The Secretary of State’s executive staff is comprised of Secretary of State Francisco V. Aguilar; Chief Deputy Gabriel Di Chiara; Deputy for Southern Nevada Ruben Rodriguez; Deputy for Securities Erin Houston; Deputy for Elections Mark Wlaschin; Nevada Business Portal Administrator Paul Diflo; Public Information Officer Cecilia Heston; Executive Assistant Katie Membreno. 

Each of the deputies is a sworn officer and is responsible for overseeing all functions of the Constitutional office as well as managing their respective divisions and to carry out the duties of the Secretary of State as prescribed by law and the State Constitution. 

Gabriel Di Chiara was named Chief Deputy Secretary of State in January 2023. He is responsible for implementing agency policies, carrying out Secretary Aguilar’s agenda, administering the agency’s budget, supervising all agency personnel, and acting on behalf of the Secretary of State when necessary. 

A Nevadan since he was young, Gabriel Di Chiara graduated from the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts, before attending Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas and receiving his undergraduate degree from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. He brings a variety of private sector experience to the role, including assisting state and local governments with their HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) as the Nevada Senior Project Administrator for Bitfocus, Inc. He has also served in a number of policy and communications roles, including on behalf of disability rights and environmental organizations. 

Ruben Rodriguez was appointed Deputy Secretary for Southern Nevada in June 2024. As Deputy for Southern Nevada, he oversees the daily operation of the Las Vegas office, special programs, and is the Secretary of State’s liaison to the Southern Nevada community.  

Ruben is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in federal government operations and political campaigns. He possesses a robust background in congressional processes, community engagement, and strategic communications. Ruben has effectively collaborated with elected officials, community organizations, and leaders to achieve significant legislative and community-focused objectives. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with an emphasis in American Politics and Government from the University of California, San Diego.

Ruben has held several key positions, including Deputy District Director and Communications Manager for Congressman Steven Horsford, Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. In these roles, he represented the Congressman in Nevada’s 4th congressional district, provided strategic communication support, and constituent outreach. Previously, Ruben served as the Director of Immigration, where he led the Immigration case work team, and as Deputy Campaign Manager for Steven Horsford's campaign, assisting in strategic planning and Latino outreach. 

Erin M. Houston, Esq. was appointed Securities Administrator and Deputy Secretary of State in January 2019.  She oversees the Securities Division of the Secretary of State’s office and is the chief regulator of the securities industry in Nevada.  The Securities Division pursues both criminal and civil penalties for violation of Nevada’s securities law, and licenses firms and individuals engaged in the sale of securities, including those who provide investment advice for compensation.  

Erin Houston was promoted to her current position after serving as the Chief of Enforcement for the Securities Division.  She began her legal career working as a staff attorney for a state-wide legal services organization where she represented indigent Nevadans in a variety of administrative and court proceedings.  Most recently, she worked for a boutique law firm focusing on bankruptcy—representing both debtors and creditors—and also handled a variety of civil proceedings, with a wide range of experience in the practice areas of domestic relations, guardianship, estate planning, probate, and new entity formation.   

She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Oregon School of Law in 2008 and her undergraduate degree from University of California, Los Angeles in 2000. She’s an active member of the State Bar of Nevada.  Erin Houston was born and raised in Southern California.  

Mark Wlaschin was appointed Deputy Secretary of State for Elections in October 2020. In this capacity he is responsible for overseeing the Secretary of State's Elections Division and administering the state’s election processes, including enforcing state and federal election laws and procedures. Mark Wlaschin previously served as the Deputy Secretary of State for Operations. 

Mr. Wlaschin served 20 years in the United States Marine Corps. He holds a BA in History from the University of South Carolina, an MBA in Strategic Leadership from New England College, and is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP). 

Deanna Reynolds was appointed Deputy Secretary for Commercial Recordings in November 2024. She leads the Commercial Recording teams of Business Service professionals who support the public with business licensing and trademarks. This division ensures compliance with Title 7 of the Nevada Revised Statutes across multiple areas: including business formations, corporate governance and public records. 

Deanna began her tenure with the Secretary of State's office as a contractor leading "Project Orion," the overhaul of Nevada's business licensing platform, SilverFlume. Deanna has spent over 20 years in project management, leading customer success/service organizations, IT staffing leadership and business development in the private sector. Her career included stints at startups like Pie Insurance and larger organizations like EMPLOYERS and Intuit. Deanna also volunteers as a mentor to students and emerging leaders in the community through Northern Nevada Women in Technology - where she has been an inaugural member of the Steering Committee, which was organized in 2012. Additionally, she served as Vice President of Member Services for the Northern Nevada Project Management Institute (PMI-NNV) for 4 years. She began her tenure in this role once the PMI organization launched the PMI chapter for Northern Nevada in 2009.

Paul Diflo was appointed Business Portal Administrator in April 2019.  He is responsible for leading the Nevada Business Portal division’s multi-year product roadmap in alignment with the Secretary’s vision and the State Plan for Economic Development.  Ensuring the integration of State, regulatory, and local government business services into the State Portal. 

While this is Paul Diflo’s first role with the State, he brings with him 35 years of IT and Leadership experience in the private sector.  He has held various leadership positions with a large National retail brand, a Nevada based Insurance company, and was the CIO for a $2.5 billion International gaming company. Paul Diflo is a past Chairman of the Board of Northern Nevada Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, and is the current Chair of the UNR IT Advisory Board. 

Cecilia Heston serves as Public Information Officer for the Secretary of State and is responsible for handling media inquiries, public records requests, press releases and social media for the agency.  

Cecilia Heston previously served in the communications department in the Office of Governor Steve Sisolak. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Media Studies and worked as a Senior News Producer at a local news station in Las Vegas. Cecilia Heston also briefly served at the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C. as a congressional outreach and researching intern. 

Katie Membreno was appointed Executive Assistant for the Secretary of State in January of 2025. She provides the highest level of administrative support to the Secretary of State, Chief Deputy, Deputy Secretaries, and other professional staff within the Secretary of State’s office.

Katie Membreno previously served as both the D.C. and District Congressional Scheduler for the Office of Congresswoman Dina Titus. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and worked as a City of Las Vegas employee and Field Organizer for the Human Rights Campaign. Katie has over eight years of experience in political campaigns at both local and national level. Her experience also includes working in the nonprofit sector, leading community outreach initiatives and strategic planning efforts to enhance civic engagement and impact in Southern Nevada.