Governor Sandoval announces appointments, Carson City staff change

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval announced Tuesday the appointments of General Counsel Joe Reynolds to serve as chairman of the Public Utilities Commission and Leo Drozdoff as acting-Commissioner effective Oct. 3.

Reynolds and Drozdoff will fill the vacancies of Commissioners David Noble and Alaina Burtenshaw, respectively.

“Joe is a smart and thoughtful litigator who successfully managed some of the most difficult legal issues our state has faced in the past year and a half,” said Sandoval. “His counsel will be missed in my office but I know that he will serve as a strong, effective Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission. Joe has a great love for Nevada and passion for doing what is right for our state and I know that dedication will resonate in this new role.”

Meanwhile, Daniel Stewart has been hired as General Counsel in the Office of the Governor and will begin in this role on Oct. 3.

“Daniel brings extensive legislative, regulatory and litigation experience to the office and is a welcome addition,” said Governor Brian Sandoval. “I am grateful that he is willing to step out of private practice to serve our state and I look forward to his counsel as we ready for the next legislative session.”

While serving in the Office of the Governor, Reynolds served as the Governor’s legal advisor and managed public safety, transportation, military, and regulatory agencies.

Prior to joining the Governor’s Office, Reynolds was the Chief Deputy Attorney General for the Bureau of Litigation, Public Safety Division of the Nevada Attorney General’s Office, and handled complex civil ligation matters for the State.

Reynolds previously served as Senior Deputy District Attorney for the Lyon County District Attorney’s Office.

Reynolds has successfully briefed and argued cases before the Nevada Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Reynolds, who was also a law clerk to former Nevada Supreme Court Justice C. Clifton Young, earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and his law degree from Gonzaga University School of Law.

Stewart is a fifth-generation Nevadan who grew up in Henderson. Stewart attended Brigham Young University, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in history in 2001.

In 2005, he received his Master’s Degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and in 2008 he graduated law school from the University of Chicago.

He is a licensed attorney in the State of Nevada. Stewart has extensive litigation experience, both at the trial and appellate level. Stewart is currently the sole owner of DHS Law, LLC; a boutique law firm focused on political and election law as well as administrative law, constitutional law, and government relations. During the 2015 General Session of the Nevada Legislature, Stewart served as chief policy advisor to the Assembly Republican Caucus.

Drozdoff was formerly the Director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Drozdoff earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Bucknell University and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Sandoval also announced the appointment of Alaina Burtenshaw as Chairman of the Nevada Transportation Authority, effective Oct. 3, 2016 following the departure of current Chairman Ann Wilkinson. Since 2015, Wilkinson has served the final year of an unexpired term on the NTA and did not seek reappointment.

“I appreciate Alaina’s willingness to continue her service to our state in this new assignment. The Transportation Authority will continue to maintain the safety and integrity of the companies and operators that move the Nevadans and the millions who travel to our state annually,” said Sandoval.

Burtenshaw was originally appointed Commissioner to the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada in 2010 and was re-appointed by Governor Sandoval in June 2013. Commissioner Burtenshaw served as Chairman of the PUC from February 2011 through September 2015. Her career with the PUC began in 1992, first as assistant staff counsel and later staff counsel, with the Regulatory Operations division.

Prior to joining the PUC, Burtenshaw worked in private practice in Las Vegas from 1987 to 1992, where she focused on administrative law. Burtenshaw received a bachelor’s degree in history from Idaho State University and a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is a licensed attorney in Nevada.