Connecting athletes with the communities in which they live and play.
Connecting athletes with the communities in which they live and play.
For the last four years, Julian has helped coach and train athletes from youth, college, and professional arenas, around the Las Vegas valley soccer community. Julian was born in Mexico, but grew up playing club soccer in Las Vegas. He moved back to Mexico at age 14 to play with youth academies, including Pachuca, Zacatapec, and Atlante. He played college soccer at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and then went onto play professionally with Tulsa Roughnecks and the Las Vegas Lights FC.
As one of the owners of Portugal Sports Academy (PSA), Julian’s vision since day one training kids at a park/in his garage was to put Las Vegas soccer on the map. Not only that, but his vision was to establish the highest standard of soccer training with teaching life lessons through soccer. His detailed approach has put his athletes into Division 1 soccer programs, DA Academies, and led them to play professionally as well. He wants to continue to inspire and push kids to their full potential, while raising the standard of the beautiful game in Las Vegas.
Julian is a certified personal trainer, certified in strength and conditioning, and provides top service to anyone that walks through those doors. PSA continues to help all their athletes reach their full potential and showcase their talents year-round.
Piper is a seasoned government affairs professional who brings a depth of experience from both the public and private sectors. Beginning with a foundation in grassroots mobilization and a penchant for coalition building, Piper embarked on a path that led to an impactful two- decades long career in government affairs.
Piper has served as a congressional staffer, corporate government affairs manager, an entrepreneur, a regional public policy leader for one of the world’s most recognized brands, and is currently, President of Government Affairs at one of the Nevada’s largest lobbying firms. At Uber she was responsible for managing the company’s public policy efforts across five western states. At the Griffin Company, Piper is responsible for helping to manage the firm’s policy efforts on behalf of its 30+ clients at the state and local level throughout Nevada.
Piper moved west to Nevada in the late nineties where she began her political career as a district representative for Congresswoman Shelley Berkley. As a district representative, she became entrenched in the local community to understand the issues that impact the everyday lives of southern Nevadans. During her time working on behalf of constituents in Nevada’s CD-1, and volunteering her time with local non-profit organizations, she earned a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Her experience in the public sector afforded her the opportunity to serve in corporate government affairs in the casino gaming industry for MGM Resorts International. In her role as Manager of Government Affairs, Piper represented the company during several sessions of the Nevada Legislature, and liaised with members of the Congressional Black Caucus on gaming related policy issues.
Piper continued to cultivate a vast network of professional relationships that led to her to entrepreneurship. During almost a decade of running her own business, she successfully navigated the unique challenges experienced from operating a woman and minority owned firm within a white and male dominated industry. Piper traveled the globe working with regulatory agencies and engaging public officials on behalf of her clients.
Since her youth, volunteering toward the betterment of her community has always been a priority for Piper. She is an active member of the Las Vegas chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc., an African American family organization established in 1938 to provide social, cultural and educational experiences for children and families. She’s also an active member of the National Hampton University Alumni Association and serves on the Board of Directors for BPS Foundation and education advocacy non-profit, Opportunity 180.
David Garcia is an Executive Director and Office Team Lead for J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Las Vegas. He leads a team of specialists to offer advice on the complexities of wealth. Collectively, they deliver the sophisticated guidance, thought leadership and world-class capabilities necessary to help his clients achieve their personal and financial goals.
In his multifaceted role, David offers institutional-quality service across a broad range of practice areas, including investments, lending, banking, and tax & estate planning. He provides direct access to J.P. Morgan’s resources for his clients. David leverages the richness of his experience to offer innovative strategies and customized approaches. Whether clients seek portfolio management, risk mitigation, executive services or pre-transaction planning, he brings a level of focus and intensity to ensure their needs are met.
With a career that has spanned almost 15 years, David has a diverse skill set that includes investment banking, leverage finance, and commercial lending. He also worked for the law firms Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton and Weil, Gotshal & Manges before holding international roles with Credit Suisse and GE Capital. David joined the Private Bank in 2015 and has led J.P. Morgan’s efforts in establishing J.P. Morgan’s office in Nevada.
David earned his J.D. and M.B.A. from the University of Michigan, and his B.A. in Latin American Studies from Brigham Young University, graduating with honors. He holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification.
David and his wife are raising their four children with a multicultural perspective derived from their time working abroad and across many areas of the country. To challenge himself, he enjoys mountaineering and competing in triathlons. David sits on the boards of Three Square, UNLV Foundation, BPS Foundation, Lighthouse Charities, and the College of Southern Nevada Foundation.
Alex De Castroverde is an attorney and the owner of De Castroverde Law Group along with his brother, Orlando. Their father, Waldo De Castroverde, was born in Havana, Cuba, and was a paratrooper in the Bay of Pigs invasion. Waldo moved to Reno, Nevada, in 1978, along with his wife Vivian De Castroverde (also born in Cuba) and their four children. After attending law school at night—while he dealt blackjack during the day—Waldo became one of the first attorneys in Nevada to open a law office with the focus of representing the Hispanic Community.
In 2005, De Castroverde Law Group was formed as a branch of the Law Office of Waldo De Castroverde. The firm has grown from three attorneys to 20 attorneys and a total team of nearly 100 employees. The firm continues to focus on the representation of the Hispanic community in both Southern and Northern Nevada. The firm concentrates on personal injury, immigration, and criminal defense.
In 1995, Mr. De Castroverde received his undergraduate degree from UNR. He received his J.D. from Nova Southeastern University in 1999. Mr. De Castroverde is active in the Southern Nevada community, currently serving on the Board of Directors for Cristo Rey St. Viator Las Vegas College Preparatory and the Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities. He is also on the Advisory Counsel for the Nevada Independent and serves as a committee member for the Las Vegas Bowl Committee.
Mr. De Castroverde is happily married to his wife Cathy of over 13 years, and they have three daughters.