Esteemed Motivational Speaker Lalia Rach, EdD, to Give Keynote at 10th Annual Women’s Leadership Conference

The conference, a signature event of the MGM Resorts Foundation, will celebrate its 10th anniversary Aug. 8 and 9
May 4, 2016 4:00 PM ET

LAS VEGAS, May 4, 2016 /3BL Media/ – The MGM Resorts Foundation is proud to announce Lalia Rach, EdD, as a keynote speaker at the 10th annual Women’s Leadership Conference. Hosted by MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) and the MGM Resorts Foundation, the 2016 conference will be held on August 8 & 9 at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Dr. Rach, an award-winning, 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry, is a popular 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.

“I’m excited to participate with the MGM Resorts Foundation to celebrate this incredible milestone,” Dr. Rach said of the conference’s anniversary. “The mission of the Women’s Leadership Conference aligns perfectly with my own belief of advancing women into all levels of leadership within corporate America. This is fundamental business strategy and whether an emerging or established leader, women professionals must consistently upgrade their skills and promote their ability to think critically. This conference provides a necessary platform of engagement and learning, connection and challenge to inspire success.”

The 2016 Women’s Leadership Conference theme is “Women Inspiring Women.” The two-day conference, which has sold out the past several years, will offer a wide range of learning opportunities, career guidance and personal growth tools, including:

  • Exposure to diverse, nationally recognized speakers and accomplished women role models.
  • Two days of career-oriented workshops that will give attendees hands-on opportunities to develop skills based on their career needs.
  • Three distinct learning tracks for participants who are Emerging Leaders, Emerging Executives and Executives.
  • Workshops for entrepreneurs who are well-established or just thinking of starting their own businesses.

Over the past three decades, Dr. Rach has grown her company, Rach Enterprises, and now serves as a trusted advisor to senior level executives at many of America’s leading companies. She serves as a source of motivational inspiration to professionals searching for originality and reality.  A proven innovator, she specializes in dynamic leadership strategies and comprehensive team-building methods.  Her genuine ideas and uncommon sense on issues of strategy and leadership produce insightful and distinctive thinking, advancing the ability of emerging and established executives.

As a university educator, Dr. Rach served as dean at several top hospitality and tourism programs. At New York University, her leadership ability resulted in the creation of one of the world’s most innovative graduate and undergraduate programs in the business of hospitality, sports, and tourism.

In addition to her role as an educator and motivational speaker, she has authored numerous book chapters and articles on customer service and hotel sales.

Dr. Rach holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Science from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, an M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from The George Washington University. In 2007, Travel Weekly included her in its list of the 33 most influential people in the travel industry. The following year, she was recognized by ForbesLife Executive Woman magazine as one of the 25 most influential women in travel.

Dr. Rach joins Natalie Allen of CNN International, who returns as the host of the conference.

The Women’s Leadership Conference is open to women of all ethnicities, professions and social backgrounds, locally and nationally, and the men who support them. The MGM Resorts Foundation is the conference’s presenting sponsor. Proceeds of the conference after costs will be donated to one or more local nonprofit agencies devoted to the welfare and development of women and girls.

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. Southern Nevada Children First, a nonprofit organization that provides support to homeless and pregnant youth, recently received a $30,000 gift from the 2015 conference.

The registration fee for participants is $450 and includes the full conference and all workshops and lectures; a networking reception, and meals catered by MGM Grand. Time for networking is also allotted for attendees to build relationships with other conference participants.

Participating sponsorships are available to organizations or companies who share the vision and goals of this conference. Current sponsors include: Caesars Entertainment Corporation, Cashman Photo, CBS – Radio, Cirque Du Soleil, The Coca-Cola Company, Large Vision Business Network Mixer, Millennium Staffing Solutions and R&R Partners. For more information about the Women’s Leadership Conference, please visit:

http://www.mgmresortsfoundation.org/womensleadershipconference

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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 is in the process of developing MGM National Harbor in Maryland and MGM Springfield in Massachusetts. The Company also owns 51 percent of MGM China Holdings Limited, which owns the MGM Macau resort and casino and is developing a gaming resort in Cotai, and 50 percent of CityCenter in Las Vegas, which features ARIA Resort and Casino.  MGM Resorts is a FORTUNE Magazine World’s Most Admired Company. 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