Friday, Feb. 26, 2010 | 6 a.m.
Jacqueline Peterson
Age: 37
Current job: Director of strategic communications, Harrah’s Entertainment Inc.
Education: University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), Bachelor of Science in communications
About Jacqueline Peterson: Jacqueline Peterson handles media relations for Harrah’s Entertainment, deftly managing day-to-day inquiries while furthering the company’s reach in communities across the country and helping to create opportunities for growth and giving. Peterson has been instrumental in communicating many of Harrah’s diversity and inclusion milestones to the public, including the 2009 passage of SB 283 (revised provisions governing the rights of domestic partners), and recognition as the “Corporation of the Year” by the Asian and Latin chambers of commerce, and “Corporation of the Decade” by the Nevada Minority Supplier Development Council. Recent community outreach highlights Peterson helped bring to fruition include participation in the Nevada Partners Turkey Giveaway, the Martin Luther King Day Jr. Day Parade and Harrah’s ongoing adoption of Wendell P. Williams Elementary School. She has also raised visibility for other corporate social responsibility programs related to sustainability. A former marketing and PR professional for high-tech companies in Silicon Valley, Peterson finds it rewarding to dispel myths about Southern Nevada. “The media’s interest is often seeded in their misconception of Las Vegas, because this is an industry that some small factions of the world want to demonize until they take the time to really understand the jobs created and the opportunities for small businesses,” she said.
The most important issue facing the valley: Probably the budget. We need to diversify our tax base.
My mentor and why: Marybel Batjer and Jan Jones, both with Harrah’s. These two women are probably the most amazing women I have ever met in my life, and there’s not a public policy issue they are not versed in.
Favorite Web site: www.google.com/news
Hobbies: Traveling, and I like to read. I’m also a big beach bum when I have the opportunity.
Fantasy job: Realistically, this is the coolest job I will ever have, but to have fun with this answer, I would love to operate a foundation where I could travel to Third World countries and provide the community with what they need. Basically do what Oprah does, but without the magazine and television show.
One-word description of self: Tenacious
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