Sasha P. Rincon-Camacho
Director of Marketing & Communications, House of Blues Las Vegas — Live Nation
Where were you when you received your 40 Under 40 award? Director of Marketing & Communications for House of Blues Las Vegas/Foundation Room in 2017.
Biggest accomplishment since you were awarded? Seeing the growth of my team. Watching them boldly take on a new level of responsibility as they evolve into their roles fills me with great pride and excitement for the future of the department and venue.
What do you want to accomplish? I want to continue learning …and never stop! The way marketing and advertising has evolved over the 20-plus years I’ve been in this field is thrilling to me, and I look forward to always being stimulated at each level of my career.
Anything you learned the hard way? Not everyone is willing to teach; but don’t stress or dwell on that, otherwise you’ll miss the ones that are. Spot them, and be the best sponge possible. Knowledge attained from another’s lived experiences will fill the gaps and give you the best perspective.
If you ran Las Vegas, what’s the first thing you would do? I’d take a closer look at the checks and balances of the recreational marijuana taxes. Currently, there is no way to track the tax money from dispensary to classroom.I’d push for keeping the marijuana dollars generated here to actually stay here, ultimately benefiting the Clark County school system it was originally intended for.
Best advice? Bring your whole true self to everything you do; specifically by bringing your whole self to work. When it comes from a genuine place, it all feels organic and right.
Caroline Ciocca is president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada.
Caroline Ciocca
President & CEO, Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada
Where were you when you received your 40 Under 40 award? I was the Executive Director of Aid For AIDS of Nevada.
Where are you now? For the past five years, I’ve been the President & CEO of Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada. Our wish kids, families, volunteers and staff are truly extraordinary people. The work we do is life-changing for everyone involved.
Biggest accomplishment since you were awarded? 2006 was a big year for me. I decided to apply for the Executive MBA program at UNLV and moved in with my boyfriend, now husband, who was the father of two young boys. Earning a degree and learning how to become the best “bonus mom” (I don’t like to use stepmom), will go down as my greatest challenges and achievements.
What do you want to accomplish? I want to make sure I never stop learning, never stop growing and never stop making a difference. And I want to make sure we reach our vision at Make-A-Wish: to grant the wish of every Southern Nevada child battling a critical illness.
Who is your business hero, local or global? My business hero is Dan Pallotta. He’s changing the conversation around nonprofit management. I left the nonprofit sector in 2008 to explore a career in the for-profit world. What I learned is that the two industries are not much different. Both nonprofit and for-profit organizations require the same business fundamentals to be successful—people, processes, revenue and services. Dan Pallotta’s Ted Talk inspired me to go back into the nonprofit sector with confidence to lead with a for-profit mindset.