Michael Higdon
Michael Higdon, ’97 MA Communication Studies, ’01 JD, is an associate professor of law and the director of legal writing at the University of Tennessee College of Law in Knoxville. He teaches constitutional law, family law, legal writing, and sexuality, gender and the law.
Sondra Cosgrove
Sondra Cosgrove, ’96 BA History, ’04 PhD History, is a professor and former Faculty Senate chair at the College of Southern Nevada. President of the League of Women Voters of the Las Vegas Valley, she also serves as first vice president of the League of Women Voters of Nevada.
Dawn Nation Ward
Dawn Nation Ward, ’95 BA Theatre Arts, is the only full-tine paralegal instructor for the online paralegal program at Cerro Coso Community College. Previously, she practiced law in Ohio. She lives in Ridgecrest, California.
Karmen Smith
Karmen Smith, ’95 Master of Social Work, has been a child and family intervention specialist with Clark County Family Services for 20 years. She also is the founder of NSITEFUL, a spiritual enlightenment company that uses social media to spread the wisdom of the universe that “you are the one” to change your life and the world. A spiritual teacher and an ordained minister, she has written a book, The ‘I AM’ Solution: Five Practices to Ignite Your Inner Hero, which will be published later this year. She lives in Henderson.
Darrell Husband
Darrell Husband, ’95 BS Business Administration, is an attorney in the Phoenix office of Quarles & Brady. He is in the real estate practice group. Among those he represents are financial institutions, local and regional banks, private lenders, and private equity funds. He received his law degree at Pepperdine University.
Robert Cortez
Robert Cortez, ’95 Bachelor of Music, teaches instrumental music at Mexico Senior High School in Mexico, Missouri. Previously, he spent 10 years as a band director with the Clark County School District. He was inducted in to the Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity in 2013 and serves on the board of the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education. A fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus, he enjoys traveling with student groups and with his family. He and his wife, Mikelle, have three children, Alex, Ryan, and Nic.
Shifon Foster Berumen
Shifon Foster Berumen, ’95 BA Interdisciplinary Studies, teaches U.S. and world history at Chino High School in California. Her hobbies include hiking, kayaking, and motorcycle riding. She and her sons, Jared and James, have two dogs.
James Williams
James Williams, ’94 BS Computer Science, is a firmware engineer. Tennis and flying are among his hobbies. He lives in Reno.
Linda Gray Norcross
Linda Gray Norcross, ’94 BA Political Science, ’04 JD, recently transitioned from private practice to assistant general counsel for Aristocrat Technologies. Previously, she worked for the Las Vegas office of Howard & Howard. She was named a Mountain States “Super Lawyer” for 2015 by Super Lawyers. Also this year she was named to the “Legal Elite” and “Best Up and Coming Attorneys” lists by Nevada Business magazine.
Mika Takasaki Koike
Mika Takasaki Koike, ’94 BS Hotel Administration, is an interpreter for Japan’s Yokohama District Court and an instructor at Sundai Travel & Hotel College. Her hobbies include volleyball and exercising in the gym. She is married and has two daughters and one son. The family lives in Yokohama.
Lynn Tynan
Lynn Tynan, ’92 BA Political Science, recently retired, but has her own jewelry business, is a professional actress locally, and does property management. She previously owned her own tour company, served as director of a women’s substance abuse center, and organized recovery events. She has sung with the UNLV Women’s Choir for more than 10 years, plays tournament badminton, and enjoys traveling to see friends and family, including her three grandchildren. She recently traveled to upstate New York for her 50th high school reunion.
Jon Thumin
Jon Thumin, ’92 BA Liberal Studies, is a special education teacher in Des Moines, Washington.