2022 Angel Awards: Celebrating 15 years of philanthropic excellence in Southern Nevada

The Angel Awards have been celebrating Southern Nevada’s exceptional philanthropic leaders—both individuals and organizations—for the past 15 years. The honorees of these awards represent some of the most charitable and dedicated philanthropists in our community, and those who are paving the way for a better tomorrow.

Honorees are nominated by the public and reviewed by a panel of judges, all of whom have been honored by their philanthropic work previously. There are seven unique award categories: Humanitarian of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Cultural Advocate of the Year, Nonprofit of the Year, Foundation of the Year, Philanthropic Business of the Year (Private) and Philanthropic Business of the Year (Public). Together, these honorees make tremendous contributions in a wide variety of services areas including education, health care and more. They are bettering lives, strengthening our community, and doing so with grace, dignity and character.

The 2022Vegas IncAngel Awardsoriginally appeared in a special issue of Vegas Inc’s Giving Guide.Sign upto get each of Vegas Inc’s special publications delivered to your inbox on the day of their release.

Humanitarian of the Year: Cindy Ellis

Individual Philanthropist

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A Las Vegas native, Cindy Ellis is a tireless supporter of Southern Nevada’s philanthropic endeavors. After a successful career in the hospitality industry—Ellis and her husband are co-owners of numerous local businesses including Ellis Island Hotel and Casino, the Village Pub Taverns, and Mt. Charleston Lodge—and working as vice president of investments at Wells Fargo Advisors, Ellis retired in 1993 to devote her time to her charitable passions and bettering the Las Vegas community.

Ellis is a member and past president of Nevada Women’s Philanthropy and sits on the boards of the Candlelighters Foundation, Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada, and The Smith Center for the Performing Arts. She co-chairs The Greater Good Council and the Philanthropy Leaders Summit, and is on the Advisory Committee of Mayor Carolyn Goodman’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE. She is a member of various other organizations and seeks to support organizations that create sustainable change, especially for at-risk populations.

Ellis, who leverages her sharp businesses acumen to better the organizations she works with, recommends that budding philanthropists think analytically, as well as with compassion. “The best advice I can give to someone who wants to get involved in the community is to first do your research. Whether you wish to donate your time, experience, or resources, my recommendation is that you make sure an organization offers sustainable programs that have a strong impact on the population they serve,” said Ellis.

Volunteer of the Year: Michael Gordon

UNLV School of Public Policy and Leadership

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Michael Gordon, Visiting Assistant Professor at UNLV School of Public Policy and Leadership, is not just an exemplary, dedicated volunteer, he helps create and inspire volunteers of the same caliber. With several master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in Public Affairs, Gordon sought out to teach the next generation of public leaders Southern Nevada, while maintaining his own work with various nonprofits.

“I am fortunate to teach one of the capstone courses for our Master’s in Public Administration program,” Gordon said. “As part of their yearlong project, graduate students work with local nonprofits to evaluate one of their programs using quantitative and/or qualitative research. Their findings then allow these students to make applicable and informed recommendations to the nonprofit, taking the organization’s structural and financial capacity into account.”

Helping nonprofits maximize their reach, and the trickle-down effect of successful nonprofits within the community, is part of what drives Gordon.

Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Gordon came to Las Vegas in 2006 on a Rotary International Ambassadorial scholarship and has been here since. Beyond his work at UNLV, he is active within the community with several nonprofits and sits on the board of Salvation Army of Southern Nevada, Boy Scouts of America (Las Vegas Area Council), the Utah Shakespeare Festival and the Rotary Club of Las Vegas.

Cultural Advocate of the Year: Cassandra Cotton

Nathan Adelson Hospice | NAH.org

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Cassandra Cotton says that cultural advocacy is essential to meeting the needs of humankind. “Collective minds and experiences serve as bridges. It provides opportunities for equity. I believe, it embodies humility, giving, and love—and all are the catalysts to promote human respect,” Cotton said.

Cotton can speak on humanity and human respect in a unique way, having devoted more than 25 years to Nathan Adelson Hospice, where she dedicated her time to compassionate care and reducing health disparities in hospice and end-of-life care. Understanding and meeting the needs of underserved communities is something that Cotton is passionate about, with particular consideration to the rich diversity of Southern Nevada. She works to provide and coordinate care for each individual and their specific needs, while educating others on the end-of-life considerations for a wide range of diverse cultures and belief systems.

Recently retired, Cotton’s professional legacy is one of compassion, community connectivity, and significant strides in cultural advocacy, both within the hospice industry and beyond. Cotton is the founder and director of the Neba L. Wright Foundation, named in memory and honor of her daughter, that provides support, care, and resources for people experiencing grief.

Nonprofit of the Year: CORE, Powered by The Rogers Foundation

CoreWeCan.org

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CORE, Powered by The Rogers Foundation, aims to empower and enrich students and their families through a variety of educational resources, including an evidence-based, two-generational program that is the first of its kind in Southern Nevada. CORE’s mission is to ensure that historically underserved students and their families achieve economic mobility and lead choice-filled lives.

The academic results of CORE’s programming are significant — boasting a 100% high school graduation rate, higher GPAs, higher rates of college and vocational school acceptance, and more — but this holistic, comprehensive programming does not stop there.

CORE invests in the social and emotional well-being of its scholars as well. Higher emotional intelligence, balanced decision-making skills, and an increased understanding of art and self-expression are meaningful benchmarks for the CORE team.

CORE works closely with families of the scholars to develop support networks, provide leadership opportunities, broaden the support received from community partners, and further their own education.

“CORE knows that parents who thrive will create environments where children will thrive,” said Lindsay Harper, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at CORE.

This program is designed to produce long-term, meaningful success for its scholars, their families, and the community at large —and it is doing just that.

Foundation of the Year: Olympia Companies Charitable Foundation

OlympiaCompaniesFoundation.org

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Olympia Companies Charitable Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life for women and children in Southern Nevada. In this effort, it has supported local charities and organizations centered on personal, financial, and educational enrichment programs, assistance programs for the intellectually disabled, and programs for critically ill women, children, veterans, and their families. With such an expansive reach, the foundation has donated $25 million over the last 22 years to a myriad different charities.

Some of these organizations include the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada, Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation, Opportunity Village, Discovery Children’s Museum, Candlelighters, Assistance League, Children’s Heart Foundation, Andson, Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, Kline Veterans Fund, Project 150, Operation Warm Heart, Vegas Golden Knight Foundation, Keep Memory Alive, and the Folded Flag Foundation.

The community impact of Olympia Companies Charitable Foundation is profound and the work with the Southern Highlands Boys & Girls Club is one of the highlights. “Monetary and in-kind donations from the Governor’s Black Tie were used to build the $11+ million facility and to ensure that the organization and facility are poised to continue to serve the youth in our community for many years to come. It is a legacy project of which we are so proud,” said Angela Rock, Executive Director, Olympia Companies Charitable Foundation.

Philanthropic Business of the Year (Private): The Penta Building Group

PentaBldgGroup.com

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The PENTA Building Group has built some of the most iconic and recognizable buildings in Las Vegas during the past 22 years, but the company’s people- and community-focused approach may be what has had the biggest impact in Southern Nevada.

PENTA has donated more than $9 million to more than 350 charities since 2000, and they founded the PENTA CARES Foundation to further their charitable reach. With a company culture that cherishes relationships and cares about the well-being of its surrounding communities, PENTA also empowers philanthropic staff by offering numerous community volunteer opportunities throughout the year.

“Since the beginning, PENTA has considered giving back to the Las Vegas community a core value,” said John Cannito, President and Chief Executive Officer, who continually stresses the importance of community action and care. “Las Vegas has a culture of generosity and charity that is unrivaled. The people of Las Vegas take pride in helping each other, and we are just proud to be a part of that.”

Philanthropic Business of the Year (Public): Comprehensive Cancer Centers

CCCNevada.com

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Health care and community care are intrinsically linked—and Comprehensive Cancer Centers, an affiliate of The US Oncology Network, understands this relationship well. With an ethos of compassionate care in all its clinics and a roster of clinical trials to improve cancer treatment worldwide, Comprehensive Cancer Centers has also established a robust corporate social responsibility program called Comprehensive CARES to benefit Southern Nevada as a whole.

“Community involvement is interwoven into our culture. There is no shortage of volunteers when we need people to show up in the community to help with an event or charitable initiative. People are proud to work here and represent the practice in the community,” said Jon Bilstein, Executive Director of Comprehensive Cancer Centers.

Many of Comprehensive Cancer Centers community outreach efforts focus on raising awareness about cancer and educating the public about the importance of screening, prevention, and early detection. This includes several high-profile brand partnerships, including meaningful initiatives with the Vegas Golden Knights and Susan G. Komen Nevada to raise awareness about breast cancer. It also leverages its community partnerships to distribute sunscreen across the Valley, including at sporting events, parks and more. Additionally, Comprehensive Cancer Centers helps provide scholarships and hands-on opportunities to train the next generation of medical providers in Southern Nevada.

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