Former Nevada first lady Lauralyn Sandoval will share her insight on leadership and how women can support each other in their careers and communities at a June 6 address to the Women’s Research Institute’s NEW Leadership Nevada summer institute.

Scheduled for June 3-8 at UNLV, NEW Leadership Nevada provides the state’s college women a unique opportunity to identify their own leadership style, develop skills, and meet women leaders from various fields. Sandoval is part of a dynamic lineup of guests who will address institute participants throughout the week.

“This will mark 10 years since I first became a NEW Leadership alum and since have served as guest speaker and faculty-in-residence. I firmly believe in the program that firmly believed in me,” said Jean Munson, program manager of UNLV’s Women’s Research Institute of Nevada.

“In one week, students gain the skills to become community leaders then return home to create waves of impact where they live. They will lead the rest of their lives with a supportive haven to become powerful mavens.”

Sandoval has spent her 25-year career as an executive, innovator, and entrepreneur in the gaming industry. She has worked at IGT and Scientific Games and is currently the vice president of new markets at Aristocrat Technologies. She built a successful gaming route business in New Mexico before co-founding Zwier, which creates products supporting women’s well-being and confidence.

Sandoval is an advisor to Gaming Analytics, serves on the board of Global Gaming Women, and co-chairs the Great Women of Gaming Awards. She is a frequent public speaker about opportunities for women in the workforce. In 2013, she received the Great Women of Gaming Proven Leader Award and the University of Nevada, Reno’s Alumni Professional Achievement Award. She also received the Patty Becker “Pay it Forward” Award in 2018.

As Nevada’s first lady, Sandoval created “Level Up,” a program designed to help women level up in community-based operations, business, education, law enforcement, and civil service. She also traveled on trade missions and attended officials meetings with her husband, former Gov. Brian Sandoval, to make critical global connections.

Sandoval is passionate about improving the quality of life for residents. She serves on Opportunity Village’s Foundation Board and is a co-founder of Cancer Research Racquet, which supports the American Cancer Society. She is also a mentor at Core Academy in Las Vegas, former trustee of Desert Research Institute, and former member of the Las Vegas Board of Entrepreneurs Organization.

National Education for Women’s (NEW) Leadership is an award-winning program developed by Rutgers University Center for American Women and Politics. In 2003, WRIN became the first site in the southwestern and Rocky Mountain states to host this program. The program brings together college women representing all academic disciplines from across the state to learn about women’s leadership and civic participation from accomplished women leaders. Speakers come from a variety of backgrounds, including law, business, politics, education, community activism, non-profit organizations, banking, gaming, small business, medicine, and real estate.

Sandoval will speak at the NEW Leadership dinner June 6 in the UNLV Student Union Ballroom. The VIP reception begins at 6 p.m., general reception at 6:30 p.m., and the dinner and program begin at 7 p.m.

About WRIN

The Women’s Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) champions Nevada women and their communities through research and education. For more information about sponsorship and programming, the dinner event, or WRIN, call (702) 895-4931, email wrin@unlv.edu, or visit the website at unlv.edu/wrin.

NEW Leadership Nevada 2019 Sponsors

The Women’s Research Institute of Nevada (WRIN) is grateful to The Eleanor Kagi Foundation – A Lynn M. Bennett Legacy for its ongoing support. The 2019 NEW Leadership Nevada Sponsors are: Caesars Entertainment, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, UNLV Student Life Funding Committee, Peace by PAX, EVERI, IGT, Nevada International Women’s Forum, World Wide Safety, Soroptimist International of Greater Las Vegas, UNLV College of Liberal Arts, UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law, UNLV Women’s Council, and UNLV Department of History.