Governor appoints Elaine Wynn to state education board
Gov. Brian Sandoval appointed billionaire education advocate Elaine Wynn to the State Board of Education on Monday, enacting lawmaker-approved changes to the board that sets education policy.
Historically, Nevada voters chose the board's 10 members. But the Legislature changed that last session, passing a bill that took much of that responsibility away from voters starting in 2013.
Voters now elect four board members to join three appointed members and four nonvoting members. And, for the first time in state history, the governor has the authority to not only appoint members of the board but also the state superintendent of public schools, who was previously appointed by the board.
Sandoval appointed Superintendent James Guthrie in March.
Wynn is the first of three governor-appointed voting members. The governor also appoints the four nonvoting board members.
"Elaine is a dedicated champion for education, and I am pleased she has agreed to serve in this manner," Sandoval said.
Wynn, director of Wynn Resorts since 2000, was appointed by Gov. Jim Gibbons as co-chair of the Education Reform Blue Ribbon Task Force in 2010. She helped lead the task force, which was created to submit a state application for the federal Race to the Top competition and make education reform recommendations to the state Legislature.
She is founding chairwoman of Communities in Schools of Nevada, current chairman of the national board of Communities in Schools, a trustee of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a board member of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and a board member of the Library of Congress Trust Fund.
She was born and raised in New York City and graduated from George Washington University in 1964 with a bachelor of arts in political science.
She moved to Las Vegas in 1967 with her now ex-husband Steve Wynn, chairman and chief executive officer of Wynn Resorts Ltd.
Contact reporter Trevon Milliard at tmilliard@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279.
