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! Today, the Leadership Las Vegas program has more than 1,000 alumni representing nearly every industry in Southern Nevada.

Applications are now open for the Class of 2013! Click here to download an application. 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.

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.

Darcy K. Neighbors

2011 Hall of Fame InducteeDarcy Neighbors

Darcy Neighbors, founder and CEO of CIM Marketing Partners, visited Child Haven with her Leadership Las Vegas class. Neighbors identified a need for providing new pajamas to the children who came to stay at the shelter. Recognizing this need in the community, she mobilized her Leadership classmates and proposed an event to fulfill this need as the official class project. With talent mobilized and a partnership with the local radio station, DJs for PJs was launched in 2003.

In its first yar, the Leadership Las Vegas Class of 2003 and a host celebrities, volunteers, and DJs collected 3,000 pairs of pajamas. Since its inception, DJs for PJs has collected and donated 57,527 new pajamas to non-profit organizations throughout the Las Vegas community. This event has catapulted into a major annual charitable event, collecting thousands of pajamas for underprivileged children.

2009 - Punam Mathur

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

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

Thank you to the following supporters for their commitment to the Leadership Las Vegas Class of 2012 and the development of the Las Vegas community.

AT&T

Bank of America

Chamber Insurance & Benefits

 

Cox

LVCVA

 

MGM Resorts

 

 

Las Vegas Review-Journal

 

Sunrise Hospital

 

UBS Financial

Urban Environmental Research

UnitedHealthcare

 

Wells Fargo

 

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 p.m. – 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.

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