No Laughing Matter with Cuba Pete

About our guest … Vance Farrow is an industry specialist employed by the Governor's Office of Economic Development. He is in charge of growth, hiring, and retention in the development sector. Prior to assuming his current position with G.O.E.D., Mr. Farrow served as the head of the Bureau of Cancer and Chronic Illness for the Columbia Development of Health district. Mr. Farrow was named executive commissioner of the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education when he was giving a speech about Nevada's Broadband Medical Education. Vance Farrow is a driven man who yet possesses compassion as a leader for public health professionals. Every demanding opportunity will find Vance Farrow ready.

About our guest … Dr. Lasky joined the Cure the Kids Foundation in 2017. He attended medical school at the University of Illinois in Chicago and did his pediatric residency at the University of Chicago. He completed his Pediatric Hematology Oncology fellowship at UCLA in 2006 and was director of the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Program at UCLA until 2009 when he moved to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, CA, and was named Chief of the Division of Pediatric Hematology Oncology. While there, Dr. Lasky became involved with a number of clinical trials for patients with bleeding disorders (including hemophilia and von Willebrand disease) as well as sickle cell anemia. While continuing to have research interests in pediatric brain tumors and immunology, he also is interested in running and developing clinical trials for patients with bleeding disorders and sickle cell anemia. Dr. Lasky is a member of several professional societies including the Children’s Oncology Group, Society for Neuro-Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. He enjoys watching sports, reading, music, and outdoor activities with his family. In September of 2022, Dr. Lasky is now the Medical Director at Cure 4 The Kids (C4K).

About our guest … Kelvin Watson Named American Library Association Medal of Excellence Award Winner has brought innovative, award-winning leadership to Nevada’s largest library system. Overseeing 25 branches run by 600+ employees with a collection of 3.2 million items. His deep experience in fundraising, technology, program development,and demonstration of success in addressing the digital divide, has brought a new era to this library system. Kelvin joined the Library District from his role as the director of the Broward County Libraries Division, where he managed through 38 locations in the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida region. He brought transformative change through ambitious and groundbreaking initiatives, such as streamlining access to resources, introducing new technology, and developing new collaborative partnerships. He was named the 2021 winner of the Margaret E. Monroe Library Adult Services Award, sponsored by Novelist, for his dedication to implementing new and innovative ways to meet customers – both existing and new – “where they are,” with initiatives targeting non-traditional library users.

We're thrilled to share the exciting news that Dr. Stowe Shoemaker, PhD, will be the featured guest on the upcoming episode of the No Laughing Matter with Cuba Pete podcast.Join Joe and Stowe as they delve into Stowe's remarkable journey, explore the intersection of hospitality and healthcare, and discuss his latest book, "Hospitable Healthcare: Just What the Patient Ordered," released in September 2023.We sincerely appreciate your continued support, and we can't wait to bring you another outstanding episode! Get ready for an engaging and insightful conversation!

About our guest … Dr.Matthew Thacker is the Program Director for the Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency in Henderson, Nevada. After earning his bachelor's degree in Biology with a concentration in Integrative Physiology from UNLV, he attended UNLV’s School of Dental Medicine and received his Doctorate in Dental Medicine (DMD) degree in 2018. After graduating from dental school, Dr.Thacker served in the U.S. Navy as a Fleet Marine Force dental officer for 4 years aboard the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in 29 Palms, California. He continues to serve the community as a volunteer dentist for the Special Olympics, Give Kids a Smile, UNLV’s Sgt Ferrin Memorial Veteran’s Clinic, Adopt-a-Vet, Project Homeless, and Roseman University’s Empower. He is passionate about providing a broad scope of evidence-based dental care to the Las Vegas Valley community and is dedicated to training the next generation of dentists to be skilled, compassionate, and service-based healthcare providers.Dr.Thacker is a member of the American Dental Education Association, Nevada Dental Association, Southern Nevada Dental Society, and is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry. Dr.Thacker and his wife, Dr.Angelica Jane Bustos-Thacker are natives to Las Vegas and currently live in Summerlin with their two dogs, Puka and Boba. On his free time, Dr.Thacker enjoys playing ice hockey, graphic design, computer coding, traveling, and is an avid woodworker.Twitter:@DrJoeGreer @Rosemanmedicine Instagram:@rucomdiversity

About our guest … Dr. DeRionne Pollard is the current president of Nevada State University (NSU). She was appointed by the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents in April to lead NSU, a four-year public comprehensive institution. Dr. Pollard began her tenure at NSU on Aug. 16, 2021. Dr. Pollard is the first Black female president of any NSHE institution. She has held previous roles at the College of Lake County and served as president of both Montgomery College and Las Positas College.Dr. Pollard is deeply connected to her community. Dr. Pollard was named one of Washington’s 100 Most Powerful Women by Washingtonian Magazine, won a 2017 Academic Leadership Award from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and a Visionary Award from the Washington Area Women’s Foundation. She holds a bachelor’s and a master’s of arts in English from Iowa State University and a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy studies in higher education from Loyola University Chicago.Twitter:@DrJoeGreer@RosemanmedicineInstagram:@rucomdiversity

About our guest … Malachi Williams is from Phoenix, Arizona. He moved to Las Vegas 13 years ago. He has been married for 16 years and is a father of 6. Malachi is a muralist and has 20+plus years of experience as an artist. He has pieces in Atlanta, California, Arizona, North Las Vegas, and Las Vegas. Malachi is also an art instructor and does customized shoes. Malachi recently won a spool decorating contest during the ‘Art U Ok’ hosted by First Friday with the Downtown Las Vegas. His piece is titled CAREousel “Life is full of ups and downs, you just have to enjoy the ride.” He was then the featured artist at First Friday for the month of April 2023 where he did a community piece. Malachi believes that art brings the community together. He is now a resident artist at First Friday where he will be working on art pieces with the community. Malachi is currently practicing visual arts at Strokes, LLC a company that he started with his wife in 2018. ”I believe art has a way of saying what can’t be spoken with words, so I use my gift to spread hope to whoever my work is placed. I am most pleased when I see the younger generation gravitate towards creativity, and making it their own. I hope one day my children do the same, fall in love with art, and take it to a new platform.”Malachi hopes to one day have murals all across the United States. Malachi likes to inspire and evoke hope through his art pieces.

About our guest … Julia Lazareck is the co-founder and president of Prison Families Alliance, Inc. (PFA). Julia got involved in Prison Families Alliance while her brother was incarcerated. Many families of incarcerated individuals struggle with keeping the family together. PFA provides multiple diverse support systems and communication platforms in order to keep the family together through the criminal justice process, thus safer communities and minimizing recidivism. After her brother passed while in prison Julia wrote a book and started a podcast called “Prison: The Hidden Sentence.” Her goal is to raise awareness and to create a more compassionate society about the effects of incarceration on families and children. Prison Families Alliance used to be called Friends and Families of Incarcerated Persons before they changed the name in 2021. Julia has lived in Las Vegas for 25 years and has been married to Les for 16 years. She has two dogs: Sage and Sierra. https://prisonfamiliesalliance.org/ Twitter:@DrJoeGreer @Rosemanmedicine Instagram:@rucomdiversity  

Episode Noteshttps://www.powherful.orghttps://soledadobrienproductions.com/soledadhttps://www.matteroffact.tv/about-soledad/#Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/SoledadOBrien.OfficialPage/Twitter:@Soledadobrien@DrJoeGreer @Rosemanmedicine Instagram:@rucomdiversity

During this episode of No Laughing Matter with Cuba Pete, Joehosts John Edmond, they will discuss his fascinating story, whatled him to economic development in the Historic Westside, andhow economic development impacts the Social Determinants ofHealth. Subscribe to our Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo-R...College of Medicine website:https://medicine.roseman.edu/Roseman University website:https://www.roseman.edu/College of Medicine Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/rosemanmedi...'GENESIS website:https://medicine.roseman.edu/home/gen... Follow UsTwitter:@DrJoeGreer@Rosemanmedicine Instagram:@rosemanmedicine @rosemanuhs

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo-R...College of Medicine website:https://medicine.roseman.edu/Roseman University website:https://www.roseman.edu/College of Medicine Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/rosemanmedi...'GENESIS website:https://medicine.roseman.edu/home/gen... Follow UsTwitter:@DrJoeGreer@Rosemanmedicine Instagram:@rosemanmedicine @rosemanuhs

About our guest … Jermareon Williams is the government affairs manager for the state of Nevada at Western Resource Advocates(WRA). He works with WRA’s program staff to advance innovative legislative and administrative policy solutions critical to addressingthe state’s most pressing conservation challenges. As the first person to hold this position in Nevada, Williams is eager to get creativeand bring forward policy that will protect local communities.Born and raised in Las Vegas, Williams has a deep love for his community and the entire state. Having grown up in areas where therewas heavy pollution, working to ensure others have clean air to breathe makes his work at WRA personal. During his senior year ofcollege, Williams secured an internship with Senator Harry Reid, where he witnessed firsthand the collective action required in movingforward efforts to protect our planet.Senator Reid’s office then brought Williams on board after graduation where he served as the public lands and clean energy liaison andworked with conservation organizations to protect public lands in Nevada, including Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monumentand Gold Butte National Monument. And that was just the start of his service as a staffer in the U.S. Senate.Prior to joining WRA, Williams was also the small business manager for U.S Senator Jacky Rosen where he helped small businessowners locate funding for their businesses and acted as a liaison for Nevada’s Native American, African American, and techcommunities. After nearly a decade working in the Senate, Williams wanted to dedicate his professional focus to environmental work.He wanted to wake up every day knowing that he played a part in saving the world. He sees this as an opportunity to bring progress forenvironmental justice for everyone – regardless of race, income, or background. Being part of WRA, he gets to actualize this dream byworking with a team of experts committed to improving air quality and protecting the land, water, and wildlife in our Western states.Williams feels blessed to be surrounded by some of the most beautiful public and open spaces in Southern Nevada, including Red RockCanyon, Sloan Canyon, and Mount Charleston. His appreciation for these lands and his determination to ensure equitable access to allcommunities fuels his desire to work in this space. Beyond working to protect public lands, Williams is also looking forward toelectrifying transportation and safeguarding Nevada’s most precious freshwater resources.Williams earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Film from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Based in Las Vegas,Williams enjoys hanging out with his family and watching movies in his free time. He is also deeply passionate about music.  Subscribe to our Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo-R...College of Medicine website:https://medicine.roseman.edu/Roseman University website:https://www.roseman.edu/College of Medicine Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/rosemanmedi...'GENESIS website:https://medicine.roseman.edu/home/gen... Follow UsTwitter:@DrJoeGreer@Rosemanmedicine Instagram:@rosemanmedicine @rosemanuhs

About our guestWhile working at Fitzgerald Casino in the EngineeringDepartment a co-worker told her about a Union Apprenticeship TrainingProgram with the Plumbers, Pipefitters & HVAC UA Local Union 525. Sheapplied and after five years of working as an Apprentice while taking care ofher family Evelyn finally made history as Nevada’s first licensed Black femaleplumber, letting Women know that it does not matter how hard your life is orwas, you can still make something of your life. She has leveraged herexperience to help all women through her “Nevada Women in Trades”organization, a non-profit organization formed specifically to increase thenumber of Women in trades.  Subscribe to our Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo-R...College of Medicine website:https://medicine.roseman.edu/Roseman University website:https://www.roseman.edu/College of Medicine Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/rosemanmedi...'GENESIS website:https://medicine.roseman.edu/home/gen... Follow UsTwitter:@DrJoeGreer@Rosemanmedicine Instagram:@rosemanmedicine @rosemanuhs Evelyn PachecoLinkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/evelyn-pa... Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/evelyn.pache...

About our guest ... Dr. Michael Green is an associate professor at UNLV andteaches history courses on nineteenth-century America and on Nevada and LasVegas, for the history department and the Honors College. He earned his B.A.and M.A. at UNLV and his Ph.D. at Columbia University.He has written and published a couple books on the Civil War era. Dr. Green isnow working on writing a history of the Great Basin in the twentieth century forthe University of Arizona Press and a history of organized crime in the twentiethcentury for Rowman & Littlefield. He also is editing A Companion to AbrahamLincoln as part of the Wiley-Blackwell series of historiography volumes.He edits the Wilbur S. Shepperson Series on Nevada History for the University ofNevada Press and is a member of the editorial board for the press. He is amember of the board of directors for The Mob Museum. He is the director ofPreserve Nevada and serves as executive director of the Pacific Coast Branch ofthe American Historical Association.Green is also active in writing and speaking in the community. He writes"Nevada Yesterdays" for Nevada Humanities and KNPR, and a column for thequarterly R-J Sunday magazine.

Websitehttps://adamsplacelv.org/Instagram@Adamsplacelv Social Media-IG: Adamsplacelv About our guest … Kelly Thomas-Boyers is the co-founder and board presidentof Adam's Place. Adam’s Place is a Grief Center for Children and Families wasestablished in memory of Adam Gregory Thomas, Kelly’s son. Adam was a 21-year-old college senior at the University of Nevada, Reno when he sustainedlife-ending injuries from a car crash in Reno, Nevada in March of 2007.Kelly returned to the University of Nevada, Reno in May 2007 in support ofmemorial activities and the Adam Thomas Legislative Intern Scholarship. It wasthere that she found a brochure for the Solace Tree Program, a grieving supportcenter for children, teens and adults in Reno. The idea of a place for her youngerson, Alec, to go and work through his grief made a great impact on her. Kelly setout to find a similar program in Las Vegas upon her return, but couldn’t find one.After intensive research, guidance from the executive director, Emilio Parga, ofSolace Tree in Reno, and many talks with social workers, doctors, nurses andschool counselors, Adam’s Place opened its doors in 2010 and has been servingthe Southern Nevada community ever since.She brings over 25 years of business and healthcare experience to the board.Her unwavering passion for Adam's Place is obvious in her work in thecommunity.

Daisy Chen https://alphaconverge.com/ About our guest ... Daisy Chen is the founder of a “Best Big Data" and"Most Innovative Machine Learning" company in Nevada, Daisy hasalmost two decades of experience in tackling complex projects forhighly matrixes fortune 500 companies, leading management consultingfirm, and top media & advertising agencies. She started to lead topcompanies' analytics functions in her 20s, and have a proven track recordof building & evangelizing best practices, mentoring analytics talents,cultivating collaborative relationships, and deliver solid business resultsin diverse industries.Daisy is a partner at AlphaConverge, a management consulting firm thatis recognized as one of the best in big data, data integration, businessintelligence and machine learning. Daisy has extensive experience inleading top companies’ analytics functions and tackling complexprojects at highly matrixed fortune 500 companies, leading managementconsulting firms and top advertising agencies. Dr. Karin Espositohttps://medicine.roseman.edu/home/leadership/https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-esposito-md-phd-43391350/Dr. Karin Esposito is Professor and Senior Executive Deanfor Academic and Student Affairs at Roseman University College of Medicine(RUCOM). She is the Chief Academic Officer for the medical school and will serve asthe faculty lead for accreditation. She has held previous roles in curriculum, advising,and student affairs and also has experience as a residency program director. Dr.Esposito received her PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology, as well as her MD,from the University of Miami, and she completed her residency training in psychiatryat Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. Her research interests have spannedbasic and clinical research, education research, and hospital-based qualityimprovement research at various times in her career.Prior to coming to Roseman, Dr. Esposito held roles at Florida International UniversityHerbert Wertheim College of Medicine as Executive Associate Dean for StudentAffairs, Associate Dean for Curriculum and Medical Education and as Associate Deanfor Academic Affairs and for Women in Medicine and Science. Dr. Esposito was alsothe founding program director for the psychiatry residency at Citrus Health Network.  Dr. Jaime Fairclough https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-fairclough-phd-mph-ms-2901564b/ Dr. Jamie Fairclough serves as Associate Dean, Professor,and Director of the Data Science & Analytics Unit at Roseman University Collegeof Medicine (RUCOM). As a data leader, Dr. Fairclough oversees the datainfrastructure and analytics strategy plans and leads current cloudadoption/transformation efforts in the medical school. Before coming toRUCOM, Dr. Fairclough held faculty appointments at Florida InternationalUniversity (Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine), Florida State University(College of Medicine), and Palm Beach Atlantic University (Gregory School ofPharmacy). She also worked in government operations, managing a statewiderisk surveillance system for the Florida Department of Health (Bureau ofEpidemiology) in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention(CDC). Dr. Fairclough earned her BS, MPH, and MS degrees from the University ofFlorida and her PhD from Florida State University. She subsequently completedpostdoctoral fellowship training in Behavioral Medicine Research at DukeUniversity Medical Center, as well as postgraduate/executive training in medicalstatistics at Stanford University; data science, AI, and machine learning at theUniversity of Texas at Austin; data engineering at the University of Chicago; andHealthcare AI at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Fairclough holds a secondaryappointment as Adjunct Professor of Data Science at Noorda College ofOsteopathic Medicine and was recently selected as an NWCCU | SACSCOC2022-2023 Data Equity Fellow.

About our guest ... Soléil is a passionate community advocate and activist.She is the second representative of the Trans Visibility Talk and one of theboard members for EQUAL which is a LGBTQIA+ group for Caesars Palace.Soléil is also a board member for Love MCC church in Las Vegas and is one ofthe top representatives at the United Territories of Pacific Islanders Alliance.(U.T.O.P.I.A.) Recently, Soléil spoke on a panel regarding Women’s HistoryMonth where she shared her vision of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.Additionally, Soléil McCants is a Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Specialist atCasear’s Entertainment. She has 10 years of experience in digital marketingand is currently overseas the PPC campaigns for Caesar properties in NorthernNevada, Atlantic City, Mississippi, New Orleans, and Southern Indiana.

About our Guest … Nancy Good was born in Texas. She has lived all over the United States and loves traveling. Her travels have greatly influenced her art and other creative pursuits. Nancy received her undergraduate degree at Eureka College in Illinois. She studied classical voice, creative writing, and art. She has pursued many creative passions over the years. In May 2018, she opened a fine art gallery in Las Vegas called CORE Contemporary. The gallery’s mission is to provide exhibition opportunities for other artists and educational opportunities for the community. The gallery has worked with over 300 artists since its opening. Nancy is known for her mural-sized, interactive art pieces. Her creativity engages all the senses. Nancy is passionate about creating art that compels dialogue and human connection. Her art has been featured in galleries across the country.

About our guest…Juan Muniz was born in Tijuana, Mexico, and raised in San Diego, California. He received an Associate’s in animation at Collin’s College and later went on to receive a Bachelor’s of Art in Graphic Design at the Art Institute in Las Vegas. His Felipe bunny art has been showcased in Art galleries, murals, commercial art, and illustrations. Juan was diagnosed with anxiety and depression and has always found it easier to express his thoughts and feelings through art. Juan is passionate about raising awareness to mental health and normalizing that conversation. He does not want to merely talk about mental health, but do something about it. Juan has worked with various healthcare entities and schools to share his message and raise awareness. He serves on the board of directors for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Southern Nevada. Juan’s aspiration is that through his art and new book, I am not ok, that children and families will start having conversations about mental health. Each piece of merchandise sold includes Juan’s story and resources regarding mental health.