Leadership Las Vegas
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 1,100 alumni representing nearly every industry in Southern Nevada. Tuition for the program is $2,750 for members of the Las Vegas Metro 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.
Applications are now closed for the Class of 2014. To be put on a list for information on future classes, please contact Lisa Gough, Leadership Las Vegas Coordinator, at lgough@lvchamber.com.

Leadership Las Vegas Class Challenge
The Leadership Las Vegas Alumni Class Challenge is now CLOSED! Each year, the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce asks Leadership graduates to help raise money for scholarships, which helps fund Leadership Las Vegas tuition for class members who would otherwise be unable to participate in the program. This year was the closest race the Class Challenge has ever seen. The winner of the Class Challenge will be announced at the Leadership Las Vegas Graduation Gala on Friday, June 17. Thank you to all of the graduates who participated and donated!
Class of 2012
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 2012 graduates join more than 1,000 other alumni who have successfully completed this award winning program since 1986.

Joy Alexander
Director of Marketing
UnitedHealthcare

Kathy Beavers
Managing Director
Resources Global Professionals

Brian Blackham
Attorney
Kunin & Carman

David Bowers
Las Vegas City Engineer
City of Las Vegas

Maria Castillo
Training Manager
Excalibur/Luxor Hotel & Casino

Jayne Cayton
Broker, Vice President, Office Properties
CBRE, Inc.

Mark Connot
Partner & Litigation Department Administrative Partner
Fox Rothschild, LLP

Alaina Cowley
Government Affairs Analyst
Snell & Wilmer, LLP

Laura D'amore
Director of Sales
Opportunity Village, ARC Inc.

JD Daniels
Manager, Emergency Planning & Preparedness
National Security Technologies

Lisa De Marigny
President & CEO
Showtime Tours

Michelle Eckmann
Senior Vice President - Finance Manager, Global Tech & Ops
Bank of America

Troy Fletcher

Carolyn Glaser
Treasurer
Nevada GIVES

Diane Goodchild
Senior Community Relations Associate
Capital One

Michael Gordon
President, UNLV Graduate & Professional Student Association
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Laura Hoenemeyer
Vice President
Custom Benefit Consultants, Inc.

Rachel Hunt
Assistant Vice President of Marketing
Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower

David Jefferson

Miranda Jennings
Research Analyst Supervisor
Urban Environmental Research, LLC

Rick Jost
Vice President, Human Resources
New York - New York Hotel & Casino

Mario Joyner
Vice President, Business Development Officer
Nevada State Bank

Justin Kalb
Vice President of Commercial Construction
Kalb Industries of Nevada, Ltd.

Brian Keenan
Vice President of Sales
MGM Grand

Rana Lacer
Vice President of Finance
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

Nuee Lampkin
Learning and Development Manager
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

Linda Laughlin
RN Manager
Southwest Medical Associates

B.C. Ledoux
President/Creative Director/Partner
The Glenn Group

Malinda Maile
Vice President, Investments
UBS Financial Services, Inc.

Joey Marlow
President
Strategic Telecom Solutions

Armena Mnatsakanyan
Executive Director
Lutheran Social Services of Nevada

Paul Moradkhan
Director of Government Affairs
Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce

Alisa Nave
Attorney
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP

Brian Pauling
Director, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Compliance
NV Energy

Bill Regenhardt
Director of Regional Online Information Center Operations
National University - Summerlin Online Information Center

Molly Robinson
Senior Program Officer
Donald W. Reynolds Foundation

Trina Robinson
Administrative Officer
City of Las Vegas

Nicole Rourke
Executive Director, Government Affairs
Clark County School District

Jeffrey Rugg
Attorney
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP

Col. Steven Seroka
USAF Colonel, F-15 Pilot, Chief of Staff, USAF Warfare Center, Nellis AFB
US Air Force

Jennifer Simich
Director of Government Affairs
Republic Services

Debra Solt
Director, Workforce & Economic Development
Vegas PBS

Elizabeth M. Sorokac
Attorney/Managing Member
Reisman Sorokac

Katarina Tesarova
Executive Director, Sustainability
Las Vegas Sands Corp.

Kurt Trombetti
President
Enviro-Safe Pest Control

Kelley Tucky
Vice President of Internal Marketing
MGM Resorts International

Corey Yanke
President
DWG International

Eduardo Zaldivar
School Principal
Clark County School District
Hall of Fame
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.
2013 Inductee - Ron Kline, MD, FAAP
"Leaders lead by setting a good example. You cannot ask others to do what you yourself will not do. Respect the judgments of those on the front lines of any endeavor." Ron Kline, MD, FAAP
Ronald Kline is the medical director of the Pediatric Division of Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, the largest multi-specialty oncology group in Nevada. He is also a clinical associate professor at the University of Nevada School of Medicine and an Adjunct Clinical Professor at Touro University Nevada School of Medicine. As a board certified pediatric hematologist-oncologist with additional training in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, he has a rewarding and clinically challenging medical practice.
He maintains leadership positions in local and statewide organizations, primarily focusing on health policy and childrenís issues. He is past president of the Clark County Medical Society and the Nevada State Medical Association, alternate delegate to the AMA House of Delegates, a gubernatorial appointee to the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange board of directors, and a past member of the Nevada Board of Medical Examiners. He is the founding chair of the Children's Medical Advocacy Coalition, the president elect of the Southern Nevada Medical Industry Coalition and serves on the boards of the Children's Advocacy Alliance and the Sunrise Children's Foundation.
Recently he was one of six people in the nation selected as a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow. The fellowship will take him to Washington DC for a year to be a part of the decision making process at the highest levels of Federal health care policy.
In addition to his medical and health policy pursuits, Dr. Kline has a strong interest in history and international relations, having served as an officer of the World Affairs Council of Las Vegas since 2008.
He has broad experience directing clinical programs in multiple states; in university, hospital-based and private practice settings. Dr. Kline is the author of 19 scientific publications, as well as the editor of a textbook on pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Kline received his BA and MD from UCLA and did his pediatric residency training at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. He completed a biotechnology fellowship at the National Cancer Institute and a clinical fellowship in pediatric hematology-oncology and transplantation at the University of California, San Francisco.
2012 - Alan M. Diskin, '03
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
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, Leadership Las Vegas Council, Graduate Activities Chair
- Lori Andersen '95
- Mindy Unger-Wadkins '96
- Dawn Merritt '97
- Anne Smith '00
- Mike Sexton '05
- Aggie Knoblock '06
- Barry Thigpen '007
- Rebecca Howell '007
- Donna Lauger '10
- Joan McGee '10
- Mahima Singh '10
- Tim Mullen '10
- Wendy Sexton '10
- Chanda Cook '11
- David Stoft '11
- Greta Seidman '11
- Nicole Wolf '11
- Patricia Falvey '11
- Stacy Frank '11
- Ted Hartwell '11
- Alaina Cowley '12
- Alisa Nave-Worth '12
- Armena Mnatsakanyan '12
- Justin Kalb '12
- Michael Gordon '12
- Miranda Jennings '12
- Paul Moradkhan '12
- Rachel Hunt '12
2012 - 2013 Program Dates
- 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 and Tourism Day
- June 14, 2013 - Closing Session
- June 21, 2013 - Graduation Gala (6 - 9 p.m.)
2013 - 2014 Program Dates
- September 26 -28, 2013 - Opening Retreat: Gateway
- October 18, 2013 - History Day & Fall Mixer
- November 15, 2013 - Community Safety Net Day
- December 6, 2013 - Government, Politics & Media Day
- January 10, 2014 - Business Day
- February 7, 2014 - Education Day
- March 14, 2014 - Criminal Justice Day
- April 11, 2014 - Health Day
- May 8, 2014 - Recruitment Mixer
- May 9, 2014 - Gaming and Tourism Day
- June 13, 2014 - Closing Session
- June 20, 2014 - Graduation Gala (6 - 9 p.m.)





