Commission Members

Previously a litigator, Connye Harper’s practice now focuses entirely on preventive counseling, policy development, staff training regarding labor and employment issues, conflict resolution and nonprofit management. With over 40 years of experience, she is a recognized expert in the field of employment practices, including implicit bias, age discrimination and sexual harassment, and she has been quoted in many newspaper articles and magazines addressing these issues.

She has been a member in good standing of the State Bar of Michigan since 1976 and a fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers since 2004.

She currently serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors, Affiliate Equity Officer, Chair of the HR Committee and a member of the Finance, Executive, Nominating, Strategic Planning and Governance Committees of the American Civil Liberties Union, Nevada. She is formerly the Chapter President of the Southern Nevada affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management and the 20 Pearls Foundation.

She earned her Juris Doctor degree at the University of Michigan Law School, a BA Degree in Journalism from the University of Michigan and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. She has also successfully completed several courses in Pepperdine Law School's Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution.

Ms. Young is a mother of two beautiful children, KaPreace (22, UNR Graduate) and Anthony (18, HS Senior).  She is an advocate for families, community, young women, and education.  As a resident of the Reno/Sparks community for over 25 years, she has been a spokesperson for the community, diversity and equitable practices, student achievement, and community and economic development.  She is a public speaker, trainer, workshop facilitator and community collaborator at heart.

Ms. Young is currently working for the Washoe County School District (WCSD) as the Coordinator of Equity and Diversity.  Her work is within systems to support and clarify the role of Equity and cultural competency interwoven into all schools, departments, and systems. Ms. Young leads work around programs and policies that must addressed through an equitable and culturally responsive lens, as well as creating and facilitating professional learning around Equity and Cultural Competency.  Ms. Young owns her own consulting business, Tiffany Young Consulting LLC, and has previously contracted with the State of Nevada on various contracts, managing the statewide Nonprofit Association for Head Start, local nonprofit associations, and providing nonprofit board development, grant writing, and Strategic Planning.

Ms. Young holds a M. Ed. and B.A. from the University of Nevada Reno where she is also an Adjunct Professor in the Human Development and Family Studies Department. Ms. Young has served the WCSD Parent Involvement Committee as a member chair. Ms. Young has been a Commissioner for the Nevada Equal Rights (NERC) Commission since January 2006, and has participated as a Peer Mentor for the Department of Justice Community Capacity Development Office (formerly the Executive Office for Weed and Seed).  She has served as the M.C. for the Northern Nev. Human Resources Assoc. Conference in addition to facilitating workshops on Diversity, and Community Involvement.  She is the current President of the N. Nv. Black Cultural Awareness Society. She previously served as a Board Member for Join Together Northern Nevada (a drug prevention coalition), the Impartial Policing Advisory Committee, and the Human Services Network.  She was awarded the Education Service Award by the African American Clergy Council of Northern Nevada (AACCONN), and was appointed to the Commission on Minority Affairs from 2013 to 2014. Awarded a Community Service Award by the local chapter of the Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, and served as the Keynote speaker for the National Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club conference held in Reno in 2012.

Stewart Chang is Professor of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law. Prior to joining Boyd in 2018, he was Associate Professor of Law and the Director of the Center for International and Comparative Law at Whittier Law School, and before becoming a professor, he practiced public interest law for over a decade with the Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California where he specialized in domestic violence, immigration, and family law. He earned his bachelor's degree from UCLA, his master's degree from Stanford University, his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, and his doctorate from UC Irvine.

Jocelyn Cortez is an immigration attorney at GWP Immigration Law. She has been a proud Nevadan for most of her life, moving to Las Vegas with her parents as an infant. Born in El Salvador during the start of a violent civil war her family made the difficult choice to create a new home in southern Nevada. Many years later, Jocelyn earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from UNLV and her law degree from the University of Arizona. During her time as a law student, Jocelyn was a member of the Arizona Law Review and a student-attorney at the law school’s immigration clinic, a program that permits law students to represent people in immigration court.

After law school, Jocelyn returned to Nevada to pursue a practice rooted in social justice. For almost 5 years, she represented employees in employment discrimination matters ranging from sexual harassment to discrimination based on race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and disability in state and federal court as well as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and NERC.

In 2011 Jocelyn focused her practice on immigration law, drawing on her family’s experience navigating complex legal processes she began to represent immigrants in their own pursuit of the American Dream. Currently, Jocelyn represents clients from all over the world in obtaining U.S. citizenship, visas, and protection from deportation based on humanitarian reasons like being victims of domestic violence or crime. She has assisted hundreds of Dreamers apply for DACA.

In addition to her practice and advocacy, she is active in her community. For many years, Jocelyn has given presentations at legal workshops to demystify immigration law for the public and helped in citizenship and DACA application drives. She has also been a frequent commentator on various types of media regarding recent developments in immigration law. Jocelyn is the Board Secretary for Dream Big Nevada, a non-profit dedicated to advocating for immigrant rights and serves as an attorney consultant for the Mexican Consulate. She is also a member and past-president of the Nevada Latino Bar Association and a member of the Southern Nevada Association of Women Attorneys.

In her spare time, Jocelyn enjoys exploring the world through travel and food and sharing her love of books with her two children and husband.

Lisa Levine was appointed by Governor Steve Sisolak to serve on the Nevada Equal Rights Commission beginning May of 2022. She brings fifteen years of experience in public affairs, with a unique background as a leader in business, government, and politics. During the pandemic she launched her small business, Sagebrush Strategies, that specializes in business development, government affairs, and community relations.

Prior to starting a small business, Lisa served as the director of government and community relations for global gaming manufacturing and technology company IGT. One of her fondest memories working for IGT was helping to launch Nevada’s vaccine drawings that increased vaccination rates during the pandemic. Lisa’s commitment to diversity and inclusion led her to serve on IGT’s Women Inclusion Network where she participated in and facilitated lean-in circles and female mentorship programs. Her commitment to community engagement was why her colleagues nominated her to chair the company’s executive Leadership Council where she increased volunteerism and community partnerships.

Before joining IGT, Lisa spent more than a decade working in Nevada politics and government, including serving as the longtime political director and senior advisor to the member of congress who represents Nevada's First District, one of the most diverse congressional districts in the country.

Growing up in Las Vegas, Lisa earned her education through the Clark County School District. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in public administration from UNLV, where she is finishing a Ph.D. in public affairs with a focus on cultural policy.

Lisa is a big believer that you don’t have to run for office in order to make a difference in the community. She serves on the UNLV Alumni Association's Board of Directors and chairs their Advocacy Committee, the Public Education Foundation, and Women’s Research Institute of Nevada. Previously, Lisa was appointed to and served on the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents, representing district 5; the Nevada Legislative Statutory Committee on Industrial Programs, representing manufacturing; and Clark County’s Animal Advisory Board.

Home means Nevada for Lisa, her fiancé Andrew, and their treasured shelter pets Lacey & Samara.