���ӽ紫ý

Juergen Barbusca, '84 BA German and '02 MPA, left a demanding corporate job for a yearlong gap year living in a camper van. In December 2025, he published a memoir of the experience, No Overnight Parking: A Year of Vanlife, Discovery, and the Open Road. Midwest Book Review called it “an original, exceptional, and fascinating read from start to finish. As an author, Juergen Barbusca reveals a genuine flair for the kind of narrative-driven storytelling that keeps the reader eagerly engaged from cover to cover.”

Thomas Monk, ‘99 BS Secondary Education, is assistant principal at a middle school for Los Angeles Unified School District.  

Jose Orozco, '10 BA Criminal Justice and '24 EMBA, is an adjunct professor in ���ӽ紫ý's Lee Business School. He is also the co-founder of Broches for a Cause LLC, a purpose-driven branding company, and the Orozco Siblings nonprofit, which he launched with his sister. Orozco's career began in international business with one of Ireland’s wealthiest families and later expanded into entrepreneurship, nonprofit leadership, and higher education. He focuses on building brands that combine strategy, service, and social impact, while mentoring students and investing in communities.

Brad Solomon, '20 BA and '24 MA Nutrition Sciences, is the director of football nutrition at Penn State University. He previously served as football registered dietitian at the University of Texas (2023–2026) and University of Wyoming (2022–2023), was a graduate assistant in nutrition at ���ӽ紫ý in 2021, and held roles with the Las Vegas Raiders and ���ӽ紫ý’s fueling station from 2017 to 2020. He and his wife, Lana Solomon, ’17 BA Kinesiology and ’20 DPT, are parents to two young sons, Beaumont and Knox, and enjoy hiking and exploring alpine lakes together.

Kyle Ethelbah, '09 MPH, was appointed as associate vice president for Institutional Engagement and Experience at the ���ӽ紫ý. Ethelbah will guide university wide efforts to strengthen engagement, advance shared values, and foster a mission-aligned campus culture. With more than 25 years of leadership experience in higher education, he brings extensive expertise in student success, organizational development, and inclusive excellence. His appointment reflects ���ӽ紫ý’s ongoing commitment to cultivating a collaborative, supportive, and values-driven environment for faculty and staff.

Nathan Taylor, '06 Political Science, is CEO and founder of Taylor Consulting Group, Inc., a Las Vegas firm specializing in government affairs, land use consulting, and liquor and gaming licensing. An enrolled agent authorized to represent business owners before the Nevada Gaming Commission and Nevada Gaming Control Board, he previously worked with the Clark County Business Licensing Department, the City of Las Vegas, and former Nevada State Sen. Mark James. Taylor served as chair of the Nevada Young Republicans and president of the Clark County Young Republicans, and now serves on the ���ӽ紫ý College of Liberal Arts Industry Leader Advisory Council. In December, he was sworn in as the City of Las Vegas Ward 6 commissioner for the Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission.

Joshua Mallen, '06 Hotel Management, built a portfolio of 20 companies, from marketing to lead generation to recruitment and high ticket offers.

Gustavo Alonso López, '04 BS Architecture, is a Flamenco guitarist and composer. He's set to release his third full-length studio album, Sonanta Con Metales, in April 2026. Created in collaboration with trumpeter Jay Roulston, this new project presents the Flamenco guitar in the context of a brass ensemble.

Samantha (Todd) Harrison, '24 BS Mathematics, is a stay-at-home mom and pursuing certification as a health coach. She welcomed a daughter in 2024 and is expecting her second child.

Cristina Gutierrez, ’25 BS Secondary Education, began her teaching career in January 2026 after being selected for a full-time secondary English position with Coral Academy following the completion of her student teaching at ���ӽ紫ý. While at the university, she served as a Global Ambassador and substitute teacher, experiences that helped strengthen her sense of community, adaptability, and cultural awareness. Gutierrez is passionate about teaching and enjoys reading, writing, and travel.  

Neil Woolf, ‘12 Ed.D. Higher Education Leadership, serves as president of New Mexico Highlands University. He also served as executive vice president at Southern Oregon University, associate vice president at Eastern Washington University, director of enrollment services at Nevada State University, and senior policy analyst for the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Vanessa (Haroan) Tu, 17 BA Psychology and '18 M.Ed. Special Education, is the founder of Bright Minds, a California-based behavioral health agency with a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and technicians serving children with autism. Since graduating from ���ӽ紫ý, she has co-founded two startup ventures, launched behavioral services within California public school districts, and published a workbook for parents of nonverbal children on the autism spectrum. Her work focuses on building scalable care models that bridge clinical and educational settings. Her husband, Cheng Yang Tu, ’20 DPT, is also a ���ӽ紫ý alumnus.