GOWINN Team

Director Levine brings more than a decade of leadership in business, government, and public affairs as a small business owner, gaming technology manufacturing professional, and a congressional aide. Her relationships across Nevada, from her work in higher education while on the NSHE Board of Regents and UNLV Alumni Association, and in the business community serving on the Las Vegas Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee and Regional Air Service Corporation, will further strengthen collaborative partnerships in workforce development.
Director Levine is a Nevada Equal Rights Commission member and Chair of the Women’s Research Institute of Nevada. She was previously appointed to the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents, the Nevada Legislative Statutory Committee on Industrial Programs representing manufacturing, and Clark County’s Animal Advisory Board.

A Nevada native, Villeda was born in Las Vegas and raised in North Las Vegas. She is the proud daughter of immigrant parents, a first-generation Mexican American, a first-generation high school graduate at Rancho, and the first in her family to attend college. Prior to joining GOWINN, she started a small business in real estate becoming one of the top realtors in her field. Her background in real estate, a small business owner, and service on the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals board gives her unique insight to the kinds of policy issues the Nevada labor force and business community face that impacts workforce development. Esmeralda also worked in the hospitality industry where she led successful workforce training and mentoring programs. Her professional experience complimented with her dedication to and deep roots in the community will further GOWINN’s mission, reach, and impact.

A Nevada native, Gilbertson was born in Reno, raised in Sparks, and moved to Las Vegas to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where she earned her degree in economics and minor in Brookings Public Policy. Prior to joining GOWINN, Katie served as an analyst with the prestigious economics firm Applied Analysis. Before that she worked in the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and was a policy researcher with esteemed think tanks, such as The Lincy Institute and Brookings Mountain West. Her research background in labor market dynamics, diversification, career-pathway development, state fiscal policy, and comparative analyses will be valuable to GOWINN identifying data-driven solutions and evaluating performance metrics.

Kristen Dwyer is originally from New Hampshire, received her received her Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications and Journalism from Texas A&M University and a Master of Arts in Communications from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and has now lived in Las Vegas since the summer of 2017. She has been with GOWINN since May 2021 as the Grants and Programs Manager overseeing all aspects of the over $20 million dollars of federal grants awarded to GOWINN, having come from the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) where she managed a STEM grant and was the Coordinator to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Prior to working at CSN, Kristen served for eight years in various capacities for the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, including working as Outreach Program Manager, Assistant to the Executive Director, and Business Support Specialist.