In the years since being spun off into a stand-alone nonprofit organization, Global Gaming Women has continued to grow its footprint and influence as a forum for helping women gain the skills and relationships needed to advance in the casino industry.
“We are definitely more focused, and that’s allowed us to really live up to our core values and our commitment to developing women throughout the industry,” said Holly Gagnon, CEO of Seneca Gaming Corporation in New York and co-chair of the GGW mentoring committee.
At G2E 2017, the group will roll out one of its most ambitious programming agendas to date – a full slate of educational seminars, fundraisers and networking events to complement its mission of creating educational and training opportunities for women in gaming.
For the first time, the group is sponsoring a day-long educational track on Monday, October 2, called The Power of Entertainment. The track will feature a presentations on effective networking, talent recruitment and retention, personal branding, and other relevant topics.
A GGW-sponsored panel of female gaming executives on Wednesday will also be discussing current challenges and opportunities facing women throughout the industry.
Gagnon says that the programming will be dynamic as well as authentic, with women sharing openly and honestly about their experiences. Taken together, she said, these aspects, create a very powerful environment.
GGW will also be hosting a networking breakfast on Thursday, October 5, that will continue the momentum generated last year from the rollout of Lean In circles. The idea, taken from Sheryl Sandberg’s bestselling 2013 book, is to foster relationships and peer-to-peer mentoring within virtual small group settings, and then carry those on throughout the year.
While mentoring remains a key aspect of the group’s ethos, Eileen Moore, a regional vice president at Caesars who oversees The Flamingo, The LINQ and The Cromwell, says that changing the mindset from “mentorship” to “sponsorship” is one of the goals for this year, the difference being that having a sponsor, or several sponsors, within an organization that will advocate on one’s behalf internally is oftentimes more catalytic to career advancement than a mentor-mentee relationship.
“A mentor-mentee relationship can absolute be enriching for someone. You can get advice and guidance, but that person may or may not have a position where they’re actually able to affect your career,” Moore said. “In terms of a sponsor, that’s someone who would speak highly of you behind closed doors and advocates for you to go into positions and get promotions.”
88 women participated in 11 such circles throughout the year, and several will present on their experience at the breakfast. The opportunity will be presented for others to join these or similar type programs.
While the $35 breakfast sells out every year, it has expanded its capacity this year to accommodate as many as 300 attendees.
“We’ve maxed out the space for the third year in a row, so that’s really exciting,” said Moore.
“It’s great opportunity to really network and connect and have very authentic conversations with women that might be in industry in a different role or at a different level,” Gagnon added.
GGW organizers emphasize that their events are open to non-members – and even men, too – and that first-time attendees shouldn’t feel shy.
“Don’t be intimidated: a lot of the content we put out is very hard hitting and tactical, and it’s come from talking to women involved in the program,” Moore concluded. “I think anybody at any level in their career could come and glean a lot of insight.”
