Breakout Session Descriptions and Speakers

Key-Note Speaker - Saturday, January 20, 2007

Patricia Mulroy
General Manager, Las Vegas Valley Water District

Pat Mulroy oversees the operations of the Las Vegas Valley Water District, which serves more than 300,000 customers, and the Southern Nevada Water Authority, which is responsible for acquiring, treating and delivering water to local agencies that collectively serve 1.8 million residents and nearly 40 million annual visitors. Mulroy joined the District more than 20 years ago and began serving as its general manager in 1989. She was a principal architect of the Water Authority, which has served as a model for other Western water agencies since its creation in 1991.

As general manager of one of the country’s most progressive water agencies, Mulroy is exceptionally active in regional and national water issues. She currently serves on the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies Board of Directors and is a member of the American Water Works Association. Additionally, she was the original chairperson of the Western Urban Water Coalition and served on the Colorado River Water Users Association’s board of directors.

A resident of Southern Nevada for more than three decades, Mulroy is equally active in the community. She currently chairs the University of Nevada, Las Vegas College of Sciences Advisory Board and serves on the KNPR Nevada Public Radio Board of Directors. Mulroy is also actively involved with the Diocese of Las Vegas and Bishop Gorman High School. Her honors include the University and Community College System of Nevada Board of Regents' Distinguished Nevadan Award.

Breakfast Key-Note Speaker, Saturday, January 20, 2007

Negil McPherson
Senior Performance Consultant - Training and Organizational Development, HDR Engineering, Inc.

 Mr. McPherson serves as a senior performance consultant in training and organizational development in the architecture and engineering industry. He has more than 15 years of experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of performance development systems for organizations, their managers and employees.  He received his B.S. in Biology from the University of Nebraska, Omaha. 

Mr. McPherson’s knowledge and applied experience in human resources and organizational improvement resulted in his earning the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) designation from the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) in 2003.

For the past six years he has concentrated on the design and delivery of performance enhancement services including the development of training courses, employee orientation, mentoring, and facilitation across the United States. He has provided significant contributions in three primary areas:  (1) Planning, facilitation and change management, (2) technical skill development, and (3) leadership development.

Mr. McPherson has been active in his community. He has served on the Board of Directors for Opera Omaha, Social Settlement, and Metropolitan Community College’s Upward Bound Program. He is also a member of the Pilgrim Baptist Church.

Mr. McPherson has provided planning, facilitation and change management expertise to internal and external clients in support of their efforts to implement best practices and increase project and operational success.  He has provided technical skill development opportunities for HDR’s internal clients in pursuit of several strategic goals, instructional design, and program implementation services.

HDR recognizes the value of its project managers and business unit managers being able to execute project success as well as leading others in support of corporate objectives. Mr. McPherson has designed and delivered a number of leadership development programs and courses such as Covey-certified instructor, business etiquette, and new employee orientation and mentoring.  Mr. McPherson serves as a guest instructor for the Construction Engineering Technology students enrolled in the Personnel and Supervisory Methods course at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, Peter Kiewit Institute.