Jennifer first moved to Reno from California in 1975. Her record of community service in Reno was interrupted by a nine-year hiatus as a resident of Memphis, Tennessee in 1991, where she served on many committees and boards in that city. Returning to Reno in 1999, Jennifer quickly resumed her community involvement. Some of her […]
Gold in the Silver State
Sisolak, Kathy Ong
Born in Ely, Nevada of immigrant parents, but raised in Las Vegas, Kathy Sisolak is the 2nd First Lady to hold a professional career, as well performing her official state duties. Becoming First Lady of Nevada was something she never dreamed of. She was busy pursuing a career when she met County Commissioner, Steve Sisolak […]
Sokol, Claire (Sister Claire) – Reno, Washoe
Sister Claire came to Reno from the Seattle, Washington St. Joseph Carmelite Monastery in 2001. A Seattle Washington native, she was born into a musical family, and after college graduation from Indiana University, she played professionally in orchestras and chamber music ensembles. Upon entering the convent in 1982, Sr. Claire successfully wove her love of music into her cloister life. She has continued her life of prayer with her love of music at Carmel of Reno, and is a composer of several canticles, a movie score and a virtual choir of international Carmelite singers.
Suenaga, Florence – Carson City, Carson City
Florence was the thirteen-year-old daughter of Japanese immigrant parents living a typical American life at the start of WWII. Shortly after December 7, 1941, the family was uprooted from their Gilroy, California farm, taken to the local fairgrounds and then transported to a Japanese Internment camp in Poston, Arizona. Florence’s detailed story of WWII internment […]
Thornton, Barbara – Reno, Nevada
Tonopah native, Barbara Cavanaugh was attending high school in San Francisco when she received word that her home in Tonopah had burned to the ground. Her parents moved to Reno where Barbara graduated from the University of Nevada Reno with a bachelor’s degree and a then a master’s degree in Political Science. Now married, Barbara headed off to the University of Utah with her youngest child in tow, to obtain a PhD in Behavioral Health Communications. As Dr. Barbara Thornton, she taught ethics and communications for nearly 38 years and retired as faculty emeritus at the University of Nevada, Reno in 2005. Barbara has received both the Distinguished Faculty and Distinguished Nevadan awards. With her husband, they established the Thornton Peace Prize at University of Nevada Reno, and with her brother, John Cavanaugh, established the Cavanaugh Community Volunteer Award. Barbara is also a co-founder of the Nevada Women’s Fund.