Cynthia Kiser Murphey has spent a lifetime making a difference in the lives of others. It’s an attribute that serves her well in her current position as general manager of San Manuel’s Palms Casino Resort.
The Kansas City native studied hotel management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, receiving both a bachelor’s degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management and a master’s degree in Hotel Administration. She held multiple leadership positions at MGM Resorts International, helping to open three megaresorts in multiple jurisdictions as a key member of the senior leadership team.
In 2008, she was named president and chief operating officer of New York-New York, and over the next 12 years she oversaw many positive changes, from refurbishments to the 2,000-room property to leading the resort’s activations establishing an indoor and outdoor multi-use destination. She served as chief executive officer to a large benefits fund prior to joining the San Manuel team.
Through all this, Kiser Murphey has focused on developing people. She accomplished this by founding one of the gaming industry’s first diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, which trained and certified more than 40,000 “Diversity Champions.” She has personally mentored hundreds of employees, including women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community, into industry leadership roles. She’s also served as founding sponsor of the veterans’ employee network group and has served for more than 20 years as a trustee to the Unite Here National Fund, which provides health benefits for hospitality industry employees.
It’s one thing to say you want to change people’s lives. It’s another thing entirely to actually do it, all while helping to bring Las Vegas’ gaming and hotel industry to the next level.
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