Women in Nevada are leaders, influencers, business owners, executives and mentors. Female executives are a vital part of the business community and are impacting the future of the Silver State in a variety of ways. The 2019 Class of Women to Watch are by no means “up and comers.” Instead, they have each created a legacy and have made an indelible mark on Nevada. In the following pages, these women share professional advice, their challenges, backgrounds and insights to a variety of topics from work/life balance to succeeding in business. Congratulations to this year’s Women to Watch. Nevada Business Magazine and City National Bank are honored to recognize your achievements and contributions.
From Left to Right: Abbi Silver, Karla Perez, Barbara Cegavske, Dana Bennett, Punam Mathur, Tina Quigley, Mary Beth Sewald and Shelley Berkley
Not Pictured: Elizabeth Blau, Kris Engelstad McGarry and Carolyn G. Goodman
Dana Bennett
President, Nevada Mining Association
Primary Industry: Mining
Principal Location: Reno
Became a Nevadan: June 1963
What do you love about this state?
I’m happiest when I’m poking along on a dirt road in Nevada’s outback, enjoying the sweet fragrance of sagebrush, the vastness of clear blue skies and the always-breathtaking beauty of the high desert.
What do you love about your industry?
Modern mining is both a science and an art, and as such, attracts really smart and very interesting people.
If you could meet any woman in the world, past, present or future, who would that be?
I would want to meet my great-great-great-grandmother, Rosetta Comstock Bennett. When she was 50 years old, in 1877, she and her family moved from very green upstate New York to very brown northern Nebraska. I’ve always wondered why and how that affected her.
What is the next item on your “bucket list”?
I would love to see the Northern Lights.
How did you first get into your profession?
As a new research analyst with the Nevada Legislature many years ago, I was assigned to public lands issues, which include mining. I found the entire topic fascinating.
What is the toughest lesson you’ve learned as a professional woman?
As both a salaried employee and an independent contractor, I had to learn to value myself in terms of dollars and to insist, without apology, on being paid what I am worth.
What are you most proud of having accomplished?
I earned a PhD in history 20 years after having finished my Masters.
What is your personal motto?
Be curious. Be optimistic. Say yes.
What do you want your legacy to be?
After I’m gone and a giant lilac bush has been planted on my grave, I hope that I’ll be remembered for my love of Nevada.
Shelley Berkley
CEO & Senior Provost Western Division, Touro University
Primary Industry: Medical School
Principal Location: Henderson
Became a Nevadan: July 1963
What female role models have made an impact on your life?
Many women have been role models and mentors to me over the years. Two that stand out are Dr. Parvin Modaber, who was my physician since I was 12 years old. Her grandson Mathew is a second year medical student at Touro. Dr. Miriam Adelson also made a lasting impression on me.
What do you love about your industry?
I love that Touro University is educating the next generation of healthcare providers for the state of Nevada.
If you could meet any woman in the world, past, present or future, who would that be?
There are two women I would love to meet: former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, and England’s Queen Elizabeth II.
What is your personal motto?
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak out; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” – Winston Churchill.
What do you love about this state?
My family moved to Las Vegas in 1963. Everything we owned was in a U-Haul. We made a life for ourselves in the Nevada desert. There are now four generations of my family in Las Vegas. Home means Nevada and that is what I love most about Nevada. Nevada is home.
What are you most proud of having accomplished?
My proudest accomplishment is building the VA Hospital in North Las Vegas to ensure that our veterans have access to the best quality medical care possible.
What is the next item on your “bucket list”?
I would love to be Mayor of Las Vegas.
What advice would you give a young woman entering the business world?
My advice to young women is to work hard, be prepared, know your power and be confident in your ability to do your job well. And then, knock ‘em dead!
Elizabeth Blau
Founder & CEO, Blau & Associates
Primary Industry: Hospitality
Principal Location: Las Vegas
Became a Nevadan: 1997
How did you first get into your profession?
I started in the restaurant industry in high school and worked all through college. My parents are foodies so it must be genetic!
What do you love about your industry?
Everything! I am passionate about food, chefs, farmers, butchers, cheese mongers, wine makers and everything that goes into making our industry extraordinary. The hospitality industry is filled with compassionate, philanthropic, success oriented individuals who know how to have a good time. What could be better?
What female role models have made an impact on your life?
My mother, grandmothers and aunts [have all had an impact on me]. In Las Vegas, Elaine Wynn, Diana Bennett, Julie Murray and Punam Mathur are some extraordinary role models.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I would like my legacy to be that I was considered a great humanitarian.
What do you love about this state?
Nevada has everything you could love in one state. Skiing and hiking up North and the glamour and excitement of Las Vegas down South.
What do you view as the next step in your career?
I would like to keep building our Honey Salt brand platform. We launched the Honey Salt Culinary Scrapbook, a cookbook and travelogue, last year which was a huge career milestone.
What are you most proud of having accomplished?
[I’m most proud of my] life/work balance and having an incredible family. Raising our son, Cole, with my husband, Kim, and our two golden retrievers, Brookie and Dodger, has been a great joy!
What is the next item on your “bucket list”?
My son and I want to go to the Galápagos Islands and see the Polar Bears in Manitoba Canada where they wait for the ice to freeze.
Barbara Cegavske
Nevada Secretary of State, Nevada
Primary Industry: State Government
Principal Location: Las Vegas and Carson City
Became a Nevadan: 1974
What do you love about this state?
In my role as Secretary of State, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to visit and work with people in all areas of Nevada, all 17 counties! I love how diverse our state is, not only in terms of the people, but of the landscapes, the mountains, the deserts and the lakes.
What female role models have made an impact on your life?
I have been personally inspired by Barbara Vucanovich, the first woman in Nevada to serve in Congress, former State Senator Ann O’Connell who served from 1985 to 2001 and Thalia Dondero, the first woman to serve on the Clark County Commission. These ladies broke barriers and paved the way for other women to pursue careers in politics in Nevada.
If you could meet any woman in the world, past, present or future, who would that be?
Without question, I would have loved to have met Barbara Bush. I always admired her wit and candor. Our country lost a treasure when she passed.
What are you most proud of having accomplished?
Professionally, I am most proud of the Graduated Driver’s License law that passed in the 2007 session. It places some restrictions on new teenaged drivers so they can gradually gain experience and skills. Personally, raising my family has been my greatest accomplishment. Being a mother to two wonderful sons and grandmother to six healthy and beautiful grandchildren is a great source of pride for me and my husband, Tim.
What is your personal motto?
Always try to walk in someone else’s shoes.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I hope I have set an example for being a caring, genuine and approachable person in the public eye. I hope I have inspired others to get involved and be part of the process. I hope that I have demonstrated that a regular person can do amazing things with perseverance and a kind heart. I hope I have helped make Nevada a better place for future generations.
Kris Engelstad McGarry
Trustee, Engelstad Foundation
Primary Industry: Philanthropy
Principal Location: Las Vegas
Became a Nevadan: 1958
What do you love about this state?
What I love is that we are a very small place at the heart of it; there are small groups of founding families that have continued on generationally. It is still a place that you can invent things and re-invent things if you find something that works or something that’s good in the community… and there aren’t a lot of restrictions in that way. As much as I’ve tried to escape over the years and thought that I couldn’t keep living here. I am a Nevadan at heart, and it turns out that this is where I’m meant to be.
What female role model has made an impact on your life?
Christina Hixson of the Lied Foundation Trust. She was the only female that I had ever heard about who was the head of a foundation. When I found myself thrust into a leadership situation with the Engelstad Foundation, I called and asked her for a conversation – essentially to learn the “dos and don’ts.” I see her from time to time, but she was very generous with me early on as well, and I’ll never forget that.
What are you most proud of having accomplished?
I’m really proud that the Engelstad Foundation has been a great champion of the underdog. I think that we don’t waver in what that looks like to us. Whether it’s those served by Opportunity Village, or someone who is hungry, or a homeless youth who is rejected by parents because of their sexuality. Whatever that is, I would like to think that we are champions for all of them.
What do you want your legacy to be?
That I did more good than harm, and that I left this place better than how I found it.
What advice would you give a young woman entering the business world?
Have some thick skin, a rudimentary understanding of statistics and economics and develop a sense of control and power over what you do. And, very important, stay true to whatever your conviction may be. It doesn’t matter if you’re the tallest girl, the prettiest girl or the thinnest girl, you have to be able to persevere.
Carolyn G. Goodman
Mayor, City of Las Vegas
Primary Industry: Public Service
Principal Location: Las Vegas
Became a Nevadan: 1964
What do you love about this state?
Home means Nevada to me since arriving here with Oscar in 1964. We love that this is still a young state where, with hard work, you can accomplish your dreams.
How did you first get into your profession?
I never planned on political work but when Oscar was “termed out” as Mayor, my four children came to me and said that there were more than a dozen people running to replace him. None was interested in carrying on the work that their father had started to make Las Vegas the world-class city it is becoming today, and they convinced me I needed to run and the rest is history.
What advice would you give a young woman entering the business world?
It is really advice for any young person regardless of gender. Learn and listen as much as you can and when you see something you want to achieve, go for it.
What is the toughest lesson you’ve learned as a professional woman?
When a door has closed on you, find an open one.
What is your personal motto?
There are so many, but honesty and the ability to collaborate and compromise are two traits I value. Another favorite: “Inspect What You Expect!”
What is the next item on your “bucket list”?
For the city right now, bringing a Major League Soccer team to Las Vegas to add to our professional sports lineup.
What do you view as the next step in your career?
I have just been reelected to my third and final term and am going to continue to work to bring highest quality of life to our city, ensuring strong public safety, improving healthcare for all, providing better and equitable opportunities in all levels of education, enhancing and adding to the growth of both the cultural and expanding sports bases in Las Vegas.
Punam Mathur
Executive Director, Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation
Primary Industry: Philanthropy
Principal Location: Las Vegas
Became a Nevadan: July 1983
What do you love about this state?
I love Nevada’s weather, lack of natural disasters and, especially, the optimistic and “can do” spirit of its people.
What do you love about your industry?
The people and the possibilities. Philanthropy is a sector abundant with well-intentioned people using their talents to make things better in our community. What’s not to love about that?
What is the toughest lesson you’ve learned as a professional woman?
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” This was my toughest lesson to learn. As women, we tend to gauge our well-being based primarily on validation by others. Learning to listen and trust myself was transformative. The second toughest lesson I have learned is that I don’t need to do everything myself. Empowering others without micromanaging was a powerful and liberating lesson.
What do you view as the next step in your career?
I no longer plan “next steps” in my career. Instead I have discovered that opportunities which reveal [themselves] are generally much more interesting and fulfilling than any plans I conceive. Today, I simply strive to be open and curious about whatever reveals.
What is the next item on your “bucket list”?
Someday, I will earn my pilot’s license.
If you could meet any woman in the world, past, present or future, who would that be?
My fantasy is a tea party with Mother Teresa, Malala Yousafzai, Queen Elizabeth, Michelle Obama and Maya Angelou.
What is your personal motto?
I have two: “There is no greater spirit on earth than the human spirit on fire.” And, “It is what it is.”
Karla Perez
Regional Vice President, Universal Health Services Inc.
Primary Industry: Healthcare
Principal Location: Las Vegas, Henderson & Reno
Became a Nevadan: 1983
What do you love about this state?
I love the state’s diverse population with people from all over the world coming here to live, work and play. I enjoy the outdoors and favorable weather conditions in Nevada for hiking, biking and swimming. Red Rock National Conservatory is a state treasure with color and beauty that never grows old.
How did you first get into your profession?
I had a career counselor who had worked in medical records and suggested it might be a good fit for my career aspirations. With that advice in mind, I sought a position at Valley Hospital and that’s led me to where I am today, 14 job positions later, leading the largest and most successful health system in Nevada.
What is the toughest lesson you’ve learned as a professional woman?
When you think you’ve done your very best, do a little bit more. This doesn’t necessarily mean working longer or even harder though that may be required, but working smarter using all the resources at your disposal. Delegate as much as you can. Let those you trust and depend on be expert advisors and share the workload. Don’t be afraid to seek the counsel of others outside your industry too. Collectively, they will make you better and you will have greater success.
What are you most proud of having accomplished?
Building a health system that provides jobs for thousands of Nevadans who deliver quality medical care to thousands more.
What is your personal motto?
Do your very best and the day will take care of itself.
What advice would you give a young woman entering the business world?
Don’t let others tell you what you can and can’t do. Lead by example. Let your passion and good judgment be your guide. Be patient with yourself and others. Remember that all good things happen in time and for a purpose. Seek to make the best out of all situations. Celebrate the accomplishments of others and show grace and gratitude in all that you do and say
Tina Quigley
Chief Executive Officer, Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Primary Industry: Healthcare
Principal Location: Las Vegas, Henderson & Reno
Became a Nevadan: 1983
What do you love about this state?
When I started my first job in Nevada, I had the same sentiment that many others do who come here – that I would only be here for a short time before moving on to another position in a different state. But, slowly but surely, Nevada became my home. I love that Las Vegas is a big-little town and offers a great quality of life. I love that we have a culture of risk-taking and are open to reinvention and trying new things to make Nevada a better place for residents and visitors.
How did you first get into your profession?
My first job out of college was interning at McCarran International Airport. I worked for the director of aviation at the time, and it blossomed into a fulfilling 15-year career for me before I joined the RTC in 2012. I followed my boss at the time, Jacob Snow, to the RTC because I liked his leadership style. He gave me projects that stretched my skills and allowed me to grow.
What is your personal motto?
“If not you then who? And if not now then when?”
What are you most proud of having accomplished?
My proudest accomplishment is the team I’ve surrounded myself with at the RTC. It is pure magic to watch the dynamics of the group. I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing at the national, state and local levels if I wasn’t surrounded by a team of smart, independent, self-initiating people.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I want to be remembered for making a positive difference in Southern Nevada and bringing about true collaboration within the region. We are more competitive on a national level if we can get over ourselves and work together.
What advice would you give a young woman entering the business world?
Take personal responsibility for your career! Nobody else gets the credit, and nobody else gets the blame. If you’re not happy or you’re not being challenged, figure out how to move past that. It’s okay to take some time or spend time focusing on other things – but if you want your career to grow, and you want to personally grow, that’s your responsibility.
Mary Beth Sewald
President/CEO, Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce
Primary Industry: Business
Principal Location: Las Vegas
Became a Nevadan: March 1990
What do you love about this state?
I love the people of Nevada. This is a “can-do”, “get-it-done” state, with a thriving business community. Nevada is among the most beautiful, diverse places in the world.
What do you love about your industry?
What I love most about the Chamber of Commerce industry is that we have the honor of serving and advocating on behalf of the businesses community.
What female role model has made an impact on your life?
My mom was my most meaningful female role model. She was fearless. She overcame adversity. I can’t imagine who, what or where I would be now if not for my mom.
What are you most proud of having accomplished?
I am most proud of the people I’ve been able to help in my life. Many people have reached out to me over the years to tell me that I helped or inspired them, and I didn’t even know it. I strive to be a servant leader.
If you could meet any woman in the world, past, present or future, who would that be?
There are two women I would like to meet. Jesus’ mother, Mary, and the first female president of the United States. Both amazing women with immense responsibilities in their own ways.
What is your personal motto?
“Treat others as you want to be treated.” That is the greatest litmus test for character, integrity and kindness.
What advice would you give a young woman entering the business world?
Don’t be so hard on yourself. Be kind to yourself and show grace to yourself. Being driven is great, achieving is great. But, some day when you’re older, sitting on the porch swing reminiscing about life, you’re probably not going to care about that “great business deal” you made 35 years ago. What you will remember are the relationships you made, the friendships you built, the love in your life and the people you served.
Abbi Silver
Justice, Supreme Court of Nevada
Primary Industry: Law
Principal Location: Las Vegas
Became a Nevadan: July 1970
What do you love about this state?
Everything. I grew up in Boulder City and Las Vegas in the 70’s and 80’s. Las Vegas was just like the movie “Casino.” Las Vegas is my home, the entertainment capital of the world and there is nowhere else like it in the world.
How did you first get into your profession?
I worked for attorney John Momot, who was actually in the movie “Casino” playing himself in courtroom scenes. As a summer law associate during law school, I worked on Fat Herbie Blitzstein’s case and other notable criminal’s cases. I loved working in criminal law because it was so exciting.
What do you love about your industry?
I love that I get to work on different kinds of cases everyday. I work cases from criminal death penalty to corporate shareholder derivative actions, to changes in child custody matters. Variety is the spice of life, right?
What is your personal motto?
Never give up your dream.
What female role model(s) have made an impact on your life?
Senior Justice of the Peace Nancy Oesterle was my role model as a young female attorney. She was a UNLV cheerleader, beautiful and an awesome trial attorney. I wanted to be just like her. I followed her career path into the Clark County District Attorney’s Office and she helped me write my first closing argument in my first rape case. Later in my career, we worked together as judges at Las Vegas Justice Court. We are still very close and I treasure our friendship.
If you could meet any woman in the world, past, present or future, who would that be?
Ruth Bader Ginsberg. She is the most amazing woman and I admire everything about her.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I would like my legacy to be that I was the only judge in the history of Nevada to sit on every level of the court system, that I was the first female Chief Judge of the Inaugural Court of Appeals of Nevada, and that I was a great mother and friend to many
