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Executive Committee

Kevin Ball
President

Kevin R. Ball

Vice President

Megan Humphreys

Tom Gorball
Vice President

Tom Gorball

Colleen Birch
Chairwoman

Colleen Birch

Robert Chiti
Treasurer

Robert Chiti

Melissa Arias
Executive Director

Melissa Arias

Director of Operations

Christopher Alfieri

Secretary

Marti Winer

Kevin Ball

President

Kevin R. Ball

Vice President Procurement, Fontainebleau Las Vegas

Kevin R. Ball joined Epicurean Charitable Foundation in February 2016 to help Clark County’s young people realize their educational dreams, which not may come true without the help of ECF. Mr. Ball is inspired to be a mentor by the fresh perspective and excitement that the new generation of hospitality leaders bring to the industry.

Mr. Ball has over thirty years’ experience in the procurement/supply chain field. From 1997 he has held senior level positions with American Casino & Entertainment Properties LLC, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, and Public Service Enterprise Group. In July of 2008, he joined American Casino & Entertainment Properties as the Corporate Vice President of Purchasing/Strategic Sourcing where he oversees and directs the development of the company’s procurement strategy, practices and procedures to form a strong management focus on improving the cost and quality of delivered material and services.

Mr. Ball is the co-founder and chair of the Las Vegas Purchasing Leadership Council. In 2013 he was published in “Inside Supply Management” magazine where he describes navigating the recent recession and how the purchasing department played a strategic role during that time.

Mr. Ball has two wonderful children, Austin and Cheyenne, and enjoys spending time with his granddaughter Sienna when he is not busy traveling, golfing, fishing, or scuba diving.

Vice President

Megan Humphreys

Vice President of Food & Beverage Strategy, MGM Resorts International

Megan serves as Vice President Food and Beverage Strategy for MGM Resorts International. In her role, she is responsible for Strategic planning and oversight of labor, new projects and initiatives. Megan is a 2004 graduate of The Pennsylvania State University B.S Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management.

Megan started hospitality her career as Manager in Training at Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa in Tucson, Arizona and then went to Four Seasons Hotels in Dallas in 2007 and ultimately ended up in Las Vegas. During that time, she received seven promotional opportunities and 2 years were spent in New York City at Four Seasons Hotel New York. She began MGMRI career at MGM Grand as Executive Director of Food and Beverage in August of 2018 with a VP of Food and Beverage at MGM Grand promotion in May 2019.

Megan joined ECF’s esteemed board in July 2020 to help deserving students go to college, who would normally not be able to afford it. She is most passionate about seeing as many students receive funding as possible. From there, she most looks forward to supporting them and watching them grow into the work force.

Megan is a native of Santa Monica, California. She and her husband Ryan are parents to two beautiful young girls, Grace and Caroline and 2 rescue dogs. She is a former Penn State track and field athlete and Ironman Triathlete. When she does have free time, she is a hiker, baker, eater, and craft beer connoisseur (less than 55 IBU’s).

Tom Gorball

Vice President

Tom Gorball

Director of Food and Beverage, Sunset Station Hotel and Casino

Working for almost 40-years in the food & beverage industry, Mr. Gorball has experienced every position in F&B front of house and back of house. While with MGMRI, Mr. Gorball participated in three different task force groups to assist with opening new MGM properties, MGM National Harbor, MGM Springfield, and assisting to convert Empire City Casino in Yonkers New York. After being a part of the National Harbor opening, Mr. Gorball took the leap from Executive Chef to Vice President of F&B at Circus Circus.

 

Mr. Gorball takes pride in giving back to the community. He is excited to join ECF’s mentoring program to mentor the future leaders of hospitality. He was on the program advisory committee for the Art Institute of Las Vegas, a mentor for the MGM Reach program, and mentors team members from multiple properties and across multiple departments. Mr. Gorball is a graduate of the Direct Program from MGM and is a Diversity Champion. He is involved in several local charities- Catholic Charites, Feeding the Homeless, and Project School Bell, just to name a few.

 

When Mr. Gorball is not working, he loves to cook in the kitchen with Michelle, his fiancé, and spend time with their family.  He has four children and three beautiful grandsons. He is a lifelong Raiders fan and is super excited about them now being the Las Vegas Raiders.

Colleen Birch

Chairwoman

Colleen Birch

Chairwoman of the Board, Hospitality Charitable Foundation

Colleen Birch, Chairwoman of the Board at Hospitality Charitable Foundation, stands at the upper echelons of the hospitality industry, her journey as inspiring as it is impressive. With over 27 years of experience in the field, Colleen's ascent to leadership positions has been marked by dedication, resilience, and a commitment to excellence.

Before opening the Fontainebleau, a monumental task she undertook with unwavering determination, as COO, Colleen distinguished herself as the Senior Vice President of Revenue Optimization at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, where she played a pivotal role in shaping the resort's pricing strategies and customer relationship management initiatives.

Due to her diligent work ethic, loyalty to her teams and commitment to industry excellence, Birch has been recognized as one of Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International’s ” Revenue Management Professionals of the Year” in 2015 as well as one of HSMAI’s “Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing and Revenue Optimization” in 2016. In 2018, Birch was named a, “Woman to Watch” by Vegas Inc. Most recently in 2019, UNLV’s Harrah College of Hospitality awarded Birch with “Alumna of the Year.”

Ms. Birch is actively involved in the community. She supports a number of nonprofit organizations and holds the role of former Chairwoman for Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada, a program that provides a series of business, economic and life skills programs to enhance the education of young people. Birch joined the Epicurean Charitable Foundation Board of Directors in the fall of 2019 and assumed the Chairperson role of the board the following year. As chairwoman of the board, she is responsible for working closely with the ECF executive committee and board of directors to enhance member recruitment and oversee all community-based fundraising and grant efforts. ECF provides scholarships and mentorship for gifted, but often financially underprivileged students.

Birch holds a degree in hotel administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She gives back to the alma mater that means so much to her by participating in the UNLV Mentor Program, returning to campus regularly to speak to junior and senior level classes about her experience. She also serves as a mentor within the resort, offering insight into the industry she’s built her life around. Above all, she is a proud mother to two teens, Gavin and Lily."

In every aspect of her life, Colleen Birch embodies integrity, leadership, and compassion. She continues to inspire those around her with her unwavering dedication to excellence and her commitment to making a positive impact on the world.

Robert Chiti

Treasurer

Robert Chiti

Director of Hotel & Guest Relations, TAO Group Las Vegas

Mr. Chiti, a UNLV graduate brings 18 years of hospitality experience and is currently entrusted with the responsibility of liaising between TAO Group and Sands Corporation assisting with request for Tao & Lavo restaurant, Tao Beach Dayclub and Tao Nightclub. Mr. Chiti is looking forward to knowing the impact the funds he raises will have on young people.

Melissa Arias

Executive Director

Melissa Arias

Melissa Arias joined Epicurean Charitable Foundation in September of 2013 as the new Executive Director. She is passionate about providing a platform for deserving young students to achieve their dreams through hard work and determination.

In her role, Mrs. Arias oversees all fundraising, scholarship activities and day-to-day operations for the organization while working collaboratively with the executive committee, board of directors and the students.

Mrs. Arias joined ECF after seven years with the American Cancer Society, most recently serving as the Director of Development and Distinguished Events. During her tenure, she was responsible for developing a scholarship program for students with childhood cancer, leading the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk and managing and executing the Coaches vs. Cancer Golf Tournament and Gala.

A graduate of Towson University in Towson, Md., she was the founder of Young Professionals Against Cancer, received a Certificate of Commendation from US Senator Harry Reid and was inducted into the Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Nevada’s Hall of Fame in 2008. Ms. Arias was the recognized as Vegas Inc.’s esteemed Women to Watch 2016.

Mrs. Arias, her husband John, and daughters Savannah and Kinsley, recently welcomed their third child Sebastian to the family. She spends most of her spare time with her daughters, running 5ks, and participating in charity events.

Director of Operations

Christopher Alfieri

Christopher Alfieri joined Epicurean Charitable Foundation as Operations and Programs Manager in 2014. He is passionate about a career that is spent bettering the lives of Nevada’s young people and being an instrumental part of their development from the moment they enter the office.

Along with managing the ECF office, Mr. Alfieri oversees all activities pertaining to the Future Leaders of Hospitality Program including: recruitment, as UNLV liaison, student counseling, monitoring student progress, ensuring that students adhere to ECF requirements and standards, and scholarship disbursements. He has been named one of the top 100 men in Las Vegas by MyVegas magazine.

Originally from Long Island, NY, Mr. Alfieri is an avid traveler. He enjoys frequent travels back to the east coast to visit his family and niece Riley. He has lived in Las Vegas for more than a decade and enjoys spending his spare time experiencing all that Las Vegas has to offer.

Email:christopher@ecflv.org

Phone:702.932.5098

Secretary

Marti Winer

General Manager, Casa Bonta Denver

Marti B. Winer joined MGM Resorts Event Productions as Vice President in September 2018. Under Marti’s leadership, MREP is focusing on maintaining its rich history and bringing cutting-edge innovation and creativity to our customers. Marti has a passion for hospitality and a firm belief that events are the greatest communication to foster engagement among global diverse audiences. She also believes that by keeping a keen focus on the goal and vision for each unique event, MREP can exceed expectations in delivering events full of “wow” moments on time and on budget.

Marti is an energetic leader with track record of success in utilizing communications, events, marketing and analytics in corporate and entrepreneurial environments. She brings leadership experiences in finance, operations and experiential marketing. She served as Vice President, Global Communications and Events for Wyndham Hotel Group, as well produced events for industries ranging from finance and pharma to food service and franchising. Marti has a BA in Economics and Political Science from Drew University, Madison, NJ, an MBA from Rutgers University and, just for fun, a Masters of Letters from Drew University having completed a thesis on the role of hospitality in 20th century literature.

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