WISE Las Vegas announces the 2nd annual “Las Vegas Women of Inspiration” celebration at the iconic Las Vegas Aces Headquarters on Friday,
November 1st from 6 – 10 p.m. The Las Vegas Aces have made local and national history as Las Vegas’ first professional sports champions and the first WNBA game to have their own facility.
The event celebrates and recognizes female senior leaders in the sports and events 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. The Women of Inspiration 2024 honorees are:
- Woman of Inspiration in Sports: Sandra Douglass Morgan, President of the Las Vegas Raiders
- Woman of Inspiration Connecting Gaming & Sports: Lauren O’Brien, Director of Global Games at Aristocrat Gaming
- Woman of Inspiration in Hospitality: Jan Jones Blackhurst, Board Member of Caesars
- Entertainment/ Executive Director of UNLV Black Fire Leadership Initiative
- Woman of Inspiration in Sports Events: Lisa Motley, Vice President of Sports & Special Events at Las Vegas Convention Visitors Authority (LVCVA)
- Woman of Inspiration to Watch: Stephanie Barrett, CEO & Founder of Her Competitive Advantage (HCA)
- Women of Inspiration of the Year: Las Vegas Aces Organization.
Event guests will be treated to a catered cocktail reception by Honey Salt and Iowa Legendary Rye, with entertainment by DJ Demi Lobo, singer/musician Stephani Parker, event emcee Roqui Theus and red-carpet host, Jennifer ‘JayBee’ Beasley. Honorees will be recognized in an awards presentation on a tailored stage on the Las Vegas Aces practice court followed by a one-of-a- kind networking reception including the opportunity to shoot hoops.
“We are currently living through a ‘golden age’ of sports in the City of Las Vegas with the influx of professional teams and special events,” says Bronwen Gregg, president of WISE Las Vegas.
“With our city now being called “America’s sports capital” there couldn’t be a better time to celebrate and recognize the women who have been catalysts for this growth and innovation. “Professional sports in Las Vegas have increased since the Vegas Golden Knights became the city’s first major league professional sports team in 2017. The Aces of the WNBA (formerly the San Antonio Stars) moved to Las Vegas in 2018 and became the city’s first professional sports champions in 2022. The Las Vegas Raiders arrived from Oakland in 2020, and Allegiant Stadium, the highest-grossing entertainment venue of 2022, was built in 2020. Formula 1 hosted the first Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2023 and Allegiant Stadium hosted Super Bowl LVIII in 2024. There are also talks about bringing MLB, NBA, and MLS teams to Las Vegas soon.
The rise of professional sports in Las Vegas is complemented by the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of PASPA in 2018, which opened the door for states to begin regulating online sports betting. With the increase in popularity and regulation of online sports betting, U.S. casino gaming revenue is reaching record-breaking highs.
Las Vegas Women of Inspiration is grateful for sponsors, including the Las Vegas Aces Headquarters, MGM Resorts International, LVCVA, Wells Fargo, Universal Furniture Design, Circa Resort & Casino, UFC, AEG Presents, JP Morgan Private Bank, KPMG, Global Gaming Women, CSN, UNLV, Kenya Posey LLC, Stewart Title, Insight Global, V Group, Iowa Legendary Rye, Honey Salt and professional talent Roqui Theus, Jennifer “JayBee” Beasley, Stephani Parker and Demi Lobo. For sponsorship opportunities contact lv_president@wiseworks.org.
About WISE
WISE (Women in Sports & Events) is the leading voice and resource for women in the business of sports. Through a combination of programming and online tools designed to provoke thought, personal and professional growth, and engagement, WISE works to assist women in navigating and accelerating their careers, help women understand their collective value, foster peer connections, and champion the education and advancement of women in the industry of sports. Since 2018, WISE Las Vegas has connected and empowered the incredible women of our community. Today, WISE Las Vegas is one of the fastest-growing chapters in the country, with over 300 members from the corporate, agency, team, value, collegiate, media, and entrepreneurial sides of sports and
