partner for Spencer Fane’s Las Vegas office. Mowbray is a current member and past president of the State Bar of Nevada and has served in leadership positions on the boards of the Clark County Bar Association, the Boy Scouts of America, the Clark County Law Foundation, Nevada Law Foundation among others and is a current member of the Centennial Commission for the City of Las Vegas. He has received Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating and has been named to Mountain States Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America. He received the Lloyd D. George Professionalism Award, State Bar of Nevada, 2009.
Ted Quirk has remained Of Counsel to Greenberg Traurig following its acquisition of his firm, Quirk & Tratos. Ted specialized in Intellectual Property law and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America for 31 years. He has also been a principal in companies that have developed and built residential and commercial properties in Las Vegas, including Spanish Trail. Ted has been active in many non-profit organizations. He chaired the Boys and Girls Clubs of Las Vegas Board and created its Foundation. He was Chair of the UNLV Foundation during its capital campaign and was a founder of the UNLV Research Foundation which he chaired for many years. Ted has received numerous civic honors, including an Honorary Doctorate degree and President’s Medal from UNLV, and the Distinguished Nevadan award from the NSHE Board of Regents.
Mr. Silver began his career as a Certified Public Accountant, but following law school he worked as a prosecutor with the Clark County District Attorney. He became a Chief Deputy in charge of the Consumer Fraud and White Collar Crimes Division. Thereafter, Mr. Silver was appointed as the resident Board Member supervising the Las Vegas office of the Nevada Gaming Control Board during the State’s tumultuous period of cleansing the gaming industry of its organized crime influence. Following State service, he held top leadership positions at various resort hotels including the Landmark Hotel & Casino, Riviera Hotel & Casino and Caesars Palace. Mr. Silver has published journal articles, spoken at conferences, testified before the Nevada Legislature and U.S. Congressional sub-committees and qualified as an expert witness on gaming law matters, in state and federal courts. He is consistently honored as one of Nevada’s pre-eminent gaming law practitioners by Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, and Mountain States Super-Lawyers. A long-time Nevadan, he is involved in community and business affairs. Mr. Silver is a former Chairman of the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, former Secretary-Treasurer of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and a former President of the International Association of Gaming Advisors. He is a founding member of the Las Vegas FBI Citizen’s Academy Alumni Association and served as the immediate past Board Chair of The Mob Museum. Mr. Silver practiced gaming and administrative law as Of Counsel with Dickinson Wright, PLLC (Retd). Mr. Silver was a 2020 inductee to the American Gaming Association’s “Gaming Hall of Fame”.
During his career as a journalist, Robert Stoldal served as a reporter, television news anchor, creator and manager of a 24-hour Las Vegas cable news operation, and as the News Director of a statewide Nevada television news system.
As a journalist, Stoldal has covered Las Vegas and the state of Nevada starting as Director of News for KLAS radio in 1965 and continues today as President of the Board of Nevada Independent.
In 1967, Stoldal was hired as a reporter and anchor at KLAS-TV, Channel 8 and a year later was promoted to News Director. That same year 1968, industrialist Howard Hughes purchased KLAS-TV.
In 1978, KLAS was sold to Landmark Communications. During his tenure as News Director, United Press International honored KLAS as having the “Best Newscast in America.” In April 1998, he launched Las Vegas ONE, a 24-hour local news television operation and promoted to Vice President for KLAS overseeing all of its news operations.
Stoldal has produced several award-winning documentaries including “Mob on the Run,” a detailed look at the history of organized crime in Las Vegas. In 2005, Stoldal was a recipient of a Peabody Award, as Executive Producer of “Crossfire: Water, Power & Politics” a documentary over water rights in Nevada. In the same year, he was also a recipient of an Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative journalism as a producer of series on “Voter Registration Fraud” in Las Vegas.
After forty years in broadcast news, Stoldal retired in 2008. However, in 2009 Stoldal came out of retirement and was named Vice President of News for the Sunbelt Corporation. At the request of Jim Rogers, who owned the Sunbelt Corporation and Las Vegas television station KSNV television, Stoldal dramatically expanded the number of daily newscasts. That expansion added five hours of local news to each day.
In 2014 at the age of seventy-two, he retired. In 2017 Stoldal became Chairman of the board of The Nevada Independent a nonpartisan, nonprofit news and opinion website.
In addition, Stoldal currently serves on the boards of several community organizations including Nevada Public Radio’s Citizens Advisory Board, the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society, Las Vegas City Historical Preservation Commission, Preserve Nevada and Nevada Commission on Tourism, the National Atomic Testing Museum and the Nevada State Commission on Cultural Affairs and Historic Places.
In 2020, Stoldal was the recipient of the “Distinguished Nevadan” award by the University Of Nevada Board Of Regents. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the cultural, and social advancement of Nevada and its people. While at UNLV Stoldal was editor of The Yell, the student newspaper.
Claytee D. White is the inaugural director of the Oral History Research Center at UNLV Libraries. In this position, she collects the history of Las Vegas and the surrounding area by gathering memories of events and experiences from long-time residents that are used by students and by researchers from around the world.
Claytee has written several book chapters, journal articles and presented oral history papers at national conferences from Atlanta to Maui. Currently, she hosts televised episodes of We Need To Talk: Conversations on Racism for a More Resilient Las Vegas, a series designed to address systemic racism in all of its manifestations. These panel discussions allow campus researchers and community activists to engage in conversations designed to heal the city. Additionally, she has crafted a monthly campus radio talk show to discuss books, current ideas, music, and history in Soul to Soul: Universal Ideas for a Brighter Tomorrow. This show was created to be a free-for-all of positive energy.
White received her Bachelor of Arts degree in social work from California State University Los Angeles, Master of Arts degree in history from the University of Nevada Las Vegas and engaged in additional graduate work at the College of William and Mary.
A native of Ahoskie, North Carolina, Ms. White is a former board member of the national Oral History Association, past president of the Southwest Oral History Association, served on the Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission for 15 years, and is currently on the Academic Advisory Board of BlackPast.Org and the board of Women of Diversity.