Spring 2019
A Word From Paula
Paula Lawrence
Executive Director
Spring adds new life and new beauty to all that is.... 

It truly is a beautiful time of year here in Southern Nevada. The snow is still visible on Mt Charleston and it's flip flop weather around town!

There are two things you can count on every Spring, the first being the Dress for Success Annual Champagne Lunch and Fashion Show at the Four Seasons. This magical event celebrates the many successes of our clients and community. If you are unable to attend the Sold Out event, don't worry, you can join us for the Rosé Haze After Party! There are details in this newsletter.

The second guarantee of this season... SPRING CLEANING! Is there something in the air that insists we unclutter, reorganize or just plain purge our homes and closets? Or perhaps it's the life changing magic of Marie Kondo that has many of us asking "does this spark joy?" Whatever the reason may be, please continue to think of us to bring a new life to your gently used shoes, handbags, jewelry and professional clothing.

Thank you for the role you play in helping us empower and equip women in our community daily. We are changing lives.

Ciao~

Paula
Volunteer Spotlight
Vic Miera

Q&A 

Favorite Part About Volunteering for Dress for Success:
My involvement came about through my relationship with other volunteers and being on another Board with Paula Lawrence. She invited me to the drop-in center and it developed from there. Since that time I've been involved at various levels with varying motivations. I don't know if there's any such thing as pure altruism or pure selfishness but there's certainly a continuum that I found myself on. Seeing the women that walk through the door (before the transformation) and when they strut out....it's priceless.

Most Memorable Experience: While shooting the video for the 2019 fundraiser, we had an opportunity to hear a few success stories. The women had come from different backgrounds and circumstances but they had all been through so much. Their experiences would have been too much for many people to handle, but these women had bravely conquered their circumstances for themselves and their families. Very emotional stories, all with positive outcomes.

Background: With 45+years in the advertising, marketing and design industry as both an artist and executive, I bring a creative vision seldom matched by other professionals in the advertising community. Prior to opening my boutique advertising agency v2creative, I worked at several agencies including RR Partners, one of the top 50 agencies in the West, who coined the iconic phrase, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas". Specializing in local and tribal gaming for over the past twenty years, my clients included; The Cherokee Casino, Hard Rock Casino Tulsa, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, Hard Rock Albuquerque, Cache Creek, in Northern California, Edgewater Casino and River Cree, in Canada, and a national fragrance company based in New York City. I'm currently handling select accounts like Dress for Success to keep busy.

Favorite Hobbies: Community involvement, cycling, hiking, camping, skiing and spending time with my adult children, Max & Casey.

Introducing Our Newest Board Member
Welcome to our Board Lisa! We are so grateful for your time, energy, and commitment to our cause.
Lisa Riggleman
Director of Guest Experience
The Neon Museum Las Vegas
Fashion Show Committee & After Party Chair

Lisa is the Director of Guest Experience at the world-renowned Neon Museum in Las Vegas. She is responsible for advancing and maintaining exceptional operational service standards for all guests' segments and touch points. She leads a professional front of the house and events staff of 45. It is her passion to share Las Vegas' historical, iconic Neon for generations to come with a world-wide audience through innovative, engaging experiences.

She holds a Master of Arts Degree from the University of Wyoming, a Bachelor of Science Degree from West Texas A & M University along with Post Graduate Studies and a Human Resources Certification from the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Las Vegas has been her home for more than 30 years, and she is grateful to have contributed to major resort openings and ground breaking organizational development partnerships. For nearly 25 years, Lisa facilitated professional development for Native American enterprises, tribal councils and casinos across the nation, and human resources consultation for tribal governments.

She is humbled to have recently served on the Kenya Project inaugural leadership team partnering with Faith Lutheran High School and World Vision to bring humanitarian efforts to the Bandaptai and Katito region of Kenya.

In addition, she serves on the board of directors for Dress for Success of Southern Nevada, Little Black Dress Club member, Faith Lutheran High School Crusader Knight Scholarship Steering Committee, Faith Lutheran Conservatory of the Fine Arts Parent Liaison, The Kenya Project Leadership Team and Global 6K for Water Committee, and the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce Customer Service Excellence Committee. Previously she served as a Board member for Junior League of Las Vegas, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Southern Nevada.

Fun Facts:  Lisa is an avid musical theatre lover-locally and on Broadway, and enjoys long walks with her much-loved German Shepherd in the Southern Nevada desert.
Meet Our New Advisory Council Members
We are so grateful for these incredible individuals who bring their diverse experiences, expertise, and passion to our Advisory Council.
Ann Hoff
President & COO Portfolio Properties 
MGM Resorts International

Ann Hoff, President & COO Portfolio Properties, provides operational leadership for The Mirage, New York-New York, Luxor, Excalibur and Circus Circus Las Vegas. She works closely with property Presidents and company leaders to drive strategic direction and implement corporate initiatives.

Prior to this role, Hoff served as President and Chief Operating Officer at Excalibur, overseeing all aspects of the operation for the iconic 4,000-room resort while also executing several company continuous improvement initiatives, such as the paid parking program. Her career with MGM Resorts began in 1990 when she joined the Management Associate Program (MAP) at The Mirage. Soon after, she was named Assistant Director of Leisure Marketing for the property, followed by Assistant Director of Sales at Treasure Island. In 1997, Hoff moved to Biloxi, MS to become part of the opening team as Director of Marketing for the company's 1,740-room Beau Rivage. In 2001, Hoff returned to Las Vegas as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Treasure Island before becoming Vice President of Operations at New York-New York overseeing the Hotel, Food & Beverage, Entertainment, Retail, Sales and Marketing divisions.

She is involved in numerous professional and charitable organizations, currently serving as a Board Member of Opportunity Village, Executive Board member of Global Gaming Women  (GGW) and Advisory Board member of the UNLV William F. Harrah College of Hospitality and Dress for Success. Within MGM Resorts, she is Executive Chair for the Emerging Leaders Network Group and the Executive Sponsor for the Management Associate Program (MAP) and MGM 2020 Sourcing Initiative. 

Hoff is a 2010 graduate of Leadership Las Vegas and holds a bachelor's degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) where she was honored among UNLV's 50 Most Intriguing Alumni in 2018. She has also been recognized with the UNLVino Dom Perignon Award of Excellence, honoring individuals who have distinguished themselves through inspirational leadership, character and work ethic as well as, GGW's Pay It Forward Award, Women to Watch by In Business and Global Gaming Business Top 25 People to Watch.
Bart Patterson
President
Nevada State College

Bart Patterson was appointed as the seventh president of Nevada State College (NSC), the second-fastest growing four-year college in the nation, in April 2012. He had served as interim president beginning November 1, 2011. He is the longest serving President in the College's history. Patterson has established the top priorities of the College to continue building high quality, affordable academic programs,  increase the success of its deserving and diverse students, and identify partnerships to creatively build out Nevada State College's 512-acre site located in the foothills of Henderson. These goals are achieved through the efforts of a dedicated faculty and staff, who are accomplished teachers, scholars, and mentors. Under Patterson's leadership, Nevada State has built the largest BSN Nursing Program in the state which will now graduate 288 students a year, as well as an on-line RN to BSN program with over 600 accepted in just 18 months. The new focus is on rapidly building the teacher pipeline with teacher academies and new degree programs.
 
Patterson believes strongly in being engaged in the community. He serves as the Chair of Got Core Values; a new nonprofit helping to build a positive culture in K-12 schools. He is also a board member of Jobs for Americas Graduates (JAG), New Skills for the Nevada Youth Board, and past board chair and Advisory Council Member for Dress for Success Southern Nevada, an organization that helps women achieve economic independence. Additionally, he serves on the advisory councils for the Andson Foundation, working on financial and reading literacy, BEASHEARO, addressing sex trafficking and abuse, and the Global Charity Foundation, which provides tutoring for students. He is also the former Program Chair and Board Member of Workforce Connections, a federal job training program. 

Patterson is involved in the business community serving on the Board of Trustees for the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance (LVGEA) and the Henderson Chamber of Commerce. Nationally, he also serves on the Council of Representatives of the Association of State Colleges and Universities and is a frequent speaker and panelist on higher education issues. Patterson was honored with the Jim Rogers Spirit of Education Silver State Award in 2016, was recognized as a Señor of Excellence in 2015, and received the Latin Chamber of Commerce Chairman's Award of Excellence for Community Leadership & Higher Education in 2012.

Before being selected as President, Patterson previously served as the Nevada System of Higher Education's (NSHE) Chief Counsel and Vice Chancellor of Administrative & Legal Affairs. He previously served as the first general counsel for the Community College of Southern Nevada and Nevada State College, where he also teaches as an adjunct instructor in public policy. Prior to joining NSHE, he was in the private practice of law in Phoenix and Las Vegas. 

Bart Patterson earned a bachelor's degree (magna cum laude) in political science from Utah State University in 1984, and a Juris Doctor (with honors) from Duke University School of Law in 1987. He loves foreign travel and outdoor adventure, including hiking locally with the 52 Peak Club and is especially proud of his three children - Amanda, Laura, and Kendal - all of whom graduated from or are attending college in Nevada.

Alisia Pulella, M.A, ACC, CPC, EL-MP
Senior Account Executive 
Gartner

Alisia moved to Las Vegas in 1994 from Detroit. She has witnessed and participated in the incredible growth the city has enjoyed. She spent 17 years at Cintas, a uniform and hospitality service company, working alongside hospitality and casino executives to strengthen their company's brand through the development and management of employee uniform programs. Customer experience, brand strength, employee engagement and cost optimization were key pieces she used when developing and managing $2M- $5M budgets at some of the most well-known Strip properties. She was consistently a high achiever who could be relied upon to meet sales quotas.

During her tenure, she also earned a coaching certification from The Institute for Professional Coaches and a secondary certification from Gaia Project which focuses on coaching women leaders. Alisia is also an engaged community leader. Founding board member of Dress for Success Southern Nevada, she helped create a non-profit that helps women in the community to rejoin the work force with relevant job skills and clothing to look, and more importantly feel with confidence, the part. She also currently serves as a facilitator for Global Gaming Women's LeanIn Circle, Dress for Success Southern Nevada Advisory Council Member and Friends of Red Rock Canyon Committee Member.

In December 2017, Alisia decided to take on a new adventure and left her career with Cintas to take on the role of Senior Account Executive at Gartner. She advises executives in the technology space as they transform their businesses to meet the future demands and has already over-achieved her targets and been included in the company's Winner's Circle.
What A Success!
Shop for Success

This year's Shop for Success event was better than ever! With some of our best donations, including new donations from local retailers with the tags still on, we were fortunate to have amazing merchandise and the shoppers to buy it making it one of our most successful yet!
 
Our VIP night for our clients, referral agencies and Little Black Dress Club members included live entertainment, a pop up shop with Max Lux/Max Pawn and food and beverage. The evening also coincided with Nevada's Big Give and included a beautiful handbag raffle prize with each donation.
 
Jennifer Minucci of Berkshire Hathaway Nevada Properties was the winner of the Instagram contest and won a wardrobe stylist seminar compliments of High Style for a Hundred.

Shoppers enjoyed our photo booth and took the opportunity to snap along with their new fabulous fashion finds!
 
Without our amazing group of volunteers, both individual and corporate, this event wouldn't be possible! THANK YOU!!!!  See you at our next shop in October!


Hope To See You There!
7th Annual Champagne Luncheon and Fashion Show 

May 17th @  Four Seasons Las Vegas

This much-anticipated charity event will be a vibrant afternoon highlighted by a 3-course plated luncheon, champagne toast, silent auction, and fashion show.  

If you have not yet bought tickets, we apologize the event has already sold-out, which is great news  for Dress for Success Southern Nevada and our awesome cause!

We hope you're able to join us next year! We'll let you know as soon as tickets go on sale.

 And we'd still love to see you at the Rosé Haze After Party!
DETAILS BELOW...

Rosé Haze After Party

May 17th @  Mesquite Room & Patio,  Four Seasons Las Vegas

All luncheon guests and invited to extend their afternoon free of charge.

Friends and colleagues join us for happy hour specials, raffle, live music in a beautiful indoor & patio setting at the Four Seasons, Mesquite room.

Guests may purchase a $25 ticket donation online  HERE
We Appreciate YOU!
Thank you so much for your continued support of Dress for Success Southern Nevada. We greatly depend upon your support through volunteer help, clothing donations, and financial contributions. It makes a huge difference in the lives of women in our community!

Whether it's $50 to suit a woman for a day or $250 to suit a woman for a week, every dollar given makes a difference and we appreciate your generosity.
 
Please visit our  website for more information on how you can make a difference, including by becoming a member of our donor program and social club, the  Little Black Dress Club.