Advisory Board Member Bios
Paulo A. Azevedo is executive director, publisher and founder of Macau Business magazine. Azevedo has been a professional journalist for 20 years, spending 14 of those as an Asian correspondent for a Lisbon political radio station and major Portuguese newspapers and magazines. Serving as a Macau analyst with RTHK, he was also a contributor to the former Asiaweek magazine. His small media group publishes two other magazines, runs events and is now entering the hospitality field.
Patricia Becker is executive director of the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas . In addition, she operates Patricia Becker & Associates, a gaming consulting firm that specializes in compliance and regulatory issues. She is on the board of Cash Systems, Inc. and is the independent member of Bally Technologies, Inc. compliance committee. Becker has held numerous executive positions including roles with Aladdin Gaming and Harrah's. She has received numerous professional awards and is a past president of the International Association of Gaming Attorneys. In 2004, Becker was inducted as a counselor in the International Association of Gaming Attorneys.
Clinton Ford Billups, Jr. is president of CFB Productions Inc, where he serves as a personal manager and television producer. He has more than 30 years of experience in entertainment, broadcasting and marketing communications. Billups also is a founder and producer of EventPro Forum, the annual Las Vegas conference for live event producers. A frequent participant at entertainment industry trade events, he has been quoted in publications ranging from The Wall Street Journal to The New Yorker and Amusement Business. Billups was elected in 2002 as the national president of the National Conference of Personal Managers. He is a graduate of Lafayette College and studied business management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He also is a graduate of the Connecticut Police Academy and served as both a municipal and state law enforcement officer.
Mark Birtha is the vice president of development at Marriott Las Vegas. Birtha is a seasoned hospitality veteran with over 13 years of experience in the Las Vegas resort hotel casino environment. Birtha is currently the president of the Cornell Alumni Association of Nevada and a regular lecturer in the Cornell's casino operations and marketing classes. In addition, he serves on the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School gaming program advisory board, the Hotel World Expo Conference Committee, the UNLV Golf Foundation, and the Nevada Tourism Alliance. He has been a featured speaker at multiple gaming conferences and has written for Global Gaming Business, Casino Design, Casino and Gaming International and others. In 2006, he was recognized as one of the "Top 40 Under 40" business executives in Las Vegas by In Business Las Vegas magazine. Birtha earned his bachelor's degree from Cornell University and was a Merrill Presidential Scholar.
Elizabeth Blau is the founder & CEO of Elizabeth Blau and Associates. Founded in 2002, Blau & Associates is a strategic restaurant planning and development company that specializes in providing clients with the fresh, creative and sound business advice required to create exceptional food and beverage concepts. Blau's food service career spans more than 23 years in a variety of roles, including as senior vice president of restaurant development for MGM/Mirage. Blau graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor's degree in government and international relations and holds a master's degree from Cornell University 's school of hotel administration.
Rob Bone is the vice president of marketing for WMS Gaming Inc, where he is responsible for all aspects related to market research, advertising, promotions, interactive, public relations and trade shows. Prior to joining WMS, Bone held various positions in marketing and finance at Harrah's Entertainment and MGM MIRAGE. Bone has a bachelor's and master's degree from the University of Nevada , Las Vegas .
Gary Border is president of Marketing Results, Inc. (MRI). Border is a business management professional with over 30 years of experience in casino gaming, focusing specifically on database marketing, brand building and communication channel development. In addition, Border has developed several innovative casino marketing services for the industry, including gambler tracking tools, yield management analysis and prospecting solutions.
Julie Brinkerhoff-Jacobs is president and chief financial officer of Lifescapes International, Inc., a leading landscape architectural design firm that has created some of the most dynamic casino resorts, retail centers and mixed-use developments throughout the United States and abroad. Brinkerhoff-Jacobs is a well-known speaker and author on design issues.
Tom Cantone is vice president of entertainment at Mohegan Sun and a 25-year veteran of the casino, entertainment, theme park, hotel and resort industries. Prior to his current role, Cantone served as vice president of Foxwoods Entertainment Group. Cantone launched his career working in senior corporate marketing roles at Hershey Entertainment and Resort Company and Sands Hotel and Casino. Donald Trump then recruited Cantone to become the vice president of entertainment, promotions and advertising for Trump Castle Casino Resort and ultimately promoted him to corporate vice president of entertainment for all three Trump properties. Cantone went on to help establish the Planet Hollywood brand. He has received numerous industry awards and serves on the gaming conference advisory board for G2E. Cantone is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University .
John Ceresani is a principal partner of The Pharos Group, LLC, an organizational and leadership development/coaching consulting firm. Since its formation in 2005, its client list includes such companies as the El Conquistador Resort and Golden Door Spa, Foxwoods Resort Casino and Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Ceresani's gaming and human resources career spans 25 years with his most recent assignment as regional senior vice president of organizational development for Caesars Entertainment.
Raj Chandnani oversees strategic planning and consulting for Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WATG). He has a wide range of hospitality industry expertise focusing on diverse segments, including consumer trends, travel and tourism, gaming, timeshare, residential and spas. Chandnani has specialized in commercial real estate and hotel advisory services since 1994. Prior to joining WATG, Chandnani was an associate director with Insignia/ESG Hotel Partners, where he spent six years in a variety of capacities including asset management, investment sales, financings and portfolio due diligence. He was previously with PKF Consulting in Los Angeles , and also has taught classes on strategic planning, financial management, real estate finance, hotel development and tourism at UCLA, USC and Cornell University. Chandnani is a regional vice president for the Cornell Hotel Society and a member of the planning committee for the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS). He is a graduate of Cornell University 's School of Hotel Administration.
Kirsten Clark is the vice president of worldwide marketing at Shuffle Master, Inc. Clark currently oversees the company’s worldwide branding, marketing and advertising initiatives and was responsible for integrating the marketing divisions of the company’s two international subsidiaries post-acquisition. She also has been responsible for the marketing and promotional initiatives related to numerous product launches including the company’s popular Ultimate Texas Hold’em table game, its i-Table and Table Master electronic table platforms and its i-Deal specialty shuffler. Clark graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a master’s degree in communications and was a founding member of the university’s Greenspun College of Urban Affairs advisory board.
Beth Deighan is the president of Casino Careers, LLC. Deighan has over 18 years of senior management experience in the gaming industry and has opened two casino resorts. She has held the positions of executive director of marketing, director of human resources and director of casino administration. Deighan earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in communications from Rowan University and is a graduate of the Babson College executive program in human resources. She also possesses certification in employee relations law from the Institute for Applied Management and Law.
Christie Eickelman is the senior director of worldwide marketing for Gaming Laboratories International, Inc. (GLI). In her position Eickelman is responsible for the coordination and implementation of all GLI marketing programs globally. Her responsibilities include developing the corporate theme and establishing and coordinating the marketing function in accordance with GLI's policies, regulations, and sound business practices. Previously, Eickelman worked as the marketing manager for Sodak Gaming, Inc. now IGT. She also worked for Wolf Gaming, LLC. as vice president of marketing and public relations.
Alan M. Feldman serves as senior vice president of public affairs for MGM MIRAGE. In this capacity, he is the company's principal spokesperson and is responsible for overseeing all public relations efforts for the Las Vegas-based publicly traded hotel and gaming company. Previously, Feldman served as the senior account supervisor at Hill and Knowlton, one of the world's largest public relations consultancies. Feldman's work has received numerous awards including a prestigious Silver Anvil for Excellence in International Public Relations for a project on behalf of the city of West Berlin , Germany. He also is currently a member of the board of directors of KNPR, the National Public Radio affiliate in Las Vegas, the board of the Las Vegas Performing Arts Center Foundation, the executive committee of the Las Vegas Centennial Commission, the advisory board for the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling, and the board of directors of the National Center for Responsible Gaming. Feldman received a bachelor's degree from UCLA.
Jason Giles is a tribal citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation located in Oklahoma and deputy executive director/general counsel for the National Indian Gaming Association. Giles attended the United States Military Academy and law school at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Upon graduating from law school in 2000, Giles began his legal career as an associate attorney at a labor law firm in Honolulu , Hawaii., where he focused on labor law, real estate law, and bankruptcy issues. He is currently a member of the Wisconsin , Hawaii and Oklahoma bar associations.
Roger Gros is publisher of Global Gaming Business magazine, the leading trade publication for the gaming industry, published by Casino Connection International (CCI). Global Gaming Business also publishes Global Gaming Business Weekly, the industry's only weekly e-magazine, and Casino Connection, the national magazine for casino employees. Before joining CCI, Gros was president of Inlet Communications, an independent consulting firm. He was vice president of Casino Journal Publishing Group from 1984-2000 and has served as editor of Casino Journal, the National Gaming Summary and Casino Player magazines. Gros was a co-founder of the American Gaming Summit and the Southern Gaming Summit conferences and trade shows. He was named “Businessman of the Year” for 1998 by the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce and is the author of How to Win at Casino Gambling, published in 1998 by Carlton Books.
Fredric E. Gushin is founder of Spectrum Gaming, for which he has worked with a variety of private sector and governmental clients. He has advised private casino developers on operational and management issues and provided gaming expertise to a number of gaming jurisdictions over the years. Gushin worked for many years with the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement where he was promoted to assistant director and assistant attorney general. During his thirteen-year career with the division, he oversaw the openings of twelve Atlantic City casino hotels and managed civil and administrative litigation before the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. He has personally argued more than fifty cases before the commission. Gushin also serves as a member of the Oneida Indian Nation Gaming Commission, which regulates the highly successful Turning Stone Resort Casino near Syracuse , Ny .
Julian Harris is a partner at Harris Hagan. Recognized as a leading expert in national and international gambling and licensing law, Harris is highly regarded by operators and regulators throughout the world. He and John Hagan are the founding partners of Harris Hagan, the first U.K. law firm specializing in legal services to the gambling and leisure industries. With more than 20 years experience in gambling law, Harris has advised some of the world's largest gaming and entertainment industry corporations as well as trade associations, including the British Casino Association and the Casino Operators’ Association of the U.K. In addition, Harris is an experienced advocate, a respected and sought-after conference speaker, and the author of numerous articles and papers for gaming and legal publications. Harris is a trustee and general counsel of the International Association of Gaming Advisors.
Dean Hestermann is the corporate director of public affairs for Harrah's Entertainment Inc., providing strategic guidance for the company on a variety of public policy and corporate social responsibility issues, including responsible gaming. He has been with Harrah's in various communications, government relations, and issues management positions since 1992. He is a recipient of The Chairman's Award, the company's highest honor, and serves on the board of directors of the National Council on Problem Gambling.
Mike Johnson is director of industry development at Reed Exhibitions, managing the conference programming for all Global Gaming Expo (G2E) and International Security Conference & Exposition (ISC) events. These education programs, serving the casino entertainment and security industries respectively, comprise one of the largest conference portfolios in the world. In cooperation with the shows’ advisory boards and association partners, Johnson is responsible for the overall conference program development and speaker selection process for G2E, G2E Asia, ISC East, and ISC West, as well as online education and news content development for the G2E Online Education Center and ISC 365. Johnson is also a certified audiovisual technician and lighting designer, having worked previously at Scholastic, Inc. and the law offices of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP, and has participated as a guest lecturer promoting the development of the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions) industry throughout the world.
Connie Jones is director of responsible gaming for International Game Technology, a global company specializing in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and sales of computerized gaming machines and systems products. A member of the board of the National Council on Problem Gambling, Jones was recognized by Casino Enterprise Management magazine as one of its Great Women in Gaming.
Leslie Kefer is the marketing project manager at the Gaming Standards Association, an international trade association that creates benefits for gaming manufacturers, suppliers, operators and regulators. In addition, Kefer is a team member of One Brick, a non-profit volunteer organization that brings volunteers together to support other local non-profit organizations.
Brian Knaff is CEO and owner of Talent Buyers Network, an outsourcer of national concert entertainment. Through the years, he has developed and managed the careers of numerous international recording artists and produced numerous original shows and events. He provided extensive training and development for many of the country's top talent agents and designs and directs TBN's venue consultation services for the casino, corporate, fair and festival markets. Knaff is also seminar facilitator and convention panelist for National Indian Gaming Association, Concert Industry Consortium, Great Plains Midwest and Southwest Indian Gaming, United South & Eastern Tribes, International Entertainment Buyers Association and G2E Global Gaming Expo.
Jane Lee is the director of marketing and business development at Bergman, Walls & Associates, Ltd. Lee has more than 20 years experience in business development, marketing and management in the global financial, construction, architectural and hospitality industries.
Bill Lerner is a managing director and senior gaming and lodging analyst at Deutsche Bank. Lerner formerly worked at Prudential as the senior gaming, lodging and leisure analyst. In addition, he is a member of Institutional Investor's 2007 all-American research team. Lerner earned his bachelor's degree from Syracuse University and a master's degree from Boston University .
Lloyd D. Levenson is the chairman of the casino law department and chief executive officer of Cooper Levenson law firm. An accomplished trial attorney and recognized expert in complex casino regulatory matters, Levenson is also a well-published author and frequent speaker on a broad range of industry legal issues, with a client list that includes casinos, sovereign governments, casino professionals and suppliers to the casino industry. Levenson has received numerous awards and holds several key positions in vital organizations that set worldwide standards, both nationally and internationally. He has twice served as chairman of the casino law section of the New Jersey Bar Association and also has served as chairman of the Gaming Law Committee of the American Bar Association. He earned his bachelor's degree from Lafayette College and his law degree from Georgetown University .
Dean M. Macomber is president of consulting firm Macomber International. He has over 30 years of diversified experience in the gaming industry ranging from dealer to president, development to operations, and pre-opening to post opening management. He has worked in numerous domestic and international venues involving small, locals-oriented casinos, racinos, Native American projects, urban/day trip operations, and mega-destination resorts. A frequent speaker, he has delivered over 50 speeches, taught college-level courses on casino management, and authored 11 articles. Macomber holds a masters degree from Cornell University .
Jana McKeag is president of Lowry Strategies and a partner in The Franklin Partnership. She is a former member of the National Indian Gaming Commission and has worked on Indian issues for more than 30 years. McKeag also writes a political column for Casino Journal and sits on the G2E conference advisory board. She is a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and a graduate of Gettysburg College and Harvard University.
Patricia Merl is director of gaming outreach for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) International Gaming Institute, where she is responsible for the design, development and implementation of online courses, webinars, programs and seminars. Merl also teaches event and entertainment marketing, production and operational management, and entertainment in media as an adjunct faculty member on the entertainment studies committee in the Tourism and Convention Department at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. Additionally, she provides production operations and marketing consultation for major companies in Las Vegas and Sydney, Australia. Previously, Merl served as executive assistant to the vice president of hotel sales and marketing for Wynn Las Vegas, vice president of operations and marketing for Farrington Productions, Inc., national marketing director for Circus Vargas and general production manager for Miller Reich Productions, Inc. Merl was a CSEP certification examiner for five years and has chaired several committees for the International Special Event Society in Las Vegas as well as served on the certification committee of the international board.
Courtney Muller is a group vice president at Reed Exhibitions. Her portfolio includes gaming events: Global Gaming Expo, G2E Asia; as well as BookExpoAmerica, the North American book publishing convention and the Vision Expos, North Americas leading eye-care events. Muller has worked in the trade show and event industry for 16 years, spending 13 of those years at Reed Exhibitions. Muller has earned numerous accolades and awards in her years in the exhibit industry, including both the President's Award and the Chairman's Award at Reed Exhibitions.
Judy L. Patterson is senior vice president and executive director of the American Gaming Association (AGA). In this capacity, Patterson administers the association's day-to-day activities and has set up industry task forces to study issues as diverse as taxes, bank secrecy act provisions, communications and responsible gaming. She was instrumental in the organization of the National Center for Responsible Gaming, an independent, nonprofit organization that administers the nation's only peer-reviewed research grants program focused exclusively on problem and underage gambling. She also was a key player in the creation of Global Gaming Expo (G2E), and has led the development of the event into the largest and most successful gaming industry conference and trade show in the world. In addition, she has shepherded the expansion of the G2E family of events to include G2E Institute and G2E Asia. Patterson also works with consultants, academic institutions and state gaming associations to develop independent studies of gaming issues.
Prior to joining the AGA, Patterson served as special assistant to the president of the American Bar Association (ABA), where she continued her involvement with developing public-private partnerships to build and sustain support for justice system improvements; she also served the ABA as director of the Public Liaison Office.
Patterson is a co-founder and member of the board of directors of the D.C. Coalition Against Drugs and Violence.
A summa cum laude graduate of Wichita State University (1974) and a cum laude graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center , (1985), she also holds a master's degree in education from Boston University (1975). Patterson is a member of the Washington , D.C. , and Maryland bar associations. She lives in Bethesda , Md. , with her son and daughter.
Marcus Prater is the executive director for the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM), a trade organization comprised of top gaming industry suppliers. Prater most recently served as senior vice president of marketing for Bally Technologies, Inc., where he spent nine years directing Bally's global advertising, trade show, machine and systems sales support, media relations and special event functions. Prior to joining Bally in 1999, Prater served as director of marketing for Las Vegas-based slot supplier Sigma Game, Inc. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oregon.
James Rafferty is a 29 year veteran of the casino industry and principal of Rafferty & Associates. From 1988 to 2001, he served as senior vice president of corporate marketing for Harvey 's Casino Resorts in Lake Tahoe. He also has held senior management positions with Summa, Harrah's, Showboat and Delaware North Companies. He has written extensively about casino marketing and management, and has consulted of those subjects throughout North America . His recent focus on the Purse supplements in racino Statesand has been published in Global Gaming Business. Rafferty holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Nevada , Las Vegas , and a master's degree from Rutgers University.
Steve Rittvo is chairman of the Innovation Group of companies, where he provides overall policy direction, technical oversight and manpower allocations for the company. In the course of his career, Rittvo has participated in gaming studies for clients such as Caesars Entertainment, MGM Mirage and Harrah's Entertainment. Government bodies around the world have asked for his analysis, as well as Wall Street and the investment banking community. In addition, he has been a featured speaker at more than 30 gaming conferences. Rittvo holds a bachelor's degree in systems engineering and a master's degree in transportation planning and engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. He also has completed coursework toward his doctoral degree at the University of New Orleans.
Adam Rosenberg is co-head of Goldman Sachs' gaming practice and currently focuses on providing strategic and financial advice to the firm's casino operator, gambling technology and gaming equipment manufacturer clients. Clients include such gaming operators as Station Casinos, Harrah's Entertainment and Colony Capital, as well as gaming equipment manufacturers International Game Technology and Shuffle Master. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Rosenberg was an attorney with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom's New York office. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his law degree from Harvard Law School.
Bruce Rowe is the senior vice president of business development for Bally Technologies. He is also president of Renaissance Casino Solutions, Inc., a Nevada-based consulting company offering services to several sectors of the gaming industry. Rowe has held key positions at Harrah's and the GTECH Corporation. Rowe also has participated in the openings of 16 domestic and international casinos during his career. He is a member of the International Gaming Advisory Board.
Max Rubin is one of eight living members of the Blackjack Hall of Fame and the award-winning author of Comp City: A Guide to Free Gambling Vacations. With nearly 40 years in the gaming industry as a casino veteran, gaming consultant and television celebrity, he serves as the expert commentator on CBS' Ultimate Blackjack Tour and has designed, developed and hosted numerous highly profitable casino tournaments.
Robert Russell is a gaming analyst at Regulatory Management Counselors, P.C. In this role, Russell focuses primarily on the gaming industry where he assists in developing systems to ensure that companies remain compliant. His expertise includes casino supplier licensing, licensing transfers, non-compliance appeals, Internet trademark licensing agreements, issue management, association management, legislative monitoring and lobbying.
John Schadler is a managing partner at Schadler Kramer Group (SK+G). Prior to his current role, Schadler was vice president of advertising for Mirage Resorts. Schadler founded SK+G in 1999 and works with clients such as MGM Grand Las Vegas, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Montage Hotels & Resorts and Palms Casino Resort.
Scott D. Schweinfurth is the executive vice president and chief financial officer at WMS Industries. Prior to joining WMS, Schweinfurth served as senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer of Las Vegas-based Bally Technologies. Schweinfurth is a member of the Accountancy Advisory Group at Miami University, where he earned his bachelor of science degree.
Kate Spilde Contreras, Ph.D., is managing director of the Center for California Native Nations at the University of California at Riverside (UCR). Previously, Contreras was a senior research associate at Harvard University 's Kennedy School of Government. Prior to her appointment at Harvard, she was the director of research for the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA). In addition, Contreras was a policy analyst and writer for the National Gambling Impact Study Commission, a federal commission that produced a comprehensive study of U.S. gambling policy for Congress in 1999. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Hawaii , a master's degree from George Washington University , a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of California in Santa Cruz and an M.B.A. from UCR.
Ernie Stebbins has served as executive director of the Washington Indian Gaming Association since April 2003. He began his non-profit management career as the executive director of the National Hardwood Lumber Association in Memphis and was the founding executive vice president of the Hardwood Forest Foundation, a non-profit public educational foundation. In 1997, he was recruited by the nearby Mississippi casino industry to start up and establish the Mississippi Gaming Association, where he served as executive director before going to work for the Washington Tribes.
Ernest L. Stevens, Jr. is the chairman and national spokesman for the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) in Washington, DC . Reelected by acclamation in 2005, Stevens is now serving his third two-year term as the organization's leader. NIGA, established in 1985, is a non-profit organization of 184 Indian Nations with other non-voting associate members representing tribes and businesses engaged in tribal gaming enterprises from around the country. From 1993 to 1999 Stevens was an elected councilman for the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. He is a former first vice-president of the National Congress of American Indians. As a respected leader in Indian country, Stevens also serves on the Native American Rights Fund National Support Committee, is a board member of the National Indian Child Welfare Association, serves on the Native American Advisory Board of the Boys and Girls Club of America, the National Indian Telecommunications Institute, and is honorary chair of the Institute of American Indian Arts, National Support Committee. Stevens is a staunch advocate for all tribal colleges and is currently leading a campaign to garner financial and corporate support for Haskell Indian Nations University. Stevens has earned an Associate's degree from Haskell Indian Nations University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Mount Senario College . He is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin.
Roy Student is the president of Applied Management Strategies and a 36-year veteran of the gaming industry. Most recently, he was the president of Cyberview Technology, a leading hardware, software and systems developer for the gaming industry. Student was also one of the founders of Gaming Systems International (GSI), a worldwide leader in the development and implementation of casino management systems. During his career, he has worked in senior positions at Siemans Nixdorf, Dirson Enterprises and Intermark Gaming. In addition, Student has extensive experience as a speaker at global gaming and wagering conferences. He earned his bachelor's degree from the New York Institute of Technology and completed the executive management training program at the University of Pennsylvania.
Richard Thalheimer, Ph.D., is a nationally recognized expert in the economics of racing, gaming and the combination of the two at racino locations. Thalheimer is president of Thalheimer Research Associates, Inc., an economic research and consulting firm in Lexington , Ky. He has been involved in economic research and consulting for more than 30 years. More recently, he was a subcontractor to the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law for the economic portion of a report investigating barriers to gaming in the European Union. Results of Thalheimer's research on racing and gaming have been widely published in racing and gaming industry publications as well as in academic journals.
Keli Wallace is director of special projects for the American Gaming Association (AGA). In this capacity, Wallace serves as the association's primary liaison for all Global Gaming Expo (G2E) events, and organizes the annual Gaming Hall of Fame dinner and National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) Conference on Gambling and Addiction. Additionally, she coordinates or serves as the member liaison for such association activities as diversity, government affairs and state relations, various federal issues and the association's works as it relates to the NCRG. Wallace has worked for the AGA since June 2002. She holds a bachelor's degree in communications and psychology from Vanderbilt University.
Jimmy Wike is the vice president of table game operations at Caesars Palace . Wike is a 35-year veteran of the gaming business, having managed a number of casinos such as Bally's and Paris . He has been involved in the implementation of many tournaments, including the Million Dollar Blackjack Tournament at the Las Vegas Hilton.
Alan W. Zajic is an independent Nevada licensed security consultant with more than 30 years of practical experience in the security industry, primarily in the gaming environment. He has worked from entry level to administrative executive management, including hotel operations and corporate security. Zajic started his career in the contract security field where he conducted security surveys audits and performed security services for all types of businesses and venues. He is a member of ASIS International, serving as vice chairman of the gaming and wagering council. He also is an advisory board for the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Conference, where he leads the security & surveillance program. Zajic is a nationally recognized speaker in the areas of security and surveillance and is frequently requested to testify as an expert in gaming related lawsuits.