Judging Committee

Debra J. Nelson

Vice President of Corporate Diversity & Community Affairs

MGM MIRAGE

Debra J. Nelson is Vice President of Corporate Diversity & Community Affairs at MGM MIRAGE. Previously, she held management positions at DaimlerChrysler in Michigan; Mercedes-Benz USA in New Jersey, where she launched the national diversity initiative; and Mercedes-Benz USI in Alabama, where she helped introduce the new company and the M-Class sport utility vehicle globally. She also was architect of the corporate philanthropy program. In Nevada, she founded the Diversity Professionals Network and the Las Vegas Women of Color Conference.

Her work has contributed to MGM MIRAGE’s ranking on several prominent national lists for diversity best practices. Additionally, her work has garnered the company more than $130 million in local and national editorial coverage.

Her board appointments include the Las Vegas Urban League, Urban Chamber of Commerce, Boys & Girls Club and Nevada Hand, and she is recipient of numerous awards. In 2008, In Business Las Vegas named her one of its "Women to Watch" and Casino Enterprise Management Magazine awarded her as a 2007 Great Women of Gaming "Rising Star."