The 2023 Women Inspiring Nevada class help elevate Southern Nevada through their leadership, guidance and commitment to the community. These nine women have been nominated by the public for their indelible influence and inspirational efforts.
Each honoree has a vast array of talents and accomplishments, each bringing her own personal experience and background to her work. Their lives are testaments to hard work, intentionality, passion, and courage. They do not just inspire – they lead, they empower, they motivate, and they love our community. This year’s class includes public servants, artists, philanthropists, businesswomen and more.
The 2023 Women Inspiring Nevada Awards originally appeared in a special issue of Vegas Inc found inside of Las Vegas Weekly. Sign up to get each of Vegas Inc’s special publications delivered to your inbox on the day of their release.
Alexandra Arrieche - Music Director & Conductor, Henderson Symphony Orchestra
Alexandra Arrieche (Wade Vandervort / Staff)
Alexandra Arrieche says that her heart is with young artists. As a young girl, Arrieche dreamed of being part of an orchestra but lived in a region of Brazil that provided little opportunity to pursue classical music. When her family moved to Sao Paolo during her teenage years, she suddenly had access to music schools and more instruments than the piano she had learned to play as a child. During that period of her life, Arrieche began writing music for her friends and took up conducting for the first time. She has seen the powerful effect music has as a universal language, especially on young people. Arrieche is dedicated to providing opportunities for others to experience that magic.
Jennifer Bergdoll - Vice President, People Team Optum
Jennifer Bergdoll (Wade Vandervort / Staff)
As Optum’s people team vice president, Jennifer Bergdoll works at the intersection of health care and human resources, and truly is all about the people. The shortage of medical professionals has become a heavy topic in the minds of many in recent years, and Bergdoll is one of the creative minds working to ensure quality health care for Southern Nevadans despite national and local service gaps.
Jacqueline Gravatt - Chief of Police, North Las Vegas Police Department
Jacqueline Gravatt (Brian Ramos/ Staff)
Chief of Police Jacqueline Gravatt represents and serves North Las Vegas, Nevada’s largest minority-majority municipality. As the first Black woman to serve as police chief of the North Las Vegas Police Department, she is committed to proactively recruiting and employing a diverse team.
“My goal for the future is for residents to see police officers who they feel represent them, out in the community every day, building connections,” Gravatt said.
Ashanti Gray - Assistant Fire Chief, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue
Ashanti Gray (Wade Vandervort / Staff)
Assistant Fire Chief Ashanti Gray found her career in saving lives through a happy accident. In an interview for the position of Communications Specialist with the City of Las Vegas, she was given a simulation assessment for taking 9-1-1 calls. She was taken aback by the screaming on the other end of the phone, but finished the test and ended up with the highest score of all applicants. Thus began what Gray calls the career of her dreams.
Colleen Birch - Chief Operating Officer, Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Colleen Birch (Wade Vandervort / Staff)
Fontainebleau Las Vegas, set to debut later this year, is the pride of Colleen Birch’s career so far. “All of my work and experience—more than 25 years in this industry—has led to this,” Birch said, “and I’m incredibly proud to take on the responsibilities of Chief Operating Officer and lead our team through our opening and beyond.”
Stacy Watkins - President & Chief Executive Officer, Lexicon Bank
Stacy Watkins (Christopher DeVargas / Staff)
The mission of Lexicon Bank includes empowering clients and bankers and unleashing the economic potential of Southern Nevada. President and CEO Stacy Watkins does an excellent job of embodying those goals.
Though Watkins says she fell into a career in banking, she has dedicated the past 29 years to perfecting her craft.
Michelle Romero - Mayor, City of Henderson
Michelle Romero
Mayor Michelle Romero has spent her entire career in public service to the city of Henderson. After earning her degree in Public Administration from Upper Iowa University, Romero returned to her hometown, where she has been improving the community ever since. “I chose public service for my career, because I was taught from an early age to leave a place better than you found it,” Romero said.
Michelle Jackson - President & Chief Executive Officer, Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada
Michelle Jackson (Wade Vandervort / Staff)
Michelle Jackson is all about strengthening the community by empowering its youth. As the president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada, Jackson believes that addressing the economy at the grassroots levels of youth and education has far-reaching impact.
“When you have youth that grow up and know how to manage their resources, what is expected of them in their careers and know how to act professionally, then we have less need for other services like food, shelter and clothing,” she said.
Zhe (Wendy) Sun - Director of Operations, TSK Architects
Zhe (Wendy) Sun (Wade Vandervort / Staff)
Wendy Sun is one of only a handful of people to have licenses to practice architecture in both the United States and China. Originally from Shanghai, Sun has been living in Las Vegas for more than 15 years, and she uses her professional experience and native language of Mandarin to explore commercial opportunities in China, manage TSK’s project portfolio there and foster relationships with Chinese developers in the U.S.