Debra Allison Copening (née Mellot; July 4, 1964 – January 18, 2020) was a Democratic member of the

Nevada Senate The Nevada Senate is the upper house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of U.S. state of Nevada, the lower house being the Nevada Assembly. It currently (2012–2021) consists of 21 members from single-member districts. In the previ ...

, representing Clark County District 6
map
from 2009 to 13, defeating incumbent Bob Beers in 2008. She did not run for re-election in 2012.

Early life

Allison Copening was born in

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

. She graduated from Bonanza High School in 1982, and also attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she graduated with a B.A. in Communication Studies. Her parents were Harold and Jane Mellot; Copening had one older brother, Michael and one older sister, Gina.

Career

Copening started her career in the field of

broadcasting Broadcasting is the distribution (business), distribution of sound, audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic medium (communication), mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio ...

for nine years at the CBS affiliate in

, KLAS TV.

Personal life

Copening fought with

breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a re ...

since 2005. She died on January 18, 2020, after a brief illness at the age of 55.

References

External links

Nevada State Legislature - Senator Allison Copening
''official government website''
Allison Copening for State Senator
''official campaign website''
Project Vote Smart - Senator Allison Copening (NV)
profile *''Follow the Money'' - Allison Copening
2008
campaign contributions 1964 births 2020 deaths Democratic Party Nevada state senators Politicians from Las Vegas Women state legislators in Nevada University of Nevada, Las Vegas alumni 21st-century American women {{Nevada-politician-stub