Meet the Council
Building & Trades
Aaron West, CEO, Nevada Builders Alliance
Aaron West is CEO of the Nevada Builders Alliance, the largest state-wide professional organization representing the construction industry and all affiliated sectors. He brings a wide variety of skill sets and experiences ranging from water rights specialist and construction services manager, to real estate broker and commercial lines insurance producer.
Business
Ann Silver, CEO, Reno/Sparks Chamber of Commerce
Ann Silver is CEO of the Reno/Sparks Chamber of Commerce. Her resume includes national and regional management experience as well as human resources activities including CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada and executive director of workforce development provider JOIN, Inc. A native New Yorker, she once served as general manager of Radio City Music Hall.
Economic Development
Andrew Haskins, Deputy Director, Northern Nevada Development Authority
Andrew Haskin is Deputy Director of the Northern Nevada Development Authority where he has worked under a variety of titles since 2014 to retain and attract business and industry to the five-county region of Carson City, Lyon, Mineral, Storey and Douglas. A former Eagle Scout, he holds an MBA in Business Administration from the University of Nevada-Reno.
Education & Workforce
Dana Ryan, Special Assistant to the President, Truckee Meadows Community College
Dana Ryan is Special Assistant to the President, Truckee Meadows Community College where she connects with the community in workforce development, strategic planning and fundraising efforts. Previously, she worked for the Washoe County School District as Director of the Signature Academy and Career & Technical Education (CTE) which strengthened career and college preparation for high school students.
Financial
Jake Carrico, Business Advisor, Nevada Small Business Development Center
Jake Carrico is the Business Advisor at the Nevada Small Business Development Center, where he assists startups and existing small businesses with preparing business plans, performing market research, creating marketing strategies, and navigating the startup process. Jake holds a BS in Economics and Finance along with an MBA from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Government
Dian VanderWell, Sparks Councilmember
Dian VanderWell was appointed to the Council last year when Ward 2 Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tempore Ed Lawson was sworn in as the City’s 26th Mayor following the death of Mayor Ron Smith. She grew up in Sparks, graduated from Reed High School and attended Truckee Meadows Community College and the University of Nevada Reno. She has been a licensed mortgage agent for 33 years and a licensed real estate agent for six years. She has served on the Sparks Planning Commission, Sparks Charter Committee, Regional Planning Commission, and the Sparks Citizens Advisory Committee.
Health & Wellness
Kitty McKay, Director of Mission Integration, Carson-Tahoe Hospital
Kitty McKay is Director of Mission Integration for Carson Tahoe Health where she has been instrumental in elevating the patient care experience since 2009. Her roles have focused on fulfilling the CTH mission “to enhance the health and well-being of the communities we serve” — for staff, patients and collaborative community partnerships.
Housing
Ron Bath, Founder, Salmon Point Development
Ron Bath is Founder of Salmon Point Development and has been active in residential and commercial real estate since 1972. Ron has formed two major development companies that provide the basis for his many real estate development projects. Several of the projects developed in the Reno/Sparks and Boise Metropolitan Areas have been mixed use utilizing both companies in the shared development concept.
Information Technology
Vas Karmyshanov, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Balanced Agency
Vas Karmyshanov, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Balanced Agency is an award-winning business leader with 15 years of marketing and sales experience. He developed strategies that resulted in $1 billion in sales for Nestle, Kraft and SAB Miller. Balanced Agency is a full-service digital agency, partnering with healthcare, industrial supply, and technology leaders.
Manufacturing
Karsten Heise is Director of Special Projects with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development
Karsten Heise is Director of Special Projects with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and the state’s leader in Innovation Based Economic Development: originating and implementing novel programs and policy initiatives leading to ground breaking change in Nevada’s economy over short time periods. Prior to joining GOED, Mr. Heise lived 5 years in Beijing, China serving as external consultant for the Baron Group’s Beijing office.
Mining
Joe Riney, Director of Workforce Engagement, Nevada Mining Association
Joe Riney, Director of Workforce Engagement, Nevada Mining Association has worked for the NMA for the past 12 years helping mine operators and vendors enhance safety in the mining industry. He also conducts workforce training and education outreach throughout the state’s school systems.
Tourism/Hospitality/Arts & Culture
Carol Chaplin, CEO, Lake Tahoe Visitor’s Authority
Carol Chaplin is CEO of the Lake Tahoe Visitor’s Authority and Tahoe Douglas Visitors Authority where she oversees the administration, marketing, public and community relations activities. She has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry including hotel and attraction management and operations, sales and marketing, and food and beverage.
Utilities/Infrastructure/Transportation
Cheryl Couch, Community Programs Director, USDA
Cheryl Couch has been with the USDA Rural Development for over 25 years and Community Programs Director since 2014. Within USDA Rural Development Community Programs she has worked directly with communities, non-profit organizations and Tribes to finance water, wastewater, solid waste, and community facility projects throughout rural Nevada.
Agriculture
Kelli Kelly, Director, Fallon Food Hub
Kelli Kelly serves as director of the Fallon Food Hub, building resiliency in the regional food system and promoting local agricultural producers. She is Chair of the Nevada Farms Conference and a member of both the Governor’s Council for Food Security and the NevadaGrown Board of Directors. She is passionate about working with local farmers, ranchers, and value-added producers to promote sustainable agriculture and advocate for eating
seasonally and within the foodshed.