Volunteer Leadership
Organizing to Make Volunteer Experiences Fun
Ben Berard
Executive Director & Founder
Ben Berard is the Founder of Volunteers of Vegas and serves as the Director of Partnerships and Brand at drvn. Based in Henderson, Nevada, he is dedicated to fostering community engagement through volunteerism, events, and impactful partnerships. As a key member of the leadership team, Ben enjoys bringing people together, creating memorable experiences, and supporting causes that strengthen the Las Vegas community.
Lance Lewis
Communications
Lance B. Lewis dedicated 40 years to higher education in academic affairs and international programs at universities in Kansas and Michigan. He retired in 2024 and now resides in Henderson, Nevada. Active with the Green Valley Rotary Club, Lance is passionate about community engagement and volunteerism, enjoying history, travel, and contributing his time with Volunteers of Vegas as part of their leadership team.
Eviann Dumas
Senior Aid & Newsletter
Loving wife, poker player, mother to a 4-legged, furry pup, avid traveler, and passionate about community engagement through volunteerism. An extrovert and a bit of a jokester, Evie enjoys being part of a leadership team and always tries to think outside the box while sharing a good 'Dad joke.'
Michelle Rich
Community Outreach
Michelle is enjoying her retirement from the not-for-profit world, where her passion for volunteerism flourished. She occupies her time making pottery, engaging in community engagement efforts, and volunteering for VOV. As a member of the local leadership team, she connects with others through her volunteer work. A native of the east coast, after two and a half years, she is finally adapting to Nevada and loving it!
Carissa Wilson
Operations
Carissa has been married for 30 years, which means she's mastered patience, teamwork, and selective hearing. Now retired in Henderson, she stays busy with community engagement through volunteerism because relaxing was clearly not part of her plan. Her career took her from loans to apartment property management, so if it involved people, paperwork, or problem solving, she likely did it. These days, as part of her leadership team in various community initiatives, Carissa focuses on spreading kindness and the occasional bad joke. If she can make someone smile or forget their worries for a moment, it is a good day.
Katy McCormick
Ambassador
Katy is a proud mom of a young man and a young woman, as well as a dog mommy. With 14 years of experience as a nurse, she recently launched her own nursing business, where she focuses on community engagement and caring for others in a more personal way. Katy loves serving the Las Vegas community, putting a smile on people's faces, and is an active member of the local leadership team that promotes volunteerism. When she's not working, she enjoys traveling, exploring, and being in nature.
Vanessa Mejia
Social Media
Vanessa is passionate about community engagement through service and connection. She moved to Las Vegas in 2016 with Teach For America, where she began teaching science and deepened her commitment to supporting others. Vanessa's love for volunteerism started in college through her involvement in leadership team activities, where she found a real sense of belonging and witnessed the power of collective action. As the daughter of immigrant parents and a first-generation graduate, she values perseverance and aims to create spaces where people feel supported, especially in difficult times.
Gary Schaufeld
Social Media
Gary Schaufeld is a retired professional dancer with over two decades of experience in the performing arts. He earned his BFA in Dance from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Since stepping away from dance, Gary has focused on community engagement and dedicated himself to philanthropy. As a member of the Rotary Club of Green Valley, he contributes to the leadership team and helps lead digital engagement efforts for Volunteers of Vegas. He believes that every act of volunteerism, no matter how small, sends ripples of hope into the world.
Alan Mizuki
Ambassador
Alan always wanted to spend his spare time giving back through volunteerism, but finding meaningful community engagement opportunities that fit his schedule was never easy until he discovered Volunteers of Vegas. Through VOV, he has been able to connect with incredible organizations and meet people from all walks of life. What started as volunteering quickly turned into something much more—a true sense of community and a leadership team that feels like family, which he is genuinely grateful for.