ABOUT / MEET THE BOARD
Meet the Board
Nevada Girls State is planned and run by volunteers. All of us are former delegates who came back to give other students the experience we had.
Hi everyone! I’m Daela Gibson, Director of Nevada Girls State. My twenty-plus years with the program began when I attended as a delegate (ahem, late last century), and I was named Director following the passing of longtime Director Mrs. Geraldine Connolly. I’m a Past Department President and Past National Executive Committeewoman of the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Nevada, where I now serve as Department Secretary/Treasurer. Outside the Auxiliary, I’m a charter member and former Chair of the Nevada Coalition for Suicide Prevention and have been a crisis interventionist for over twenty years. Can’t wait to meet you all!
Hi! I’m Courtenay Burns, Chair of Nevada Girls State. I first attended as a delegate in 2006, returned as staff, and have chaired the program since 2010. A Nevadan since age three and a Pahrump Valley High School graduate, I earned a B.A. in Political Science from Berea College and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Nevada, Reno, and I now manage education programs and grants in the nonprofit sector. I’m also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, eligible through my grandfather, who served in Korea, and serve as National Executive Committeewoman for the ALA Department of Nevada.
Hi, I’m Samantha Gingrich, but please call me Sam! Since my delegate year in 2015, I’ve returned to NGS as often as possible and now serve as a Board Member and Counselor, usually found encouraging delegates to tackle the issues facing their communities or hunting down caffeine. Day to day I work for the University of Washington, and on my off days I’m with my friends, my husband, and my cat, or jetting off to see my favorite bands with a change of clothes, a ticket, and a dream. I look forward to welcoming our future leaders this summer!
Hi everyone! I’m Sydnie, a Las Vegas native and Arbor View High School graduate who earned a B.S. in Biotechnology and a Master of Public Health at UNR. I now help underserved members of the northern Nevada community access vital health care services. I attended Nevada Girls State as a delegate, fell in love with the program, and have stayed involved ever since. I can’t wait to share it with you this summer!
Volunteer with us
We need counselors and staff every year. Former delegates are especially welcome. All volunteers complete a background check.