A former senior adviser to Nevada Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony says she was pushed out of her job after more than a decade of service and replaced by a younger hire with a large social media following and ties to a conservative activist group.

Sally Christensen, 69, told The Nevada Independent that her termination last December had been months in the making. Christensen worked with Anthony since his days as a Las Vegas city councilman and said she was blindsided by shifting expectations that she believes were designed to force her out.

In June 2025, Christensen said she was given 30 days to become proficient in running social media for Anthony’s office — a responsibility she said had never been part of her senior adviser role — and to begin representing him at local events. She was also tasked with setting up a podcast studio for the lieutenant governor, something she said she planned to pay for herself out of fear of losing her job.

“I think it was predetermined before I ever took on all these roles,” Christensen said. “I was supposed to fail, because every time we turned around, there was something added to the list.”

The situation came to a head in December when Christensen, working remotely, suddenly found herself locked out of her work computer. Although she had been told in October that her job was likely ending, she said she did not receive formal notice of her termination until a week after losing access to her account.

Shortly afterward, Christensen was replaced by Amy Wood, a former nurse and prominent anti-vaccine activist who previously worked as a regional manager for Turning Point Action. Wood has thousands of followers on social media platforms, where she posts content related to fitness, supplements, and politics.

Rudy Pamintuan, chief of staff to the lieutenant governor, declined to comment on the circumstances of Christensen’s departure, telling The Nevada Independent that “our office has no comment over HR issues, which is handled by the State’s HR Department.”

Wood’s appointment comes as Anthony prepares for a 2026 reelection bid against Democrat Sandra Jauregui. While the lieutenant governor’s office is statutorily limited — largely overseeing Nevada’s Commission on Tourism — Anthony has expanded the role by engaging heavily in divisive social issues, including policing and transgender students in sports.

That approach has drawn scrutiny in the past. The Nevada Commission on Ethics conducted a preliminary review this summer into Anthony’s alleged use of state resources for a task force focused on banning transgender athletes from women’s sports. The commission proposed a deferral agreement that included ethics training, which Anthony declined.

Christensen said she was surprised by Wood’s hiring, particularly because she had been told the office was looking for someone with a communications degree or at least three years of experience as a communications director. Before her termination, Christensen said she handled constituent services, public records requests, budget management, and wrote talking points for Anthony — in addition to the new duties assigned late last year.

“I felt like there was some age discrimination with me,” Christensen said. “I think they were just trying to overwhelm me and to get me to quit.”

Christensen has since explored legal options, reaching out to the Senior Law Project for guidance. While she was told the group could not represent her, she was referred to other attorneys. As an “unclassified” employee, Christensen acknowledged she could be fired without cause, though she pointed to a recent age discrimination lawsuit involving Nevada Treasurer Zach Conine, which ended in a settlement, as evidence that such claims can still move forward.

She said she only recently received her final paycheck and payout for unused paid time off, after repeatedly contacting the office.

“I put my heart and soul into the office,” Christensen said. “To just be cut off with no regard for where I would land or what would happen — that floors me.”

Christensen also raised concerns about public records compliance following her departure, noting that the lieutenant governor’s website had not yet been updated to reflect Wood’s hiring and that emails related to records requests were still being routed to her former account. She said she was often discouraged from prioritizing those requests while still employed.

Before joining Anthony, Christensen worked for a former Nevada governor and on the campaign of former state Sen. Ann O’Connell, as well as on a political action committee tied to Carly Fiorina’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Wood did not respond to multiple requests for comment. In past interviews, she has described her political awakening during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she opposed vaccine mandates as a nurse in Southern California before relocating to Nevada. She has credited her work with Turning Point Action for helping elect conservative candidates in Nevada and Arizona, including school board members and state legislators.

Although hiring staff with campaign backgrounds is common, state law requires offices like the lieutenant governor’s to serve all Nevadans rather than advance political agendas — a distinction Christensen says has been increasingly blurred.

“It’s just an interesting hire,” she said. “It feels more motivated toward helping him politically.”