LAS VEGAS (AP) - The governor of Nevada has appointed Las Vegas attorney Brittnie Watkins to the Nevada Gaming Control Board on Tuesday.
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak said Watkins will replace board member Terry Johnson, whose term ended this month and who has been a board member since November 2012.
Watkins is scheduled to begin May 3. Her first board meeting will be May 5.
Along with the Nevada Gaming Commission, the board regulates the state’s gambling industry.
Watkins, an attorney for Las Vegas law firm Pisanelli Bice PLLC, has practiced hotel and gambling law, a news release said. Last year, she became the first Black woman elected to the State Bar of Nevada Board of Governors, which oversees Nevada’s legal profession.
“I am confident Brittnie is the right person for this crucial appointment,” Sisolak said. “As Nevada’s gaming industry continues to recover from the pandemic, it’s critical that we remain the gold standard and operate with the highest integrity, and I am confident Brittnie will help us achieve that goal.”
Watkins earned two bachelor’s degrees in psychology and criminal justice from Michigan State University. She also received a law degree from UNLV’s Boyd School of Law, in addition to two master’s degrees and a doctorate.
Watkins joins Chairman J. Brin Gibson and Philip Katsaros on the three-member board. Gibson was appointed to the board in November. She said she is looking forward to helping guide the gambling industry as it recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity, and I’m ready to serve the state of Nevada,” Watkins said. “This is a such a historic and well-respected regulatory body.”
Please read our comment policy before commenting.