News

Welcoming Four New Team Members to the CIS State Team

Communities In Schools of Nevada (CIS), the nation’s leading evidence-based stay-in-school organization serving 110 Nevada schools welcomes Mitzury Aguilar as Senior HR Manager, Dr. Jessica Kurr as Private Grants Coordinator, Loidie Marroquin as Marketing Manager and Justin Minton as Development and Engagement Manager to the statewide team.

Mitzury “Mitz” Aguilar has over ten years of experience in human resources. She has served as a high-volume recruiter at a staffing agency, human resources manager at a screen printing facility, and leading talent acquisition at a distribution center. In her role as senior human resources manager at CIS, Aguilar helps lead, coordinate, and carry out all human resource department projects and processes for the organization, such as interviewing, hiring, training, and enforcing company policies and procedures. She also helps maintain positive employee relations and a nurturing work environment.

A Las Vegas native, Dr. Jessica Kurr brings over a decade of experience working in higher education and grant management. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Finance from the University of Pittsburgh, her Master of Arts in Communication from Baylor University, and her Ph.D. in Communication from Pennsylvania State University. Kurr joins CIS’ statewide grants team as private grants coordinator, working closely with program directors in each of the organization’s three affiliates. She builds relationships with private foundations to bring awareness of CIS’ programming and the value it brings the students across Nevada.

Loidie Marroquin is a marketing and communications professional with several years of experience across diverse sectors including legal, healthcare, and nonprofit with a proven track record of success in crafting impactful marketing strategies and driving brand visibility through innovative campaigns. In her role at CIS, Marroquin brings a wealth of expertise to her new position, overseeing a range of marketing initiatives, including campaigns, social media management, and strategic partnerships, and working closely with the director of communications to ensure alignment with organizational goals.

Justin Minton brings a robust background in political campaign management, strategic planning, and partnership expertise to his new role. He studied political science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and has dedicated 15 years to coaching basketball in Las Vegas, highlighting his commitment to empowering youth and fostering community growth. As the development and engagement manager for CIS, Minton is responsible for strategizing and implementing initiatives that enhance engagement. This includes managing community events and establishing relationships with community leaders and key stakeholders in Southern Nevada.

About Communities In Schools of Nevada

CIS places full-time and professionally trained site coordinators in 110 Title I and high-needs schools across Nevada to support more than 100,000 students in grades K-12 who face barriers to their success—increasing the likelihood of students staying in school and graduating on time. The organization taps into a statewide network of more than 120

community nonprofits, partners, and agencies, bringing the community into the school to get students whatever they need to overcome the barriers they face that prevent them from achieving academically. From eyeglasses, dental care, health care, and professional counseling to food, school supplies, clothing, and housing, CIS identifies student needs and finds a way to address them, closing the gaps they experience in their everyday lives. CIS’s long-term vision is for every child enrolled in a Title I or high-needs school to access a CIS site coordinator and their evidence-based model of integrated student support, otherwise known as wraparound services. The graduation rate for CIS case-managed high school seniors in Nevada for the 2022-2023 school year was 95 percent.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Contact: Cherryl Kaopua, The Warren Group, [email protected], 702-408-8334

Share
Linkedin Icon