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 tirelss and dedicated public servant, and advocate for the arts and humanities and an individual who build bridges to others.

Michael, currently serves on the Carson City Cultural Commission for a three-year term ending January 1, 2026. 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 grand son 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 unlsess you fail to make the turn".    

Tammara Williams was appointed to the Board on December 1, 2022. She is from Kansas City, Kansas and attended Donnelly College where she received an Associate of Arts Degree. She moved to Southern Nevada in 1991. She attended the University of Nevada Las Vegas and Regis University where she received a Bachelors of Science and Masters Degree in Business Administration Management. Tammara has 30 years of public sector experience. She retired from the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada in 2018 as the Senior Human Resources and Safety/Security Director.  She has experience in various areas of Human Resources including labor relations, employee contract negotiations, workplace investigations, grievances and compliance with federal and state laws and regulations. Tammara was a member of several professional organizations/boards to include the Nevada Governors Homeland Security Commission Working Group, and served as the President of the Local Nevada Public Employers Labor Relations Association (NPELRA). Since her retirement she continues to participate in various human resources professional groups.  Tammara also is the owner and manages a Management Consulting Business (LLC) where she performs various human resources/safety security projects.

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.

 

Bruce Snyder has served as EMRB Commissioner since November 2013. Prior to this appointment Mr. Snyder, an attorney, had been the General Counsel of a local public sector labor union for more than a dozen years. He is a graduate of the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, where he ranked third in his class. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Snyder was an office manager for a wastewater utility in Illinois for almost two decades, where he was in charge of the human resources, IT, finance, purchasing, and other office functions and served as the agency’s liaison with its various outside counsel. Mr. Snyder is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where he received his B.S. in Political Science and Urban Affairs and later received his MBA 

Marisu was appointed the EMRB's Executive Assistant/Board Secretary in 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.