Leadership Las Vegas is the premier executive development program in Southern Nevada. A select group of participants engage in a 10-month comprehensive program designed for participants to enhance leadership skills, develop awareness of the community, and join a network of leaders committed to accepting responsibility for the community’s shared concerns.

Open to just 48 participants, the program consists of a unique retreat for participants and a series of in-depth review of current issues and topics in Southern Nevada, including the history of Las Vegas, gaming and tourism, government and politics, business outlooks, local education infrastructure, criminal justice, health care, and much more! The Leadership Las Vegas program is overseen by the Chamber and Leadership Council, a group of alumni that help plan and determine programming.

Today, the Leadership Las Vegas program has more than 1,000 alumni representing nearly every industry in Southern Nevada. Tuition for the program is $2,750 for members of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, and $3,500 for non-members. Scholarships for up to one-half of tuition or a payment plan option may be available.

For more information on the program, download a brochure.

Applications are now open for the Class of 2013! Click here to download an application. You can also View application with Google Docs. Please note that to complete the application in Google Docs, you will have to select "File" and "Download Original."

Completed applications are due no later than 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 17, 2012. Please note that no incomplete or late applications will be accepted.

Class Challenge

$1,800
Raised

The Leadership Las Vegas Alumni Class Challenge is now open! Each year, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce asks Leadership graduates to raise money for the scholarship fund. This is your chance to help strengthen the Leadership program and future classes by giving individuals a chance to participate. Last year, the Class Challenge raised over $7,000 – more than in the first year – and we expect another increase this year.

Use this opportunity to rally your class and re-connect with your classmates – last year the Class of 2010 had 100% participation and took the title. Look for weekly bulletins before the Class Challenge concludes on May 31 and join in the discussion at the Alumni Facebook group.

Support future Alumni and donate today!

$25
$50
$75
$100
Other

Frequently Asked Questions

If my business becomes a Leadership Alumni sponsor and I am identified as the contributor for that sponsorship, will that contribution count towards the Challenge?
No - sponsorship levels are designated for business sponsorships exclusively. Only individual contributions will count toward the Challenge results.

Can I donate to the Class Challenge more than once?
Absolutely - you may donate as many times as you like.

How will the winner of the Class Challenge be determined?
The winning class will be determined by the total dollars raised, not by the number of people contributing but we hope to see as many people as possible from each class participating. The goal of Leadership Las Vegas is to create a network of community leaders and our network grows stronger as the network grows larger. Only those members of the winning class that contribute to the Class Challenge will be invited to participate in the reward event.

How will the money collected during the Class Challenge be used?
A portion of the money collected during the Class Challenge will be used to create a reward event for the winning class and the remainder will finance the Leadership Las Vegas Alumni contribution to the Leadership scholarships.

Leadership Las Vegas class participants are selected every year from hundreds of applications. Leadership applicants come from all industries and job sectors and represent a cross‑section of the Las Vegas community.

Here is the most recent Leadership Las Vegas graduating class. The class of 2011 graduates join more than 1,000 other alumni who have successfully completed this award winning program since 1986.


Bruce W. Barnes
Manager, Infrastructure Protection and Corporate Security
NV Energy
Dana J. Berggren
Vice President
Cushman & Wakefield / Commerce Real Estate Solutions
Andrea T. Bricca
Managing Director
MLA Global

Melissa Cipriano
Executive Director
Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada
Jessica Connell
Account Executive
Connell Outdoor Advertising
Chanda R. Cook
State Director
Nevada Public Education Foundation

Chaka Crome
Attorney/Partner
Chesnoff & Schonfeld Law Firm
Heather N. DeSart
Programs Manager, Adult & Dislocated Worker
Workforce CONNECTIONS
Valerie G. Dodd
Director of Consumer Field Marketing
CenturyLink

Matt Engle
Account Executive
Cragin & Pike Insurance
Patricia Falvey
Director of Endowment Fundraising
Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada
Stacy Frank
Co-Owner
Desert Oral Surgery

Peggy Franzino
Vice President, Membership
Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce
Pearl Gallagher
Attorney
Lionel Sawyer & Collins
Mary K. Giuliano
General Manager
Vdara Hotel & Spa

Jeanne Goodrich
Executive Director
Las Vegas – Clark County Library District
James M. Harden
Director/Founder
Youth E.T.E.R.N.A.L.
Ted Hartwell
Program Manager
Desert Research Institute

Rick E. Hunt
Employee Relations Manager
Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority
Jeff B. Iverson
General Manager
Presidential Limousine
Franz A. Kallao
Vice President of Hotel Operations
The Mirage Resort and Casino

Dave B. Lester
President
Brown & Brown Insurance of Nevada, Inc.
Rolf H. Maile
Vice President-Investment/Portfolio Manager
UBS Financial Services, Inc.
Linda A. Marvin
Principal
Marvin Holdings, LLC

Jami L. Miller
Assistant Principal, Educational Technology Campus
Vegas PBS
Kelley Nyquist
Attorney
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP
Bill R. Olsen
Director, Infrastructure Services, IT&T
NV Energy

Shannon Petersen
Corporate Sales Manager/Senior Vice President
Nevada State Bank
Christina Primack
CEO
Jewish Family Services Agency
Shelly D. Ratto
Sales/Leasing
Northcap Commercial, LLC

Linda K. Robinson
Executive Director
Vegas Weddings
Karen S. Rubel
Vice President for Development
Nathan Adelson Hospice Foundation
Lawrence Sands, DO, MPH
Chief Health Officer
Southern Nevada Health District

John M. Saycich
Manager, Line Construction & Maintenance
NV Energy
Edy Seaver
President
Tangerine Office Systems
Greta Seidman
Marketing Manager
Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce

Guerin Senter
President
Firebird Financial
Jane Silver – Bagford
Director of Operations
SuperPawn
Rachel Skidmore
Senior Project Manager
Urban Environmental Research, LLC

David J. Stoft
Attorney
McDonald Carano Wilson LLP
London M. Swinney
Vice President of Table Games
New York-New York Hotel & Casino
Rebecca L. Thomas
Statistician
Urban Environmental Research, LLC

Tahirih Toll
Financial Advisor
Anderson & Delutri at Merrill Lynch
Fletcher V. Whitwell
Vice President, Media & Interactive
R & R Partners
Amy Wiles
Director of Development
The Alexander Dawson School at Rainbow Mountain

Anthony Williams
Vice President, Property Operations
Excalibur Hotel and Casino
Nicole Wolf
Director of Marketing & Communication
Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health/Keep Memory Alive		  

The Leadership Las Vegas Council will select one alumnus that has gone above and beyond in their commitment to the Las Vegas community to be inducted into the  Leadership Las Vegas Hall of Fame.

2012 Inductee - Alan M. Diskin, Junior Achievement, Leadership Las Vegas Class of 2003

Alan Diskin

Alan Diskin has spent the past 23 years with Junior Achievement, most recently as the President of the Las Vegas office since 1996.  Junior Achievement’s purpose is “to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.”  The Las Vegas office of Junior Achievement provides hands-on financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship programs to 20,000 Clark County students in kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Alan continues to be involved in the Las Vegas community through various organizations, including serving on the Board of Directors for the Desert Willow Treatment Center, Las Vegas Civitan, Nevada Interscholastic Lacrosse Officials Association. He is the President of the Reedom Elementary School PTA and serves as an Advisory Board Member for Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (Southern Nevada).

Alan is a 2003 graduate of Leadership Las Vegas and has served as Curriculum Chair for the Leadership Las Vegas youth program in 2005, Curriculum Chair for Leadership Las Vegas in 2008 and on the Leadership Council from 2004 to 2010.  He received the 2003 Community Achievement Award for Nonprofit and the Junior Achievement Summit Award from 2002-2011.

2011 - Darcy K. Neighbors, '03

"A true leader inspires others to be passionate about people, the foundation of all relationships, growth, life's meaning, and ultimately, success and happiness."

2010 - Shannon West, '99

"Leadership is not something that you are in; it's something that you do. A leader is someone who doest he right things for the right reason."

2009 - Punam Mathur, '90

"Change, whether managed or not, is inevitable. Community leaders are those who possess  a vision, spend the time to gain knwoledge, and then rally the energy to manage and direct the course to desirable outcomes."

2008 - Howard L. Skolnik, '95

"A leader is someone people follow without being asked. He/She has a vision which others willingly share regarding where the organization is going."

2007 - Gina Polovina, '98

"Leadership is the ability to perceive common things in an uncommon way coupled with the capacity to inspire others to strive toward a desired goal."

2006 - Valerie Wiener, '90

"It starts with one person, one idea, and the unswerving determination to put a plan into action. That's leadership. When that person combines his or her talents and insight with other inventive, resourceful, committed individuals...that's Leadership Las Vegas."

2005 - John Wilcox, '92

"A leader establishes a vision and motivates others to achieve it. They do so by demonstrating their personal commitment in every aspect of their life. A Leadership Las Vegas graduate is a teacher, a counselor, a motivator, a listener and a role model."

2004 - Henry Hoogland, '89

"A man's accomplishments in life are the cumulative effect of his attention to detail."

About the Leadership Las Vegas Alumni Program

With more than 1,000 alumni, the Leadership Las Vegas program extends well beyond your class year. The Leadership Las Vegas Alumni Committee plans a full calendar to keep the connections you've made through the program, create new relationships with other alumni, access exclusive venues for special alumni activities and help recruit candidates for upcoming classes. Sponsorships are available for the alumni program.

Leadership Las Vegas Alumni Program Sponsorship Levels

Leadership Green $500 (Chamber membership required)

  • Logo on all Leadership Las Vegas Alumni correspondence for entire year
  • Logo on sponsorship board to be displayed at all Leadership Las Vegas Alumni events
  • Sponsorship moment at one Leadership Las Vegas event
  • Company materials made available at all Leadership Las Vegas Alumni events table
  • Up to $100 of complimentary admission to Leadership Las Vegas Alumni events

Leadership Yellow $250 (Chamber membership required)

  • Logo on all Leadership Las Vegas Alumni correspondence for entire year
  • Logo on sponsorship board to be displayed at all Leadership Las Vegas Alumni Events

Leadership Blue $100 (Chamber membership required)

  • Company name on all Leadership Las Vegas Alumni correspondence for entire year

Leadership Red (Individual & Class Participation)

  • Chamber membership not required, but must be a Leadership Las Vegas graduate

Sponsorship monies are used to enhance Leadership Las Vegas Alumni programming and events and a portion to support the Leadership Las Vegas Scholarship Foundation. For additional information or to sign up for a sponsorship, contact Mindy Unger-Wadkins, class of '96 and Leadership Las Vegas Alumni Activities, Sponsorship Sub-Committee Chair, at 702.379.7845.

2011 - 2012 Alumni Committee

Brian Rice, '09 - Alumni Chair

Lori Andersen '95

Britta Carlson '07

Pat Falvey '11

Stacy Frank '11

Ted Hartwell '11

Rebecca Howell '07

Jean Jones '08

Aggie Knoblock '06

Donna Lauger '10

Joan McGee '10

Dawn Merritt '97

Greta Seidman '11

Mike Sexton '05

Wendy Sexton '10

Mahima Singh '10

Anne Smith '00

Robin Smith '06

David Stoft '11

Barry Thigpen '07

Mindy Unger Wadkins '96

Nicole Wolf '11

 

Remaining 2011-2012 Program Dates

  • May 10, 2012 - Recruitment Mixer
  • May 11, 2012 - Gaming & Tourism Day
  • May 17, 2012 - Application deadline for Class of 2013
  • June 8, 2012 - Closing Session
  • June 15, 2012 - Graduation Gala (6  – 9 p.m.)

2012 - 2013 Program Dates

  • September 13 -15, 2012 - Opening Retreat: Gateway
  • October 12, 2012 - History Day & Fall Mixer
  • November 2, 2012** - Community Safety Net Day
  • December 7, 2012** - Government, Politics & Media Day
  • January 11, 2013 - Business Day
  • February 8, 2013 - Education Day
  • March 8, 2013 - Criminal Justice Day
  • April 12, 2013 - Health Day
  • May 9, 2013 - Recruitment Mixer
  • May 10, 2013 - Gaming & Tourism Day
  • June 14, 2013 - Closing Session
  • June 21, 2013 - Graduation Gala (6 - 9 p.m.)

Valerie Weiner Mastering Media Relations/Presentation Skills Seminar - To be determined 

** Please note session is not the second Friday of the month.