Nevada Regent Sam Lieberman Passes Away

Nevada Regent Sam Lieberman, a champion for higher education causes, died Friday April 3, 2020. He was 58.

“We were devastated to learn of Sam’s death,” said Chancellor Thom Reilly. “He was so passionate about Nevada’s public higher education system and he cared very deeply about bettering our system for our students.”

Regent’s Chair Jason Geddes added, “I have never met a greater advocate for students and their concerns. He was a great leader and a great friend. I’m absolutely shocked and saddened by this news.”

Gov.Steve Sisolak ordered the flags of the United States and the State of Nevada to be flown at half-staff at the State Capitol and all State public buildings and grounds until sunset on Monday, April 6, 2020, as a mark of respect and remembrance of Regent Sam Lieberman.

“I was saddened to learn about the passing of NV Board of Regents member Sam Lieberman, a champion of higher education in Nevada, fighter for those most vulnerable in our society, and a genuinely good person,” the governor said. “Sam will be sorely missed by his family, friends, & everyone he touched.”

In a statement, former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid added, “Sam Lieberman was someone who had a public servant’s heart. He did the important, yet often quiet, behind-the-scenes work to help build our state party into what it is today. And he did the work for all the right reasons. He fought to make sure those with disabilities had a voice and a seat at the table. In fact, he fought to give everyone a voice. I will ever be grateful that I had the chance to get to know him and Nevada will always be a better place because of his commitment to the values that make our state great.”

Lieberman represented Regent District 5 covering parts of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and unincorporated Clark County since 2015.

He was the chair of the Cultural Diversity Committee and vice chair of the Community College Committee. He was also a member of the Academic, Research and Student Affairs Committee; Health Sciences System Committee; and Security Committee.

Regent Lieberman was also Chair of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Presidential Search Committee.

A 1996 graduate of UNLV with a degree in Social Work, Regent Lieberman was committed to NSHE’s university and community college system both as a student and an active alumnus. He served as the chairman of the UNLV College of Liberal Arts Community Advisory Board, was a board member for the UNLV Alumni Association from 2000 to 2008 and was a past president of the Sigma Chi Alumni Association. He was also a member of the annual giving council for the UNLV Foundation and served on numerous professional search committees within NSHE.

Regent Lieberman was committed to enhancing the caliber of higher education for students, faculty, staff and alumni alike. He strongly believed college campuses should be an accessible community resource for Nevadans of all backgrounds.

Regent Lieberman served as chair of the Nevada State Democratic Party from 2008-2011. He was also active in the non-profit sector, serving in various capacities in organizations throughout the Southern Nevada community. He served as chairman of the Alzheimer’s Association Desert Southwest Chapter Regional Leadership Council. Regent Lieberman previously served as the chairman of the Board of Directors and as treasurer for Nevada Parents Encouraging Parents (Nevada PEP), a non-profit, statewide parent training information center for parents of children with disabilities.

Regent Lieberman also served as president of the Board of Directors of Congregation P’nai Tikvah. His interment will be in Minneapolis, Minnesota.