Board Members and Staff

Michael J. Smith, was appointed to the EMRB on October 8, 2020. Mr. Smith is a native Mississippian he received his Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Rust College, Holly Springs, MS. and his Masters of of Arts in Education Administration and Supervision from the University of Mississippi. A retired high school principal with 33 years in K-12 education as a history and science teacher, basketball coach, assistant principal, and student support services coordinator in the states of Mississippi and Tennessee. Mr. Smith served as the President of the Shelby County (TN) Education Association (1999-2000), and also a board member of the Tennessee Education Association (2001-2004) Michael is the CEO and President of Northern Nevada Cultural Foundation a 501(c-3) non-profit organization.

Throughout his personal and professional life he has received numerous awards and recognitions on a local, state and federal level. He has been a tireless and dedicated public servant, and advocate for the arts and humanities and an individual who build bridges to others.

Michael served on the Carson City Cultural Commission. He is also Basileus of the local Reno chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He resides in Carson City with his wife Margaret, a fifth generation Nevadan and their three Shih Tzu puppies. Michael is the proud father of his adult son Phillip (Sallie) a retired USMC and spending time with his grandson, Royce. 

During his spare time he loves to cook, golf, read and cheer for his favorite professional sports teams consisting of the Pittsburg Steelers, San Francisco Giants and New York Knicks along with showcasing his musical talents singing and playing his saxophone. Michael's favorite axiom he lives by is "A bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn".    

Michael A. Urban was appointed to the EMRB in May 2023.  Mr. Urban graduated cum laude with a Juris Doctor degree from Whittier College School of Law, where he received American Jurisprudence awards for excellence in Labor Law and Estate and Gift Taxation, was a member of the Whittier College School of Law Moot Court Honors Board and Managing Editor of the Whittier Law Review.  He is an honors graduate from California State University at Long Beach with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History.  

Mr. Urban is a member of the State Bar Associations of Washington, Nevada, California and Oregon, and is admitted in the U.S. District Courts of California - Central, Southern, Northern and Eastern Districts, as well as the U.S. District Courts, District of Nevada and Western District of Washington.  In addition, Mr. Urban admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th and D.C. Circuits, and the United States Supreme Court.

In Mr. Urban’s private practice, his primary areas of expertise are labor law, employee benefits, real estate (transactional and litigation) and business representation and litigation.  He practices law in the states of Nevada, California, Washington and Oregon.  Mr. Urban has presented jury and non-jury cases for trial in Washington, Nevada and California and has appeared before state and federal Courts and government agencies in many venues.

 

Marisu was appointed the EMRB's Commissioner in October 2024.  Prior to that, she served as the Executive Assistant/Board Secretary since December 2014.  Before her appointment to the EMRB, Marisu was the Legal Secretary for the Nevada Real Estate Division, bringing with her over 20 years of experience as a Legal Secretary/Assistant working for various firms in Los Angeles, Honolulu, and Las Vegas. She attended the University of the Philippines, College of Manila where she majored in History, and received her paralegal certificate from the Attorney Assistant Program at the UCLA School of Law Extension in Los Angeles, California.