Leading Las Vegas

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Leading Las Vegas is a podcast produced by the Emergency and Crisis Management Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Each season, students in a Leadership, Innovation and Adaptability class interview prominent leaders, who discuss their leadership approaches, and how they prepare for, respond to, and recover from shocks and stresses faced by the community. Las Vegas is known for being the entertainment capital of the world. However, it is also a complex environment, with a highly diverse community living in densely populated urban and suburban areas. It is situated near rugged and desolate land, with an arid climate and extreme temperatures in summer months. This unique nature of the city and its location create dynamic challenges for leaders. Each season, the Leading Las Vegas podcast will focus on specific issues relevant to emergencies and crises, as well as community resilience. It’s a must-listen for emergency managers, leaders, community members, and students interested in the field of emergency crisis management. *** Season 1 of Leading Las Vegas focuses on Tourist Safety. Tourism is an integral part of Las Vegas, with over 42 million people visiting the city every year. Large-scale events from shows at hotel properties, to music festivals, to high-profile sporting events, occur on a nightly basis, along with conventions that can draw well over 100,000 attendees. Different agencies work together in the community to plan for these events, and respond when safety threats occur. In this season, we discuss issues of event planning, current and future threats, as well as community resilience. Las Vegas was also the site of the October 1, 2017 Route 91 Music Festival shooting, the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. The season contains an episode focused on the shooting, and conversations with the leaders involved with the security planning and response to the attack, and an interview with Las Vegas mayor, Carolyn Goodman, who discusses the city’s resilience.

UNLV Emergency and Crisis Management Program


    • Aug 5, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 29m AVG DURATION
    • 9 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Leading Las Vegas

    “Las Vegas Never Closes, Never”: COVID-19 and the Las Vegas Tourism Industry

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2022 31:29


    Ms. Bartlett discuss how the Venetian shut its doors, and the challenges of re-opening them.  She describes how the property learned of COVID, how it developed a response plan, and the importance of having a team made up of members with complimentary skill sets.  Many creative solutions had to be developed to create a safe environment that allowed tourists to return.  Communication played a vital role in creating these solutions, and Ms. Bartlett discusses the importance of this critical leadership tool, especially in times of crises.  Produced ByBoyd BadaliGrecia PerezJasper WashingtonKatarina SchumacherLorna Booze Audio EngineeringKevin Krall Executive ProducerJoel D. Lieberman

    Illuminating Inequities: Caring for Vulnerable Populations During COVID

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2022 26:26


    This episode of Leading Las Vegas delves into how COVID disrupted existing support systems for individuals in need of services, and examines leadership approaches that help vulnerable communities during a crisis.  We learn how organizations responded to, and embraced, changes they were required to make during the pandemic.  Carlito Rayos describes his experience working with the Moapa Band of Paiute, what he learned about their culture, including care of their elders, and the community's willingness to make sacrifices to keep the population safe.  We also hear from Arash Ghafoori, as he reflects on the unique aspects of youth homelessness, and the difficulties this population experienced when COVID led to closure of important resources for them.  Throughout this episode, we focus on the importance of providing services to vulnerable populations, and the lessons learned that will help communities prepare for, and respond to, future emergencies and crises. Produced ByIonatana TuitasiJon BakkedahlKate WardenLois CummingPeter Mercado Audio EngineeringKevin Krall Executive ProducerJoel D. Lieberman

    Regional Response: How Las Vegas Public Health Agencies Managed a Highly Vulnerable Community During the Pandemic

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2022 30:25


    Our guests discuss a wide range of topics related to COVID-19, including the financial burden the pandemic created in the region and for their agency, the mental stress created by COVID-19, and ways that the pandemic will continue to have an impact for years to come.  In addition, Mr. Quinn and Ms. Robinson discuss characteristics needed to be a strong leader, and detail lessons learned that will be helpful for future leaders.  Produced ByIan ImperialJonathan King-KaplanKelsey TerryKristina Donathan Audio EngineeringKevin Krall Executive ProducerJoel D. Lieberman

    State of Crisis: Nevada Leaders Use the National Guard to Combat COVID-19

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2022 37:27


    Our guests in this episode discuss innovative ways that Nevada adapted its COVID response, from both a top-down and bottom-up approach.  In particular, they discuss challenges arising from working with both federal and local partners, and how those challenges were overcome in unique ways, such as moving state agencies, including the Division of Emergency Management, under the National Guard.  They also discuss how an individual on the front line was able to develop impactful solutions to protect Nevada citizens. Produced ByDaniel BarnesPeyton FullerSkye DunfieldTavai TuitasiTrey Curtis-Brown Audio EngineeringKevin Krall Executive ProducerJoel D. Lieberman

    City Solutions: The Las Vegas Response to COVID-19

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2022 36:00


    Managing COVID-19 created enormous challenges for cities around the world.  The early days of the response brought great uncertainty, as cities and healthcare providers worked to contain the spread of the virus, and treat those who contracted it.  A shortage of hospital beds and medical supplies, including personal protective equipment, had to be overcome.  Ultimately, a high level of collaboration between cities, hospitals, and other entities, was needed to develop creative and innovative solutions to respond to the greatest health crisis in a century.  Produced ByAutumn AguileraCesalee CarnaghieJenifer EncalladoKevin HickeyMark Matulich Audio EngineeringKevin Krall Executive ProducerJoel D. Lieberman

    S1E4 - Bouncing Back from Crisis: How Communities Build Resilience

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2021 27:30


    In this episode, we explore how Las Vegas has responded to, and recovered from, different shocks and stresses, including the October 1st, 2017 Route 91 Music Festival mass shooting and the COVID-19 pandemic.  Las Vegas City Mayor Carolyn Goodman describes her personal experience related to the events of the October 1st, 2017 shooting, and factors that contributed to Las Vegas's resilience after the attack.  Jonathan Ullman, President and CEO of the Mob Museum in Las Vegas provides insight regarding the role of tourism in community resilience.  Tom Perrigo, the Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief Operations and Development Officer for the city of Las Vegas, reflects on how a city can come together to create a resilient community.  This interview also features insights from Las Vegas Emergency Manager Carolyn Levering and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Captain Dori Koren.  Throughout the episode, we focus on factors that make Las Vegas a unique city, approaches that have allowed it to be resilient, as well as strategies that help cities prepare for, recover from, and grow after, emergencies and crises that may occur.Produced ByKelly Anderson Del BelloJohn CreightonKalyx LewisDavid ParnellTravis Price Audio EngineeringKevin Krall Executive ProducerJoel D. Lieberman

    S1E3 - Co-Producing Safety: Emergency Mangers and an Engaged Public Facing Current and Future Threats

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2021 24:37


    In this episode, we discuss current and future threats facing the city of Las Vegas, including terrorism, the COVID-19 pandemic, social protests, cyber-attacks, and other challenges.  Insight is provided by George Togliatti, Director of the Nevada Department of Public Safety, Carolyn Levering, the Emergency Manager for the City of Las Vegas, and Captain Dori Koren of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), who is in charge of the Convention Area Command, which includes the famed Las Vegas “Strip.”  The experts provide leadership advice to emergency managers and the public for managing threats cities may face.  Among the lessons learned are the importance of engaging the general public, so that citizens can be play an important role in protecting, and supporting, their community. Produced ByMatthew AdamsChristine CiccotelliVaughn HeyerJoe MarianettiThomas Wilde Audio EngineeringKevin Krall Executive ProducerJoel D. Lieberman

    S1E2 - Behind the Scenes: The Science and Safety of Event Planning

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2021 26:11


    In this episode, we speak with Sgt. Timothy Frederick, of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department's (LVMPD) Events Planning section and Dr. Tamara D. Herold, the Director of Crowd Management Research Council at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, about many factors involved with event planning for large-scale events.  Our conversation covers everything from basic security protocols, to the intriguing psychology behind understanding different types of crowds, to the way technology is changing how people plan for large scale events.  We also discuss the October 1st, 2017 Route 91 Music Festival mass shooting with Sgt. Frederick, who was the lead planner of the event.  After listening to this podcast, it will be difficult to attend another large event without thinking about the planning behind it.  Produced ByMatthew BraytonAntonio CortesPatrick KearnsKelsey RathkeHannah Youell Audio EngineeringKevin Krall Executive ProducerJoel D. Lieberman

    S1E1 - The Lifeboat: A Journey into the Emergency Management Response to the October 1st, 2017 Route 91 Shooting in Las Vegas

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2021 27:55


    In this episode, we discuss leadership responses to the October 1st, 2017 mass shooting at the Route 91 Music Festival in Las Vegas with two individuals who were central to the response.  Captain John Pelletier of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), the Incident Commander for the event, and Rachel Skidmore, the Emergency Manager for the LVMPD.  They discuss what was involved with stabilizing and responding to the situation. They also discuss the importance of pre-planning, communication, and the need to develop and maintain relationships with key people at other agencies, so a rapid coordination and utilization of community resources can occur.  The lessons learned from the October 1st, 2017 shooting, are beneficial for preparing for similar events in the future, and are also useful more broadly for leaders in many fields.Produced ByJustin LevinskyKelsey Martin Chris PhelpsAlexa RodriguezHiram Audio EngineeringKevin Krall Executive ProducerJoel D. Lieberman

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