The 13th Annual Women's Leadership Conference Welcomes an Exciting Array of Speakers to the Inspirational Executive Panel Discussion

LAS VEGAS, June 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The MGM Resorts Foundation is pleased to announce this year's astonishing array of industry pioneers on the Executive Panel at the 13^th Annual Women's Leadership Conference.  The panel roster will include: Gretel Perera, co-founder of Latinas in Tech; Kim Day, long time CEO of Denver International Airport; and Patty Arvielo, entrepreneur founder of a break-through mortgage company that specializes in financing minority communities. These innovators will discuss how they have each moved the needle for themselves as well as other women in their respective professional industries. The conference will be held Aug. 5 & 6 at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Gretel Perera

Gretel Perera, originally from Venezuela, is a public relations professional with more than 16 years of experience.  She currently serves as the Director of Public Relations and Marketing, managing day-to-day communications for the Latin American region of Roku, a streaming technology company which provides online media streaming players, devices and channels. Gretel previously led communication efforts in Latin America for the Evernote software company; there she was part of a small yet powerful team that grew the company's presence in that part of the world from 2 million to more than 18 million users over a three-year period.

As co-founder of Latinas In Tech (LiT) ‒ a non-profit organization for Latina women in the technology industry, Gretel's passion is to improve diversity and inclusion in the technology world.  LiT has amassed a huge following of more than 5,000 women representing 15 nationalities and 50 top tech companies.

Kim Day

Since 2008 Kim Day has served as the CEO of Denver International Airport ("DEN"), the 20th-busiest airport in the world and the fifth-busiest airport in the United States. With more than 64.5 million passengers traveling through the airport each year, DEN is the primary economic engine for the Colorado region, generating more than $26 billion annually and garnering the top rating for U.S. large airports by the Wall Street Journal and SkyTrax.

Under Kim's leadership, DEN has built a robust network of more than 200 non-stop destinations served, including an ever-growing list of international cities.  Kim led the completion of DEN's original vision to its current multi-dimensional development, and is currently spearheading a $1.8 billion public-private partnership to redevelop DEN's iconic, tented Jeppesen Terminal – a project that will modernize the facility, improve its security and increase its capacity. She is also leading expansion of DEN's concourses, adding 39 new gates over the next two years that will allow all airlines to continue to grow in Denver.

With more than 35 years of experience – and the daughter of an Air Force pilot, Kim spent her entire life around planes.  Prior to her appointment at DEN, she served as an architect and then Executive Director of Los Angeles World Airports.  With a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Cornell University and a Masters of Business Administration from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, she practiced architecture in the private sector for more than 20 years.

Kim has been recognized for bringing DEN well into the 21^st century, with relentless passion for the aviation industry, drive and determination and creativity.

Patty Arvielo

After graduation from high school Patty Arvielo started her career from scratch in a business in which she had no previous experience.  With over 35 years of experience in the mortgage industry, she is President and co-founder of New American Funding, which she helped transform into a national mortgage lender and servicer that funded approximately $1 billion in home loans monthly and as of 2018 held a servicing portfolio of $23 billion. As manager of operations across 204 branches and approximately 3,000 employees, Patty is now a nationally recognized business expert, and her company is the largest in Latino lending by a large percentage.

 Patty is deeply involved in influencing the real estate finance industry to better serve American consumers of color who aspire to home ownership.  She serves as a leader of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), whose mission is to increase the rate of sustainable Hispanic homeownership and enhance the quality of their lending experience.  She recently created the New American Dream initiative to increase homeownership in African-American communities.  Patty is also a champion for women in the workplace, and many community causes, including Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Patty is the recipient of numerous professional accolades, among them Silver Stevie® Award for Woman of the Year (2018), EY [Ernst & Young] Entrepreneur of The Year ® for Orange County (2016) and Latinos de Hoy Business Award (2016).

"Our WLC Executive Panel boasts a sensational line-up of successful women leaders who have each broken barriers in their respective industries and who are amazing examples to us all. We are looking forward to listening to the common and unique aspects of their experiences and challenges, and learning how they have forged a path to success as they have defined it for themselves," said Phyllis A. James, Chief Diversity & Corporate Responsibility Officer at MGM Resorts International.

Conference background:
The 2019 Women's Leadership Conference registration is $549 which includes the two-day conference and all workshops and lectures, a networking reception, and continental breakfasts and lunches catered by MGM Grand Conference Center. Time is also allotted for attendees to build key professional relationships with others.

The mission of WLC is to provide women, and men who attend, the developmental tools they need to continuously advance their lives and careers. Through WLC women from all walks of life are offered a variety of ways to impact their personal and professional lives, including networking opportunities, educational workshops and exposure to other women who can serve as role models, heroes or mentors. 

The conference will offer a wide range of learning opportunities, career guidance and personal growth tools, including: 

• Exposure to diverse and nationally recognized speakers and accomplished women role models
• Two days of career-oriented workshops that will give women hands-on opportunities to develop skills based on their career needs
• Three distinct learning tracks: Emerging Leaders, Emerging Executives and Executives

WLC is open to women of all ethnicities, professions/occupations 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.

Participating sponsorships are available to organizations or companies who share the vision and goals of this conference. Sponsors include but are not limited to: Aristocrat Technologies, Bank of America, Caesars Entertainment, Cox Communications, IGT, Prudential. For more information about WLC, please visit mgmresortsfoundation.org/WLC.

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 Contact
Kenthea Pedraza
MGM Resorts International
[email protected]
702-692-6898

SOURCE The MGM Resorts Foundation