Women in Sports & Events (WISE) Las Vegas is thrilled to announce our 2nd annual Las Vegas Women of Inspiration event on Friday November 1st, 2024! This event celebrates and recognizes female senior leaders in the sports industry who have had inspiring career paths of breaking barriers and driving equitable change. These honorees exemplify the spirit of the WISE LV mission while serving as encouraging role models, uplifting mentors, and positive impacts on their industry/community. With our city recently being named “America’s sports capital” by the Washington Post there couldn’t be a better time to celebrate the sports industry in Las Vegas, and we are thrilled to recognize the women who have been instrumental to its innovation and growth.
The inaugural 2023 event was held at the iconic Allegiant Stadium, 2022’s highest grossing entertainment venue in the world, where we sold out just under 400 people and landed on the front page of the Las Vegas Sun. The event started on the Coors Light Landing which provides stunning views of the Las Vegas Strip. Following a cocktail reception with live entertainment, honorees were recognized on a beautiful stage overlooking the Field. Following the awards presentation, guests moved to the Field for a networking reception featuring a field goal kick activation. Notable attendees included Sandra Douglass Morgan, President of the Las Vegas Raiders, and our amazing group of the following honorees:
· Inspirational Woman of the Year: Nikki Fargas, President of the Las Vegas Aces
· Inspirational Woman in Gaming: Colleen Birch, COO of the Fontainebleau Las Vegas
· Inspirational Woman in Sports: Qiava Martinez, Chief Sales Officer of the Las Vegas Raiders
· Inspirational Woman Connecting Gaming & Sports: Melanie Gross, SVP of Product at Golden Hearts Games
· Inspirational Woman to Watch: Erin Lydon, President of PokerPower
Additional media exposure can be found here and here.
Las Vegas Women of Inspiration 2024 will be hosted at the Las Vegas Aces Headquarters – the Aces have made local and national history as Las Vegas’ first professional sports champions and the first WNBA team to have their own facility. Following a catered cocktail reception with media and entertainment, honorees will be recognized on a tailored stage on the practice court. Following the awards presentation, guests will experience a one-of-a-kind networking reception including the opportunity to shoot baskets. The event will follow the theme of “WISE Las Vegas and Friends” with each local sports team (professional, collegiate, amateur, etc.) being invited to customize an activation.
The award categories for 2024 are:
· Inspirational Woman in Sports: Sandra Douglass Morgan, President of the Las Vegas Raiders
· Inspirational Woman Connecting Gaming & Sports: Lauren O'Brien, Director of Global Games at Aristocrat
· Inspirational Woman in Sports Events/Hospitality: Lisa Motley, Vice President of Sports & Special Events at Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA)
· Inspirational Woman in Events/Hospitality: Jan Jones Blackhurst, Board Member of Caesars Entertainment/Executive Director of UNLV Black Fire Leadership Initiative
· Inspirational Woman to Watch: Stephanie Barrett, CEO & Founder of Her Competitive Advantage (HCA)
· Inspirational Women of the Year: Las Vegas Aces Organization
Please note there is a separate event registration for VIP tickets - you can find it linked here.
If you are interested in purchasing a table or sponsoring Women of Inspiration please reach out to WISE LV President, Bronwen Gregg, at lv_president@wiseworks.org. All other seating will be first come, first serve.
Nonmembers - in order to purchase your registration, you'll need to make an easy and free profile on the WISE website, then you'll be able to complete your purchase.