EmpowHER Speaker Series Features a Powerful Lineup of Inspirational Women Leaders

Over the past year, the corporate EmpowHER Team Member resource group for women and their allies have hosted “Women in Leadership,” an ongoing speaker series featuring a variety of women leaders who provided inspiration, tools and knowledge to help members advance in their careers.

Held in conjunction with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the EmpowHER Team Member resource group’s series included five sessions that began in 2023 with speakers including former first lady of Nevada, Lauralyn Sandoval, who spoke about building confidence; former Las Vegas mayor, Jan Jones Blackhurst, who provided guidance on mastering communication; gaming and hospitality executive, Kim Sinatra, who addressed the misperceptions of self-perception; speaker, trainer and writer, Punam Mathur, who provided insights on emotional intelligence; and vice president of global marketing for Gaming Laboratories International, Christie Eickelman, who outlined ways to spur innovation and creativity.

“The sessions have given me a comfortable environment to learn, self-reflect and explore new ideas, while being inspired by experienced female leaders,” Melissa Grande, Sands’ director of ESG and global sustainability, said.

According to member feedback, participants found the EmpowHER Team Member resource group’s speaker series to be beneficial for their current day-to-day responsibilities and inspiring for career development, especially with the unique access to sought-after women leaders.

For example, Mathur’s session on emotional intelligence provided relatable insights by demonstrating what it means to communicate effectively and confidently, leaving participants inspired to lead by example and with humility, according to one participant.

“I truly believe the Women in Leadership series is a wonderful opportunity for Team Members to take advantage of,” Debbie Morton, IT manager, contracts and assets, at Sands, said. “The series is a mentorship program on its own and embodies our company culture to foster opportunities for growth. The most recent session (a fireside chat with Sands board member Micheline Chau) gave me a renewed sense of confidence and enablement to do more and be more.”

EmpowHER will continue the speaker series this year with planned topics such as relating to different personality profiles, navigating team dynamics and resolving conflicts, among others.

In addition to the speaker series, EmpowHER provides members with mentoring, networking and volunteering opportunities to create a cohesive community and promote career development. The employee-led group is sponsored by Sands as part of the company’s commitment to ensuring a culture that celebrates the strengths of diverse groups and provides opportunities for growth and advancement.

To learn more about Sands’ comprehensive diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and with local communities and suppliers, read the latest ESG report: https://www.sands.com/resources/reports/