United Way of Southern Nevada Announces Election of New Board Members
Senior Vice President and Community Development Manager of Bank of Nevada, Jerrie Merritt; U.S. Bank Market Leader, Morris Jackson II; and Scientific Games Global Immigration Counsel Akanksha Gupta join UWSN’s Board of Directors.
LAS VEGAS- February 6, 2020- United Way of Southern Nevada (UWSN) is pleased to announce the election of three diverse leaders to serve on the Board of Directors of UWSN. These new members include Jerrie Merritt, Senior Vice President and Community Development Manager of Bank of Nevada; Morris Jackson II, U.S. Bank Market Leader; and Akanksha Gupta, Scientific Games Global Immigration Counsel.
“We are so proud to have Jerrie Merritt, Morris Jackson, and Akanksha Gupta join our board of directors. Each of these professionals bring unique expertise and passion for helping children and families in Southern Nevada. With the support of our new board members we will continue moving the needle and close the gaps in the cradle to career pipeline” said Ms. Kyle B. Rahn, UWSN President and CEO.
Jerrie Merritt’s banking career spans over forty years. Merritt’s responsibilities as Senior Vice President and Community Development Manager for Bank of Nevada include working to strengthen existing client relationships and building strong community partnerships with state, local, and non-profit development agencies. Merritt shows her passion for the Southern Nevada community through her involvement with numerous philanthropic organizations. Currently, Merritt serves on the board of Help of Southern Nevada and was a past chair for the Urban Chamber of Commerce, President of the Hannah Brown Community Development Corporation, Coalition of 100 Black Women, Valley Hospital Medical Center, and the American Business Women Association to name a few. Additionally, she is a champion of education and has served as a mentor and advisory board member for the Clark County School District and the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
As Market Leader for U.S. Bank, Morris Jackson II has a broad range of expertise in all aspects of finance, retail banking, management, leadership, coaching, customer experience, strategic planning, employee development, and customer service. His diverse and passionate leadership experience ranges from spearheading large complex teams through change to a proven track record of inspiring and motivating individuals to achieve their individual success. Jackson will lend his skill to UWSN to execute our mission of uniting our community to improve people’s lives.
Akanksha Gupta serves as Global Immigration Counsel for Scientific Games Corporation. She has over 10 years of experience in managing global immigration programs for multinational technology companies and practicing corporate immigration law. Akanksha has always been passionate about immigration and has leveraged her experience to provide counsel to domestic violence victims and LGBTQ asylum seekers through the nonprofit organizations Chetna and Immigration Equality. With the same passion, she wants to champion the cause of education for the diverse community of Las Vegas and joined UWSN as a Board member.
About United Way of Southern Nevada:
United Way of Southern Nevada unites our community to improve people’s lives. We bring donors, volunteers, nonprofits, and businesses together to help children enter school ready to learn, help high school students reach graduation day, and support individuals working to earn a degree or certification, all while creating stability for their families. Together, we step into the ring and invite others to stand with us as a united front against social injustices and forces keeping our community’s most vulnerable residents from a good life. We are bold and innovative to solve our toughest problems. Together, we fight for the future of our community – and we will win. Join us at uwsn.org.