The Nevada Connection – September 2023

Angelo Spata was elected by the Board to serve as chair effective July 1, 2023. He takes over the position previously held by Michael Kidd, PLS.

Angelo is a licensed professional engineer in Nevada and four other western states. He’s the Engineering Director for Kiewit Engineering Group, Inc working from their Las Vegas, Nevada, office. He was the design manager for Project Neon Design-Build in Las Vegas and has focused his career on overseeing engineering and design projects throughout Nevada and the Western States.

Angelo has lived in Nevada since 1976, graduating from Chaparral High School, attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and obtaining his PE in 2002. He is an active member of the Nevada chapters of the American Public Works Association and American Society of Civil Engineers. He has overseen a variety of community and educational activities, such as the Clark County School District’s education program, All People Promoting Literacy Efforts (APPLE), a computer funding and reading competition for elementary school students, and the Summer Business Institute Program for Clark County, which funds intern opportunities for local high school students interested in the field of engineering. Angelo is a supporter and contributor to the Nevada Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) initiative that includes scholarships, fundraisers, and outreach promoting students in pursuing technical professions, as well as the Fuel Revenue Indexing (FRI) campaign to modernize, grow, and diversify the needs of our transportation infrastructure.

Governor Lombardo reappointed Brent Wright, PE/SE to his third term on the board effective July 1, 2023. Brent was also elected by the Board to serve as vice-chair effective July 1, 2023.  He takes over the position previously held by Tom Matter.

Brent is a Nevada licensed structural engineer and is also licensed in 38 other states.  He is the founder and CEO of Wright Engineers with offices in Las Vegas, Orange County, Phoenix, Dallas and Salt Lake City.  He was lead structural engineer for the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas and has overseen structural engineering for thousands of projects nationwide.

Brent earned BS and MS degrees in civil engineering from Brigham Young University, and he formerly held a Nevada unlimited general contractor’s license.

Brent serves as chairman of the Board of Appeals for the City of Las Vegas Department of Building and Safety and on other volunteer boards.  He was a founder and the first president of the Structural Engineers Association of Southern Nevada.

Brent is the cartoonist and creative mind behind the Right Brain Blog (rightbrain.wrightengineers.com), cartoons and humor highlighting the quirks and craziness of engineers, architects, builders and the construction industry.  He and his wife Peggy have five children and ten grandchildren.  For fun, Brent enjoys woodworking, gardening, motorcycle riding, archery, and other outdoor adventures, including summiting some of the tallest peaks in the US, Africa and South America.

Governor Lombardo also appointed Jay Dixon, PE to the Board effective September 1, 2023. This is Jay’s first term on the board.

Jay Dixon takes over the seat previously held by Lynnette Russell, PE, whose term on the board expired August 31, 2023.
Jay has a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. He is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer in Utah and Nevada and a Licensed Water Rights Surveyor in Nevada. During and shortly after graduate school at UNLV, Jay spent a few years doing hydrologic research at the Nevada Test Site and the Yucca Mountain Project in Nye County.

From 2010 – 2022, Jay was the Chief Hydrologist for Kinross Gold in Nevada, managing large-scale dewatering and hydrology projects at the Round Mountain and Bald Mountain Mines. Now a full-time independent consultant, Mr. Dixon has spent over 25 years working on water rights and groundwater development projects all over Nevada and recently started the Water Strategy Group, which focuses on water resources policy advocacy in Nevada.