Bart Patterson

Bart Patterson has successful senior executive experience in a diverse number of disciplines and settings, including higher education, nonprofit management, workforce and economic development, and community and government engagement.

Bart held equity and management positions in private law firms during a 15-year legal career in Arizona, Idaho and Nevada. He served as General Counsel and Vice Chancellor of Administrative and Legal Affairs during his time with the higher education system of Nevada.

In 2011, he was appointed interim president of Nevada State College, and in 2012 was selected as its permanent president. During his tenure, Bart guided NSC into becoming one of the fastest-growing and most diverse colleges in the country, with unprecedented growth in enrollments, academic programs, and physical facilities. He departed to pursue new challenges in 2020.

Bart has served in numerous leadership and board roles in an array of business and nonprofit organizations, including the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance; Henderson Chamber of Commerce; Workforce Connections; Jobs for America’s Graduates; Dress for Success Southern Nevada; the Andson Foundation; the Global Charity Foundation; Friends of Nevada Wilderness; Nevada Conservation League; Be A Shero Foundation; New Skills for Youth Program; Got Core Values; Genius Camps USA; and Pax Academia. He founded the new philanthropic grant program Boost Nevada to assist small nonprofits with funding.

He most recently served as interim chief executive officer of Get Outdoors Nevada during its search for a permanent CEO, an assignment that ended in April 2026. He has an intense passion for hiking and exploring America.