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Our Board

ABOUT THE BOARD

 

The Board of Directors provides strategic leadership to drive investment, economic development, and sustainable growth — to create jobs and strengthen Nevada's economy.

THE PEOPLE

Meet the Founding Board of Directors.

Danielle Casey

PRESIDENT

Danielle Casey

Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance · LVGEA

Ms. Casey brings extensive and diverse experience in leadership, public administration, marketing, business development and retention, and strategic planning as the leader of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, a nonprofit organization working to create a prosperous and diverse economy for Southern Nevada.

Taylor Adams

VICE PRESIDENT

Taylor Adams

Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada · EDAWN

Taylor Adams joined EDAWN on July 1, 2023, as the incoming President and CEO and officially took over the leadership at EDAWN on August 16, 2023.

 

Emily Ku

SECRETARY

Emily Ku

City of Las Vegas

Emily Ku is a Senior Economic Development Specialist with the City of Las Vegas. She has served in this role since January 2024. She previously served as a Management Analyst with the city for the two years prior.

Donna Corey

TREASURER

Donna Corey

Southwest Central Regional Economic Development Authority · SWCREDA

Donna Corey is the Assistant Executive Director for the Southwest Central Regional Economic Development Authority (SWCREDA0. She supports SWCREDA’s mission by working closely with local businesses and communities to help foster economic opportunity across Nye and Esmeralda Counties.

Tom Burns

DIRECTOR AT LARGE

Tom Burns

Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development · GOED

Governor Joe Lombardo appointed Tom Burns Nevada Governor’s of Economic Development (GOED) Executive Director on January 30th, 2023.

 

Jeff Brigger

DIRECTOR AT LARGE

Jeff Brigger

NV Energy

Jeff Brigger is the Vice President of Business Development & Programs for NV Energy. In this role, he directs and manages the planning, development, implementation and marketing of statewide growth strategies, economic development and programs for NV Energy.

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Join the Board of Directors.

Interested in serving on the NEDA Board of Directors? As a newly formed entity, we are currently in the process of building out our board.

PRESIDENT

Danielle Casey

Ms. Casey brings extensive and diverse experience in leadership, public administration, marketing, business development and retention, and strategic planning as the leader of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, a nonprofit organization working to create a prosperous and diverse economy for Southern Nevada.

Previously, she served as President & CEO of the Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance since October 2020, during which she transitioned the organization with the delivery of a new Strategic Plan, achieved the status of Accredited Economic Development Organization, engaged formally with regional community partners, renamed and restructured its bylaws and nonprofit status to a 501(c)(3) public charity, and received numerous recognition awards — specifically in 2024 the Bronze Award for Economic Development Organization of the Year from the International Economic Development Council.

Prior to her leadership at AREA, Ms. Casey served as the Executive Vice President for the Greater Sacramento Economic Council and oversaw the organization’s business development, marketing and communications, investor engagement, research, and strategic initiatives critical to advancing economic growth in Greater Sacramento. She led the comprehensive launch and execution of a best-in-class national site selection consultant strategy and established first-ever memorandums of understanding with seven local commercial real estate brokerage offices, receiving a Gold Award from the International Economic Development Council in 2020 for a joint publication she spearheaded with CBRE. She established critical internal efficiencies with revisions to all organizational practices from database management to budget development and oversight. Even in the wake of COVID-19, the organization s쳮ded in meeting all its annual metrics and job creation goals and launching a regional business retention and expansion outreach program.

From 2013–2018, Danielle served the well-known City of Scottsdale, Arizona as its Economic Development Director. Under her leadership, the department received six awards of excellence from the International Economic Development Council, status as an Accredited Economic Development Organization, the 2015 ‘Large Community Economic Development Organization of the Year’ award from the Arizona Association for Economic Development, and unanimous Council approval of a Five-Year Economic Development Strategic Plan — the first for the community in more than 15 years. During her tenure, the department was directly involved in projects accounting for more than $24 million in 5-year direct revenue impact to the city, $7 billion in 5-year total economic impact, 4,428 or more new jobs in the first 12 months of business operation alone and $160 million in new capital investment.

Ms. Casey served in various executive roles at the City of Maricopa, Ariz. starting in 2005, lastly as the Assistant City Manager. Departments under her oversight included economic development, community and development services, capital improvement, public works and City-wide marketing and communications activities. She managed several noteworthy tasks in the establishment of the City’s economic development office, such as the creation of an Industrial Development Authority, the City’s first Redevelopment District and Area Plan, the establishment of a local economic development 501(c)(3) (the Maricopa Economic Development Alliance), City-wide branding and Economic Development Strategic Plan. Prior to her time in Maricopa, she attained significant experience in the non-profit sector working in fundraising, marketing, and event and membership management at the Heard Museum of Native Cultures and Art in Phoenix, Arizona and at Save The Bay in Providence, Rhode Island.

Ms. Casey received her bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and Master of Administration from Northern Arizona University. She is both a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) as well as a certified Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP). She is a member of the International Economic Development Council and serves on its Board of Directors as the 2026 Board Chair. She also serves as an instructor at the Oklahoma University Economic Development Institute and serves on its Board of Directors. Danielle is a proud Past President of the Arizona Association for Economic Development, a statewide professional association with more than 500 public and private members, and on numerous volunteer leadership boards within past and current communities.

In May 2010, Ms. Casey was the honored recipient of the ‘Economic Developer of the Year — Small Community’ award from the Arizona Association for Economic Development and in January 2017 she was recognized as a national top ‘40 under 40 Rising Star’ in economic development by Development Counsellors International. In addition, she is co-founder of the Arizona Chapter of Women Leading Government.

An Air Force brat, Ms. Casey has had the great privilege of living in Texas, Ohio, Alabama, Louisiana, Utah, Rhode Island, Arizona, California and New Mexico throughout her life. A past frequent visitor, she is thrilled to now call Las Vegas, Nevada her permanent home, along with her trusty English bulldog Sophie, heeler/cattle dog mix Persie, and her amazing and supportive husband Steve.

DIRECTOR AT LARGE

Jeff Brigger

Jeff Brigger is the Vice President of Business Development & Programs for NV Energy. In this role, he directs and manages the planning, development, implementation and marketing of statewide growth strategies, economic development and programs for NV Energy.

As the former NV Energy Economic Development Manager, Jeff worked to attract new business and industry to Nevada and was the company’s liaison to economic development agencies. Prior to joining NV Energy Jeff worked as the Business Development Manager for the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) and was also with McKee Foods Corporation for 16 years.

Jeff has a Master’s of Business Administration from Marylhurst University in Oregon. He currently serves on the Western Nevada College Foundation board and the Desert Research Institute’s Dandini Research Park board of trustees. In the past, Jeff was an associate member of the Western Nevada Development District (WNDD) board, the Northeastern Nevada Regional Development Authority board and former chair of Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful (KTMB).

DIRECTOR AT LARGE

Tom Burns

Governor Joe Lombardo appointed Tom Burns Nevada Governor’s of Economic Development (GOED) Executive Director on January 30th, 2023.

 Burns started his career by attaining his Certified Public Accountant designation with Deloitte and was subsequently the Assistant Corporate Controller at United Gaming, the predecessor of Bally Gaming Technologies.

 In 1991, Burns joined Cragin & Pike. He became a shareholder in 1998 and served as President from 2010 to 2022.

 Burns has served on numerous professional boards, including charitable organizations and government-appointed committees. He served on the Government Affairs Committees and Board of Trustees for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce where he also served as chair for two years beginning in 2020. He was named to the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance Board in 2023.

 A University of Nevada, Reno graduate, Burns enjoys spending time with his wife of 34 years, Shelly and his two children, JT and Megan.

TREASURER

Donna Corey

Donna Corey is the Assistant Executive Director for the Southwest Central Regional Economic Development Authority (SWCREDA0. She supports SWCREDA’s mission by working closely with local businesses and communities to help foster economic opportunity across Nye and Esmeralda Counties.

 Donna Corey is also a Rural Business Advisor for SBDC. She has worked with businesses in rural Nevada since 2017.

 She owned an automotive repair shop, has been in construction, helped build a solar power plant, ran major festivals for her town and taught 2nd through 12th grade in a one room schoolhouse. Helping small rural towns develop has become a passion.

SECRETARY

Emily Ku

Emily Ku is a Senior Economic Development Specialist with the City of Las Vegas. She has served in this role since January 2024. She previously served as a Management Analyst with the city for the two years prior. Her current role is focused on business development activities and she works diligently to attract investment, manage client relationships, develop target market programs, and serve as a liaison between businesses, civic organizations, and other stakeholders. 

Prior to joining the City of Las Vegas, Emily previously held roles as a Management Analyst with the Nevada Department of Business and Industry (April 2018 – January 2022) and a Senior Project Manager with Isurus Market Research & Consulting (January 2010 – March 2018).

VICE PRESIDENT

Taylor Adams

Taylor Adams joined EDAWN on July 1, 2023, as the incoming President and CEO and officially took over the leadership at EDAWN on August 16, 2023.

Mr. Adams previously joined the City of Virginia Beach in 2015. After holding professionally responsible positions in Finance and Economic Development, he served the community as the Deputy City Manager for Economic Development, Convention and Visitor Bureau, Resort Management, and Cultural Affairs.

Before coming to Virginia Beach, Mr. Adams held positions in both the private and public sectors including: Chief Administrative Officer/Director of Finance for the City of Starkville Mississippi; Purchasing Manager for Mississippi State University; Chief Marketing Officer/Managing Partner for Benefits Concepts P.A. in Columbus, Mississippi; and Business Development Officer/Commercial Credit Analyst for the National Bank of Commerce of Mississippi.