Congresswoman Dina Titus
Third District of Nevada
The Pericles Award

Dina Titus has dedicated her entire professional life to education and public service. She has taught American and Nevada government at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, for 30 years. She represented the people of Senate District 7 in the Nevada Legislature since 1988, serving as the Democratic Minority Leader from 1993 – May 2008.

Rep. Titus was elected to the US House of Representatives from Nevada's Third Congressional District in November, 2008.  She serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, as well as the Education and Labor Committee and the Homeland Security Committee. 

Dina has also sought to protect Nevada’s most vulnerable citizens – children, seniors, and the disabled by helping low-income citizens through various programs. She has been a strong advocate of education at all levels and a supporter of developing renewable energy resources by successfuly pushing legislation to establish REP standards for utilities.

Family Background

Dina (short for Constandina) grew up in the small community of Tifton, Georgia, where her Greek grandfather ran a restaurant.  There was no Greek school or church, however, and the family had to drive 125 miles away to Jacksonville, Florida, to get feta and olives.

Dina learned from a close-knit family the value of community involvement and was introduced to politics at an early age.  On the Titus side, her uncle served in the Georgia Legislature as a Republican and her father ran for a seat on the Tifton City Council.  He went on to serve as the Head of the Building and Safety Departments for both Tifton and Henderson, NV. Additionally, the “coffee table” in her Papu’s downtown restaurant was always occupied by local politicos arguing about current issues.

Education & Professional Career

Dina’s high school years included cheerleading and tap dancing, in addition to her studies.  A dedicated student, Dina attended a summer program at the historic College of William and Mary and did so well that she was admitted full time for the fall - without a high school diploma.  Attending school in the heartland of American democracy during the height of the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War inspired Dina to study Political Science and engage others in the critical issues of a changing world.

After earning her Bachelor’s degree from William and Mary, Dina went on to earn a Master’s degree from the University of Georgia and a Doctorate from Florida State University.

She taught for a year at North Texas State University in Denton and then moved to Nevada to accept a faculty position at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.  Over the past 30 years, a virtual who’s-who in government, public service, and legal circles has studied with Professor Titus, whose classes consistently rank among the most popular offerings on the campus.

In 1987, Dina decided to put theory into practice and run for elected office.  Her 20 years in the State Senate have brought the richness of first-hand experience to her classroom.

Dina also created and continues to coordinate the Legislative Internship Program at UNLV, which each session affords the opportunity for a group of students to work at the Legislature in Carson City.

Adventures around the globe

Dina has been married to Professor Thomas C. Wright for over 28 years.  Wright’s studies in his field of expertise - Latin American History - have taken the couple on extended journeys to Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, Mexico and Spain.  Tom received the prestigious UNLV Distinguished Professor award in 2008. John Wright Hall on campus is named for his father, a Civil War historian and early pioneer at UNLV.

Dina and Tom share a love of travel, global culture and folklore – and include among their favorite destinations Spain and France.  She has visited Taiwan and Siberia as a legislative liaison.  

And as a scholar and legislator, Dina has particularly enjoyed visits to Greece – the birthplace of democracy as well as the source of her personal lineage as a Greek-American.  Her grandfather, Arthur Costandinos Cathones, after whom she is named, came to America in 1911, landing at Ellis Island.  Dina honored the life and memory of her grandfather by purchasing a brick with his name on it at the restored Ellis Island.

Fully embracing her Hellenic heritage, she has visited Athens, Meteora, Delphi, and many of the beautiful islands, gaining a deeper understanding of the country’s regions, ruins, museums, and cuisine.  As a proud Greek, Dina has spoken out in favor of Hellenism in the classroom and in the Nevada legislature where she has sponsored resolutions honoring the consecration of the new Greek church in Las Vegas and recognizing that Macedonia is Greek.  She is committed to reunifying Cyprus, protecting the ecumenical patriarchate in Constantinople and maintaining the Greek sanctity of the name and symbols of Macedonia.  Dina attends the St. John the Baptist Church in Las Vegas and keeps in close touch with her fellow members of the Greek community.

Dina’s travels have not only brought unforgettable personal experiences, but have also informed her research and teaching with the perspective of numerous cultural viewpoints and political systems.

Voting record on Hellenic Issues

Ever since taking her seat in Congress, Dina has supported the resolutions that the American Hellenic Council has advocated for. She is currently a co-sponsor of H.R. 236 calling for protecting the religious freedom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate andHR 486 calling for FYROM to negotiate in good faith with Greece in resolving the "Macedonia" name issue. Finally, she has repeatedly supported our positions in calling for justice and peace in Cyprus recognizing historical truths and the travesty of 35 years of division and suffering in the mediterranean island.