Shelley Berkley

Shelley serves as Senior Vice President of External Affairs for the Touro University System. Previously as CEO and Senior Provost of Touro’s Western Division, she was the administrative and academic head of the Nevada and Northern California campuses. Prior to joining Touro, Shelley served the State of Nevada in the United States House of Representatives from 1998 to 2013.  She was the first woman to serve the District and held the position for seven terms.

Among Shelley’s proudest accomplishments during her time in Congress was building the new Veterans Administration medical complex in Southern Nevada to provide quality healthcare to the veterans in our community.  She was a vocal supporter of providing more funding for graduate medical education (residencies), and a vocal advocate of reforming our nation’s healthcare system. Shelley also was known as one of the strongest and most outspoken supporters of Israel in Congress.  She left her mark on every resolution, legislation, committee markup, and floor debate affecting Israel and the Middle East. Prior to serving in Congress, Shelley was a practicing attorney.  She was an attorney for the Nevada State Commerce Department, in-house counsel for Southwest Gas Corporation, and Vice President for Government and Legal Affairs for the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.

Shelley is married to Dr. Larry Lehrner, a kidney specialist and Touro adjunct faculty member.  Shelley is the proud mother of two sons – Max, an attorney and Sam Berkley, territory manager of resort spirits for Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada, and two step-children  – David, a specialist in information technology and Stephanie Lehrner, DO, an osteopathic physician and instructor at Touro University Nevada.