Kathy Topp

Friday, Feb. 26, 2010 | 6 a.m.

Kathy Topp

Age: 33

Current job: Director of Marketing and Business Development, Goodwill of Southern Nevada

Education: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Bachelor of Arts in journalism and English

About Kathy Topp: Since joining Goodwill of Southern Nevada in January 2009, Kathy Topp has made a concerted effort to improving the Las Vegas community and making Southern Nevada a better place to live. Topp sold 31 sponsorships for the ’09 Goodwill Gala – many of which were new to the event —raising $40,000 in a tough economy. She coordinated the “Job Is In The Bag” handbag sale on www.shopgoodwill.com in May 2009, which featured dozens of gently used handbags and accessories and raised nearly $2,500. Topp has also initiated a relationship with Harrah’s Entertainment that fostered a shoe drive, coat drive and a “mobile store” shopping experience at Harrah’s North Las Vegas laundry facility in August 2009. She has led the marketing efforts for the grand opening of Goodwill’s second Career Connections center in Las Vegas, including a multi-platform media buy, print and broadcast publicity and special event coordination. Prior to joining Goodwill, Topp was special projects producer at KVBC Channel 3 TV and an assignment editor at KVVU Fox 5 TV.

The most important issue facing the valley: Unemployment. Right now, a record number of people in our community are unemployed or underemployed. I see it everyday as Goodwill’s mission is to help people find jobs.

My mentor and why: My oldest sister. She’s my sounding board.

Favorite Web site: www.shopgoodwill.com, of course.

Hobbies: Traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Fantasy job: My fantasy job would be to work for the TV show “60 Minutes.”

One-word description of self: Tall