Leadership

Dr. John Miller serves as Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Nevada State University. A career educator of forty-four years, he brings teaching and administrative experience spanning K-12 and post-secondary education, as well as experience implementing distance education, dual credit programs, and customized/workforce training.

In his native state of Idaho, Dr. Miller is known for his contributions to the development and administration of a state broadband system connecting high schools and college/university partners for the delivery of dual credit. While in North Dakota, he was responsible for workforce training programs in the Bakken oil region, training 8,000 workers annually in areas ranging from workplace safety to exploration, construction, distribution, and support roles in the energy industry. These programs were tied to economic development in the high plains region.

Dr. Miller has served in a variety of roles at four institutions of higher education, including college president, provost, vice president for academic affairs, dean, and director of apprenticeships and workforce training.

Dr. Miller received his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from the University of Idaho.

Dr. Stefanie D. Coleman serves as Vice President of Student Affairs at Nevada State University, where she leads a comprehensive division spanning from student life, conduct, Title IX, career services, student transition and retention, student wellness, disability resources, to TRiO and GEAR-UP programs, athletics, and auxiliary services (Housing, Bookstore, Dining). Dr. Coleman and her team are responsible for how students engage with Nevada State University outside of the classroom.

Dr. Coleman has helped advance initiatives to support first-year and first-generation college students’ retention, leading NSU to a champion status in NASPA’s First Gen Forward program and the launch of the STAR program. Dr. Coleman established the University’s Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) and launched the student emergency/hardship fund in partnership with the CFO and Advancement leadership. She was the conceptual leader who championed Nevada State’s inaugural athletics program, securing $350,000 in philanthropic support and co-developing a five-year athletic strategic plan.

Dr. Coleman previously served as Dean of Students, where she reorganized student support services and championed retention intervention through data-informed feedback. Earlier in her career, she held leadership positions at Prairie State College and Robert Morris University Illinois after teaching in the K-12 system.

A champion of access and equity, Dr. Coleman has dedicated her career to expanding pathways for first-generation, underrepresented, and at-risk students. She holds a Doctor of Education in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service in Higher Education from Cardinal Stritch University, a Master of Public Administration from Governors State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Illinois Chicago.

Dr. Edith Fernández serves as Vice President of Culture, Planning, and Policy at Nevada State University, where she oversees strategic planning, policy development, institutional effectiveness, and community and civic engagement. Her work focuses on advancing student-centered strategy, strengthening institutional effectiveness, and fostering collaboration across the University. 

During her more than two decades in higher education, Dr. Fernández has held leadership roles spanning academic and student services, admissions, financial aid, marketing, events, and operational planning. Her work has led to stronger cross-campus alignment and improved institutional structures. Her experience also includes campus safety, crisis response, and emergency management, including overseeing Nevada State’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She frequently presents at national conferences and advises organizations on strategy, organizational and change management, and higher education leadership. She served as a Congressional District Director in Nevada in 2013. 

Dr. Fernández holds degrees from the University of Nevada, Reno, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She also earned a master’s degree from Harvard University and a Doctor of Education from the University of Michigan. A lifelong Nevadan, Dr. Fernández brings a strong sense of mission, collaboration, and purpose to her work. 

Dr. Amber Lopez Lasater serves as Special Advisor to the President at Nevada State University advancing institution-wide initiatives, public-private partnerships, the Nevada State Campus Lands Corporation, and other strategic priorities. She has served on the University’s executive leadership team since 2017 and brings extensive experience in institutional strategy, external partnerships, and economic development.

Dr. Lopez Lasater previously served as Acting President of Nevada State University after being appointed by the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents in October 2025. Prior to that appointment, she served as Officer in Charge and Chief of Staff and Strategy, helping guide University strategy, policy, and major institutional initiatives.

Throughout her tenure at Nevada State, Dr. Lopez Lasater has played a significant role in advancing the University’s long-term growth and development. She has helped shape and execute strategic plans, develop external partnerships, guide large-scale projects, and secure multimillion-dollar funding for the University. She has also been a leading architect of the SMART Growth Initiative, which envisions the development of the University’s undeveloped land in southeast Henderson.

Dr. Lopez Lasater also serves as Executive Director of the Nevada State Campus Lands Corporation, which supports the development and expansion of the University’s Henderson campus. Her work reflects a longstanding commitment to student success, collaboration, innovation, and Nevada State’s continued growth.

She holds a doctoral degree in Public Policy, a master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning, and a bachelor’s degree in Communications. Dr. Lopez Lasater is also active in community boards and organizations.

Dr. Maria Marinch-Gibbons serves as Chief of Staff at Nevada State University. She joined the University in August 2025 and was appointed to her current role in July 2026.

She is responsible for the University’s public affairs efforts, including government, community, and public relations. In addition to implementing strategic initiatives for the Office of the President, she works with local, state, and federal elected officials to track, monitor, and analyze legislative and government proposals. She represents the University on behalf of the President, cultivating statewide relationships, strengthening advocacy networks and partnerships, and supporting Nevada State and NSHE priorities.

Dr. Marinch-Gibbons previously served as Executive Director of the National Institute for the Advancement of Education (NIAE) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she worked with educational and community stakeholders to advance PK-20 education. Her experience also includes leadership roles with the Clark County School District and College of Southern Nevada focused on community engagement, inclusive learning, community relations, and diversity efforts. For nearly 25 years, she provided consultation on strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, language services, integrated communications, and professional development.

Earlier in her career, she worked in public relations, government affairs, and operations for a global agricultural technology company, and Procter & Gamble in the purchasing and marketing divisions. She is a 2022 UNLV Leadership Program participant, a 2017 graduate of Leadership Las Vegas, and is active in community organizations. She holds a Bachelor of Business in Marketing, a Master of Arts in Foreign Languages, and a Doctor of Public Policy, all from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Berna L. Rhodes-Ford has served as General Counsel at Nevada State University since January 2019, with responsibility for legal matters affecting the University. She oversees matters including employment issues, student matters, external administrative complaints, contracts, intellectual property, development and real estate, and privacy law. In addition, she serves as General Counsel to Nevada State Campus Lands Corporation, a 501(c)(2) organization formed to develop 228 acres of the campus.

Rhodes-Ford has also served as Chair of the Anti-Racism Task Force, where she examined institutional policies, procedures, practices, and structures through an anti-racist lens. She has also held leadership roles as Co-Chair of the Governance Redesign Task Force, which refines the institution’s governance model and develops a framework for governance roles and responsibilities, and as Chair of the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Task Force, which provides cultural and educational opportunities for Nevada State students.

Her experience also includes private practice as Founder and Managing Shareholder of Rhodes-Ford & Associates, and Partner at Brown Law Group, with work spanning corporate law, labor and employment law, and healthcare law. She also completed two judicial clerkships, including the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for Judge Johnnie B. Rawlinson, and worked as a Legislative Assistant and Budget Manager to Texas Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson.

Rhodes-Ford earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law after completing a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Southern Methodist University.

Dr. Brandy D. Smith serves as Interim Vice President of Finance and Business Operations at Nevada State University. She joined the University in 2022 as the Director of Operations and Strategic Planning. Since then, she has been responsible for several significant initiatives benefiting the University, including the refinancing of Series 2013 bonds, saving the University $7.4 million over 20 years. Working with the City of Henderson, she negotiated and finalized the purchase of the adjacent Dawson Building.

Other notable projects include the transition to a new dining service provider, saving the University significant funds its first year of operation; serving as lead of several policy development teams; and working as the Principal Investigator for a $1.9 million subaward for a flood control project.

Dr. Smith oversees accounting, budgets, grants, purchasing, student financial services, information technology services, human resources, campus safety, and campus infrastructure. She serves on the Nevada System of Higher Education’s Business Officers Council and Public Safety Council, Co-Chairs the Nevada State Budget Committee, and is Secretary of the Nevada State Campus Lands Corporation.

Prior to joining Nevada State, Dr. Smith served as Executive Director of Finance and Administration for the Academic Success Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she further developed her expertise in higher education finance and administration. Her experience at UNLV also includes serving as a Postdoctoral Scholar and Graduate Assistant, with responsibilities spanning teaching, serving on dissertation committees, and supervising internships.

She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, an MBA in New Venture Management, and an undergraduate degree in Business Management, all earned at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.