2017 Women’s Leadership Conference Will Feature Tailored Programming; Workshops Taught by Acclaimed Keynote Speakers and Thought Leaders

LAS VEGAS, August 2, 2017 /3BL Media/ – The 11th annual Women’s Leadership Conference, sponsored by the non-profit MGM Resorts Foundation, will offer attendees custom-designed educational workshops, in addition to world class speaker presentations.

Award-winning TV journalist Lisa Ling will kick off Monday morning as the keynote speaker. Attendees will also get up close and personal with CNN International anchor Natalie Allen, who will emcee the event for the fourth year in a row.

The sold-out event – taking place August 7 and 8 at the MGM Grand Las Vegas Conference Center – will also feature custom-designed learning tracks will offer attendees tools that fit their individual career development needs. The conference’s educational workshop speakers will include:

Serina M. Vash, Esq. and Rashimi Airan join forces as a former federal prosecutor and a formal federal defendant sharing the experiences that led them on similar career paths and the circumstances and decisions that took them on vastly different journeys. These two women speak together, sharing insight and exploring the psychology behind ethical and unethical decision making. 

Meredith Allan is a professional journalist and marketing powerhouse who unleashes the secret weapon all women have, but need to learn to leverage: “The M Factor.” Learn how high achievers use Mindset, Marketing, and many other tools beginning with the letter “M” to find their Motivation and more. 

Gregg Brown is a speaker and Change Management Specialist. Gregg believes we are all leaders regardless of our job titles and we can shift people’s mindset during change. A high-energy speaker, Gregg will share ways to break out of status quo thinking and discover people-centric approaches that work.

Dr. Yasmin Davidds is an author and leadership expert who specializes in negotiating both in personal and professional arenas. She teaches how you can reach win-win outcomes in professional negotiations by using natural strengths and tactics. 

Jenny Evans is a speaker, award-winning author and on-air expert on resiliency, stress, confidence and human performance. She is founder and CEO of PowerHouse Performance. Working with thousands of C-suite executives, leaders and employees worldwide, Jenny’s dynamic presentations move audiences to define and achieve success in both business and life. She focuses on confidence as the foundation for becoming a strong leader, pursuing challenge, taking risk and putting one’s self in positions to learn and grow.

Phil Gwoke is with BridgeWorks Generational Experts and is known as the motivator and the historian. As an internationally recognized speaker, Phil has shared his wisdom and inspired audiences in 40 different states and four continents to over 100,000 people. He will demystify the Millennial management challenge and give leaders awareness, tools, and tactics to unlock the full potential of Millennials who make up most of the workforce. 

Laura Gassner Otting is highly recognized for her impact within the nonprofit sector. She is the founder & CEO of Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group, a member of multiple nonprofit boards and a thought leader on mission-driven work. She will provide guidance on how during initial stages in a career, people can discover their unique leadership voice and how to use it for maximum influence in companies and communities. 

Lalia Rach, EdD is an award-winning, 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry. She is a nationally-recognized motivational speaker widely known for her expertise in identifying innovative leadership strategies and interpreting consumer trends. For decades, she has served as a mentor to senior business executives, teaching them about achievable success. Each year she speaks to thousands of people in private and public organizations in the U.S. and around the world. She is known for her unique style of engaging audiences, giving humorous, insightful and inspiring speeches.  

                                                            
Conference background:
The 2017 Women’s Leadership Conference theme is “Women Inspiring Women.” The conference sold out in June, earlier than ever before, and this is the fourth year in a row that registration has reached capacity. It is open to women of all ethnicities, professions and social backgrounds, locally and nationally, and men who support them. The MGM Resorts Foundation is the conference’s presenting sponsor. Each year, proceeds from the conference after costs, are donated to one or more local nonprofit agencies devoted to the welfare and development of women and children. Dress for Success Southern Nevada recently received a $30,000 gift from the 2016 conference.

Participating sponsorships are available to organizations or companies who share the vision and goals of this conference. Current sponsors include: The Coca-Cola Company, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Bank of America, CBS Radio, Southwest Airlines, MGM Resorts International, Diageo, Everi Payments Inc., Cashman Photo Enterprises, Greenspun Media Group, Vegas PBS, COX Communications, Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, R&R Partners Foundation, Cirque du Soleil, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Agilysys, Inc., L3 Technologies, Inc., Kre-8 Media Outdoor Advertising, CORT Events, Quick Change Display, Global Gaming Women, Black Stallion Winery, Taylor Communications, Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada, and Waggl. Conference supporters include: America First Credit Union, Aristocrat Technologies, Inc., BMW of Las Vegas and Henderson, Caesars Entertainment, Clear Channel Outdoor-Las Vegas, Deloitte & Touche LLP, Las Vegas Billboards, Las Vegas Springs Preserve, MasterCard, McCarran International Airport, M Resort, Phyllis A. James, sbe and Winston & Strawn LLP.
 
For more information about WLC, please visit mgmresortsfoundation.org/WLC.

About MGM Resorts International 
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is one of the world's leading global hospitality companies, operating a portfolio of destination resort brands including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage. The Company opened MGM National Harbor in Maryland on December 8, 2016, and is in the process of developing MGM Springfield in Massachusetts. MGM Resorts controls and holds a 76 percent economic interest in the operating partnership of MGM Growth Properties LLC (NYSE: MGP), a premier triple-net lease real estate investment trust engaged in the acquisition, ownership and leasing of large-scale destination entertainment and leisure resorts. The Company also owns 56 percent of MGM China Holdings Limited (SEHK: 2282), which owns MGM MACAU and is developing MGM COTAI, and 50 percent of CityCenter in Las Vegas, which features ARIA Resort & Casino. MGM Resorts is named among FORTUNE® Magazine's 2016 list of World's Most Admired Companies®. For more information about MGM Resorts International, visit the Company's website at www.mgmresorts.com. 

About The MGM Resorts Foundation
The purpose of The MGM Resorts Foundation is to collect and distribute monies and assets donated by employees of MGM Resorts (NYSE: MGM) for the aid and support of qualified community nonprofit programs, agencies or organizations designated exclusively by  MGM Resorts employees. In addition, the Foundation collects and distributes donations to the Foundation by third-party non-employees to support charitable, scientific, literary, and educational activities approved by the Foundation's Board of Directors and organized by MGM Resorts employees to benefit qualified non-profit charitable organizations designated by the Foundation's Board.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Sonya Padgett
MGM Resorts International 
702-692-6807
spadgett@mgmresorts.com

Callie Driehorst
MGM Resorts International
702-692-6814
cdriehorst@mgmresorts.com