Vegas PBS leaders and other parties filed motions this month to dismiss two lawsuits filed by a former employee alleging defamation and discrimination.
Terry Chi, a former director of digital marketing who worked for the station from February 2022 to June 2024, also filed a discrimination complaint with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission in September 2023. Vegas PBS did not renew Chi’s contract last year, ending her employment.
The first suit, which alleges several instances of defamation, was filed Sept. 17 in Clark County district court. The defendants are Vegas PBS GM Mary Mazur; Debra Solt, director of workforce training and economic development; the Sun City Anthem Community Association, which publishes a local magazine; and two Sun City employees. The suit alleges that the Sun City workers were “co-conspirators” in an effort to damage Chi’s professional credibility.
The second suit, filed in the U.S. District Court of Nevada Oct. 28, lists as defendants Mazur; the Clark County School District, which holds Vegas PBS’ license; Cedric Cole, an assistant human resources officer for the school district; former Superintendent Jesús Jara; interim Superintendent Brenda Larsen-Mitchell; and Southern Nevada Public Television, the nonprofit corporation that oversees Vegas PBS.
In that suit, Chi alleges that she faced discrimination and retaliation as an employee and seeks several avenues of relief, including reinstatement to her former job. Chi is Asian and has a disability covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to the suit.
Lawyers for Mazur filed motions to dismiss the defamation suit in November, and Solt and the two Sun City employees filed motions to dismiss Jan. 10. Defendants filed motions Jan. 10 and Jan. 14 to dismiss the federal suit, which repeats key claims from the suit filed in district court. “Plaintiff’s Complaint is primarily a running list of perceived slights and petty grievances against the various Defendants (as well as non-parties), that are entirely irrelevant and do not amount to any violation of law,” said a motion to dismiss the federal suit.
The other motion to dismiss the federal suit centers on Southern Nevada Public Television. It alleges that Chi failed to adequately plead a conspiracy claim against the organization and that her claims fall outside a two-year statute of limitations under Nevada law.
Chi jointly filed her September 2023 NERC complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The NERC sent Chi a “Right-to-Sue Notice” in September 2024 that enabled Chi to take her claims to court, according to the federal suit.
Claims of defamation, discrimination
Chi’s allegations in the district court lawsuit include:
- In November 2022, Mazur falsely accused Chi of bullying and creating a hostile working environment for others at Vegas PBS.
- In April 2023, Mazur falsely stated that security guards had to be hired for a major donor event because Chi posed a security threat to attendees.
- In August 2023, Mazur falsely accused Chi of defrauding Spirit Magazine, which is published on behalf of the Sun City Anthem Community Association. Chi was accused of altering a prepared contract after the contracting parties had negotiated a deal, the suit says.
- In April and May of 2024, Mazur again falsely accused Chi of being a “security threat” to colleagues. The lawsuit also alleges that Mazur barred Chi from attending the PBS Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. When Chi tried to enter the conference area, she said, security guards told her to leave.
The federal lawsuit’s allegations include:
- Vegas PBS terminated Chi’s work contract in part because she is an Asian woman and that the station and school district “engaged in a clear pattern of favorable treatment of white/Caucasian employees and contractors over persons of color and racial minorities.”
- Chi approached Mazur in November 2022 about a promotion because she was doing both marketing and membership work. In a Nov. 5, 2022, email to Mazur, which was reviewed by Current and not discussed in the lawsuit, Chi observed that while a co-worker had received a promotion, “I started my new duties over 6 months ago and only recently started to question why being highly competent means I just take on more work without being fairly compensated like my counterparts.”
- The same month, Mazur told Chi that she had received “an anonymous complaint” about Chi “being a bully and creating a hostile work environment.” When Chi asked for details, Mazur said, “Don’t worry about it,” according to the lawsuit. When Chi asked Mazur whether she could receive a promotion, Mazur said, “Not at this time. In fact, I don’t see a future for you here.”
- In May 2023, Mazur refused to let Chi work from home even though Chi has an ADA-approved disability.
- The same month, station leadership sought to remove Chi’s name from a regional Emmy the station won for The Great Vegas Recipe, which she helped produce. Chi received the Emmy only after she contacted the Emmy board to prove her involvement with the program, she said.
- Mazur failed to give Chi adequate time as required by the Clark County School District to respond to a document that criticized her work performance before recommending suspension.
The U.S. District Court of Nevada has scheduled a March 11 settlement conference for the federal case.