The Directors
Douglas E. Simms
President
Born 1947 in NYC
Raised in Las Vegas, NV Gorman High School 1965
AA Menlo College 1967
BA from Stanford Univ 1969
MBA Columbia Business School 1971
Managing Director Desert Capital Group from 1983 to present.
Cancer survivor
Elaine Krause
Vice President
Elaine Has worked for The Simms Foundation on a volunteer basis for over 20 years.
Her eye for design and attention to detail has allowed The Simms Foundation to maintain its high level of communication.
She has been responsible for Holiday Cards, Summer Announcements, Thank You Cards and Custom Stamps.
In the last two years, she has established and maintained a rapport with Vegas PBS. Vegas PBS spots are our window to the community. They include our Christmas Blast digital card, Test Kitchen, Lydia’s Italy and recently Firing Line and Rick Steves.
Elaine Krause is the perfect choice as our new Director, Vice President and Secretary.
Karen Lasiter
Director
Karen Lasiter was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. She attended St. Louis Community College at Meramec and Santa Monica College prior to pursuing a career in illustration and technical editing with Integrated Sciences Corporation.
Karen married Dr. Nelson Lasiter in 1979 and has worked as an office manager and laboratory technician in his prosthodontic dental practice since their move to Las Vegas in 1981.
In 1985, Nelson and Karen met Dawn Simms and her husband, podiatrist Dr. Robert Grzywacz. Since Dawn also managed Robert’s office, they discovered that they had much in common, and a close friendship was forged.
Dawn and Karen shared a love of their husbands and their dogs, as well as world travel, and both appreciated each other’s quirky wit. Dawn’s joie de vie and courage continue to provide daily inspiration to Karen.