Jan Jones Blackhurst

Executive Director, UNLV Black Fire Leadership Initiative
Caesars Entertainment Board of Directors

Jan Jones Blackhurst is a long-time political and business leader who has left an indelible imprint on the lives of millions of people. In 1991, Jan broke the glass ceiling as Las Vegas’ first female mayor. Under Jan’s leadership tourism grew from 15M – 35M and downtown Las Vegas was revised with the Building of the Fremont Street Experience, the federal and county court houses and the Clark County Government Headquarters.

She then joined Caesars Entertainment and was where she grew the industry’s first Responsible Gaming practices to include an ambassador model for the gaming industry and the first industry code of commitment. Jan is also known and respected for her efforts to create a diverse and inclusive workplace, advancing environmental stewardship, advocating for important social issues and giving millions of dollars to individuals, families and communities in need. She speaks extensively at universities nationwide and helped establish the International Gaming Institution Center of Excellence at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

In 2019, Jan joined Caesars Entertainment’s Board of Directors and as Chair of ESG Committee. She became Executive Director, UNLV Black Fire Leadership Initiative January 2021 and she was a key player in the “Expanding the Leaderverse” initiative.

Under Jan’s Leadership at Caesars Entertainment Corporation:
• Caesars was the first casino in the industry to roll out a code of commitment under its corporate integrity standards.
• Energy, water use and greenhouse gas emissions dropped significantly across the Caesars Empire over the last eight years of her tenure.
• Employee diversity increased, with 41 percent of management positions held by women and 57 percent of employees from diverse backgrounds.
• Employee engagement hit a high, driven by a volunteer program in which employees donate more than 400,000 hours per year to both company and community causes.

Under Jan’s guidance, Caesars Entertainment earned a 100 percent perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for ten consecutive years. Jan also channeled her passion for charitable causes in her role as Chair of the Caesars Foundation, which strengthens communities through philanthropic activities and corporate gifts totaling $66 million since 2013.

Before joining Caesars in 1999, Jan served two terms as Mayor of Las Vegas. She was the city’s first female chief executive and one of its most popular mayors, winning reelection in 1995 by a 72 percent margin. While in office, Jan presided over an unprecedented period of economic, social and cultural expansion. She spearheaded a massive redevelopment effort in the city’s once-neglected downtown neighborhood and was among the first mayors in the country to advocate for LGBT rights and issues as early as 1991.

Jan has served on the Board of Directors for the Vegas Chamber of Commerce, the Global Fairness Initiative, and Sunrise Hospital. Additionally, she serves on several boards including the Nevada Resort Association, Las Vegas Stadium Authority, Board member of Public Education Foundation, and Nevada Donors Network. She has received many awards and accolades, including: the Americanism Award from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL); the Woman of Diversity Award for “100 Years of Influence – Women Shaping the First 100 Years of Las Vegas”; Outstanding Service in a Land based Industry from Totally Gaming; and PR News CSR Professional of the Year. The Las Vegas Business Press also named her one of its “Women Who Mean Business.” Jan was named a Distinguished Nevadan by the Board of Regents in 2021. In April 2024, Jan was inducted into the UNLV Nevada Business Hall of Fame. Jan has been honored by the American Diabetes Association and the “I Have a Dream” Foundation and was named Humanitarian of the Year in 1998 by the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In 2014, she was one of the first women to be inducted into the American Gaming Association (AGA) Gaming Hall of Fame. Most recently, she earned the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Chamber of Commerce, the Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence from UNLVino, the Diversity Hero Award from PR Week and was honored by the ACLU for Community Equality. She has been recognized for her contributions to public education in Nevada by her namesake, Jan Jones Blackhurst Elementary School and has an honorary doctorate from University Nevada, Las Vegas. Jan was appointed to the Caesars Board of Directors on June 2019, Esports Entertainment Group on May 2022, and Hospitality Group of World Choice Investments on March 2023.

Jan Jones Blackhurst holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Stanford University and attended the University of Southern California’s School of Food Marketing Management.