Born and raised in Las Vegas, Kevin Osario Hernandez has always considered Nevada home. He decided to pursue his education at Nevada State University after earning early college credit through a dual enrollment program at Valley High School. As a first-generation college student, he found the support, affordability, and close-knit community he needed at NSU. Kevin recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History with a Pre-Law concentration and minors in Communications and Sociology. While he first planned to attend law school, his time as NSU Student Body President shifted his focus to education policy.
In 2023, Kevin joined the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance (LVGEA) as a Government Affairs Intern. His internship grew into a part-time role, where he was a valued member of the government affairs team. During his nearly two years with LVGEA, he contributed to several major legislative efforts. He worked closely with stakeholders to shape a bill ultimately carried by Governor Lombardo in the 2025 legislative session and earned a seat on the Assembly floor during the Governor’s 2025 State of the State address. He also played a key role in organizing a roundtable with Congresswoman Dina Titus and regional leaders to tackle Nevada’s land challenges.
In this Q&A, Kevin shares more about his journey, his work at LVGEA, and the lessons he’ll carry into the future.
Q: What first sparked your interest in government affairs and politics?
A: My high school principal, Ramona Esparza, who is now a trustee for the Clark County School District, was the first person to introduce me to politics. She encouraged me to join the Nevada Youth Legislature, but I didn’t take the opportunity at the time, and I wish I had. She planted a seed that grew into a passion for policy that resulted in me interning with Congresswoman Susie Lee and later with Senator Jacky Rosen in Washington, D.C. Those experiences showed me the long, often slow, but deeply impactful process of policymaking.
Another reason that I was drawn to politics was because I am the first in my family to attend college, and I wanted to break cycles of poverty. I saw how my relatives worked multiple jobs in the service industry on the strip just to get by. That inspired me to create a change. I wanted to go into something that was intrinsically meaningful and impactful to me.
During my time in politics, and one of my proudest moments was helping develop my first bill, AB345, with Assemblymember Erica Mosca, a bill informed by my student leadership of two years at NSU and in NSHE, where I represented over 110,000 students across Nevada. This bill aims to address barriers in higher education, and ensuring students have access to education.
Q: How did you find out about the LVGEA internship, and what made you want to apply?
A: Interestingly, I didn’t apply. Former LVGEA Chief Strategy Officer Amber Stidham recruited me. We met during the 2023 legislative session when I testified in support of Nevada State’s name change. I read a poem during my testimony, and Amber was moved by it. She gave me her card, and we later connected over coffee. That conversation turned into an internship opportunity, and I’m incredibly grateful for it. I didn’t know anything about economic development at the time, but I’ve learned so much since.
Q: What skills or experiences from the internship do you think will be most valuable in your future career?
A: The most valuable lessons I’ve learned are the importance of trust, maintaining relationships even when things get tough, active listening, and being able to respectfully disagree, especially in politically sensitive environments.
Q: How has your understanding of public policy and government evolved through this internship?
A: I’ve learned that some of the most effective work happens behind the scenes, during one-on-one conversations, not public hearings. Policy moves when there are authentic relationships and mutual trust, especially when people are willing to work across disagreement to solve real problems.
Q: You recently graduated – congratulations! What’s your next step, and what are you most excited about in this next chapter?
A: Thank you! I’m excited to begin my teaching journey. I joined Teach for America, to continue my mission of making an impact by serving through leadership, particularly in education. I will be teaching secondary English and I see this next chapter as a way to build on my economic development experience, not just in higher education but at the K-12 level too. I’m currently enrolled in a master’s program at UNLV and plan to continue my studies toward a doctoral degree in education. My long-term goal is to be a systems-change leader and policymaker focused on strengthening education in Nevada, and I hope to carry with me all the lessons I have learned through higher education, economic development, and now K-12 to be an effective change agent.
Q: Is there any advice you’d give to other students or recent grads thinking about doing an internship?
A: Be open to something completely new. I never imagined I’d intern in economic development but taking that chance opened doors I didn’t know existed. I’ve learned so much about my community, and I’m incredibly grateful for the work LVGEA does to build a more resilient region. So, take the leap, you never know where it might lead.
