DRI Foundation
About the DRI Foundation
Why We Support DRI
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Tina Quigley
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Mike & Cindy Benjamin
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Tom & Mary Kay Gallagher
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Joe and Jann Guild
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Nazir and Mary Ansari
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Bob and Del Noland
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Fred Gibson
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The Sulo and Aileen Maki Estate
Innovation Research Program
A Special Initiative of the DRI Foundation
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Donor-powered research solving critical environmental problems
The DRI Foundation created the Innovation Research Program (IRP) to increase the opportunities for DRI’s faculty and technical staff to succeed in their research by financially supporting their very best ideas. This financial support enhances DRI’s reputation as a world leader in critical environmental research and attracts talented scientists to the Institute.
Annual funding of the Innovation Research Program is a fundraising objective of the Foundation Members. These funds support seed grants, early funding, and hiring post-doctoral researchers.
In 2019, those funds supported DRI scientists in exploring big environmental questions. Has microplastic pollution made its way to the famous blue waters of Lake Tahoe? What can tools used to understand groundwater tell us about how chemo reaches tumors? How is declining snowpack changing mountain environments and economies? These research projects are leading to new data, new solutions, and new funding for larger projects.
DRI Foundation Leadership
Vice Chair – Thomas E. Gallagher, Investor & Advisor
Treasurer/Secretary – Holger Liepmann, Retired Executive Vice President of Nutritional Products, Abbott Laboratories
LINDA BRINKLEY, Ph.D., Former VP & Dean, UNR
CHARLES T. CREIGH, Principal, NewMarket Advisors
RICHARD DITTON, Founder and EVP, Incredible Technologies, Inc.
JOHN J. ENTSMINGER, General Manager, Las Vegas Valley Water District & Southern Nevada Water Authority
DR. LAUREN FLETCHER, Founder & Former CEO, BioCarbon Engineering
STARLA LACY, Vice President, Environmental, Safety, and Land Resources, NV Energy
JANET LOWE, Marketing and M&A Consultant
SRIKANT REGANTI, ESQ., Attorney
IAN ROGOFF, Co‐Founder and General Partner, Sierra Nevada Partners
JAVIER SAENZ, Vice President, Marketing Evolution
DR. RONALD SMITH, M.D., PhD., Internal Medicine, Private Practice
DR. ORY ZIK, Former VP of Analytics, Lux Research, Inc.
ELISE ZOLI, Partner, Jones Day
JOSEPH W. BROWN, Esq., Of Counsel, Kolesar Leatham Attorneys at Law
MARK F. BRUCE, ESQ., Principal, Bruce Law Group
DR. KENNETH W. CIRIACKS, Retired, VP of Technology, Chevron
GAYLE CROWELL, Board Director, Strategic Business Advisor
DR. FAROUK EL-BAZ, Director, Center for Remote Sensing Boston University & Former NV Medalist
LOU EMMERT, Retired, VP & GM for Sprint Nevada
DR. CHARLES R. GOLDMAN, Adjunct Professor, DRI DHS & Former NV Medalist
C. JOSEPH GUILD III, Attorney
WALTER M. HIGGINS III, Retired Chairman and CEOSierra Pacific Resources (now NVEnergy)
HON. BRUCE R. JAMES, Director, United States Government Publishing Office, Ret.
BRIAN J. KENNEDY, Retired Chairman & Founder, Meridian Gold
KEITH L. LEE, Principal, The Public Affairs Group
HOWARD “HAL” LENOX Jr., Director of Gov. Affairs, Western Region, General MotorsROBERT E. LEWISPresident, Lewis Operating Corporation
MICHAEL LYNCH, Manager, Eco Electrical Systems, LLC
DR. D. WARNER NORTH, Pres. & Principal Scientist, NorthWorks, Inc.
MICHAEL A. SALTMAN, Managing General Partner & Pres., The Vista Group, LV
THOMAS J. SCHOEMAN, Retired, Pres., JMA Architecture Studios
ROBB SMITH, CEO & Co-Founder, Integral+Life
AMY VERNETTI, Director of Leadership Recruiting, Moonshots at Google, Inc.
TROY E. WADE II, Chairman, Nevada Alliance for Defense, Energy & Business
STEVEN WEBER, Ph.D.VP & Client Service Mgr., HWH America’s Inc.
TOM WILLISON, Ph.D.Retired Chairman, McKinley Capital Management
MISSY YOUNG, Executive VP of Colocation, SWITCH
MICHAEL BENJAMIN, President, Benjamin Enterprises
HAL FURMAN, CEO & President, The Furman Group
SANDY MILLER, Former First Lady of Nevada
ROBERT NOLAND
HOWARD WAHL
DRI Foundation Meetings & Materials
Foundation Board of Trustees – Meeting Agendas & Materials
Board Meetings, Events & Subject Materials (2020)
Unless otherwise stated, the following links provide access to public materials.
- October 23, 2020 – Quarterly meeting
- September 21, 2020 – Special Meeting
- July 28, 2020 – Special Meeting
- June 5, 2020 – Quarterly Meeting
- Agenda
- Full board packet
- April 2, 2020 – Special Meeting
- February 7, 2020 – Quarterly Meeting
- October 30, 2019 – Quarterly Meeting
For DRI Foundation meeting materials prior to 2020, or if you have questions regarding DRI Foundation meetings or materials, please contact Becky Coleman at (775) 673-7358 or becky.coleman@dri.edu.
DRI Foundation Executive Committee – Meeting Agendas & Materials
Executive Committee Meetings (2020)
Unless otherwise stated, the following links provide access to public materials.
- October 5, 2020 –
- September 14, 2020 –
- August 24, 2020 –
- May 18, 2020 –
- April 3, 2020 –
- January 6, 2020 – Agenda
The DRI Foundation is a
not-for profit, 501 (c)(3)
Tax ID # 94-2879252
Your contribution is
tax-deductible to the
extent allowed by law.