Posts by Every Mind Matters

Every Mind Matter’s Board Member Stacey Knobler, M.D., had a birthday, and we celebrated with a delicious, authentic Mexican lunch prepared by Reno’s best Mexican chef, Johanna Villalobos of Senor Tequila’s. Stallar Lufrano emceed and Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill cut the chocolate birthday cake. Mayoral candidate Kate Marshall paid us a visit. Board member…

The University of Nevada’s ORVIS School of Nursing has selected our Albee Aryel Fellow, Marissa Martinez, for its highly selective Nurse Apprentice Program. Marissa will be paired with an experienced nurse and will be paid to tackle progressively more challenging assignments, until she is tackling nursing duties before she graduates in December with her bachelor’s…

Ana Reyes is a senior at the University of Nevada’s Orvis School of Nursing, a first-generation student whose parents are from Mexico. Ana’s journey to higher education was exceptionally difficult. When her father had to return to Mexico because to deal with immigration issues, Ana’s mother worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. Exhausted from…

Marissa Martinez is a student at the University of Nevada, Reno Orvis School of Nursing. Marissa has overcome abject poverty, homelessness, a chaotic family environment and personal tragedies in her pursuit of her passion to help others. “As a first-generation student from a family that faced homelessness, addiction, and loss, I learned early what resilience…

In October of 2025, faculty at the Orvis School of Nursing at the University of Nevada, Reno contacted Every Mind Matters with an urgent request for assistance: a nursing student was in serious trouble, and could we please help? Marissa Martinez is a bright, hard-working, compassionate and highly motivated student. She was also behind on…

Gisselle Cruz has been elected to the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society’s chapter at the University of Nevada, Reno. Phi Kappa Phi admits top-performing students studying business and engineering. Every Mind Matters congratulates Gisselle on her election.

Jafeth E. Sanchez, Ph.D, the Director of the Latino Research Center (LRC) at the University of Nevada, Reno, is the recipient of Every Mind Matters’ first Champion Award. Dr. Sanchez understood very early the value of our work and offered her full and consistent support to our program, offering valuable advice, making important introductions and…

Senor Tequila’s Mexican Kitchen and Cantina hosted a fundraiser for Every Mind Matters on Tuesday May 13, 2025, that raised over $4,000.00. Many thanks to our gracious hosts, restauranteurs Johanna and Mario Jimenez for the excellent food, and to Reno City Councilman Miguel Martinez and Dr. Jafeth E. Sanchez, Director of the Latino Research Center…

The Cummins Engine Foundation has awarded Every Mind Matters a $5,000 grant to support the Fellowship program. “We are very grateful to the Cummins Engine Company and its Foundation for supporting our mission,” Executive Director Ron Aryel said. “We throw a safety net around each Fellow and Cummins understands how crucial that is to enabling…

Mariana Lopez Baez has won the 2024 Albee Aryel Fellowship Award. She is graduating December 7, 2024 from the University of Nevada, Reno, with a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology. Mariana is headed for graduate school to train to become an athletic trainer for a college or professional team. Mariana worked very hard, excelled…