Philanthropic Programs

It was the Fourth of July 2024, but for the Sloan family, there were no fireworks or festivities. Instead, Megan Sloan stood by her husband Darrin’s bedside in the intensive care unit at Renown Regional Medical Center, watching machines take over while monitoring his fragile condition. Just a week earlier, Darrin, a devoted father, husband and retired sergeant with the Carson City Sherif’s Office, had been full of energy. Now, he was fighting for his life.

Tiffany Banks is one of the newest members of the Renown Health Foundation Board of Directors. She’s part of a dedicated group of 28 volunteers who lead fundraising for Renown Health, northern Nevada’s only not-for-profit academic health system. Tiffany brings bold vision and relentless drive to make real change. She’s a founding member of Mamas for a Cause, a Reno nonprofit that raised $50,000 to support breast care services at the Conrad Breast Center at Renown South Meadows, a cause that’s deeply personal to her. She’s also an attorney and the CEO of Nevada REALTORS®, where she has shaped policies and amplified the voice of real estate professionals across the state. Now she’s setting her sights on the title of Mrs. Nevada America, an honor celebrating women defined by service, ambition and heart. Get to know Tiffany in her own words. Why she gives back, what motivates her to lead, and how she’s working to create lasting change.

For 16-year-old Madeleine, a patient at Renown Children’s Hospital, volleyball was more than a game; it was her passion. But during her first-year at Reno High School, she noticed a deep ache in her back. The pain worsened with each game, and soon, what once brought joy became unbearable. “The pain was overwhelming. I was crying after every game because my back hurt so bad,” Madeleine said. “It felt like the upper half of my back was falling or compressing on the lower half. I remember thinking, I can’t do this anymore.” Her pediatrician referred her to Dr. Michael Elliott, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Renown Children’s Hospital who specializes in scoliosis and spinal deformities. Thanks to community generosity, families in northern Nevada have access to pediatric specialists like Dr. Elliott, without having to travel far from home. Madeleine had a dangerous 50-degree curve in her spine. Dr. Elliott explained that surgery was urgent and offered her best path forward. “It felt like my whole world flipped upside down,” Madeleine recalls.