TEMECULA, CA – Pechanga Resort Casino has announced a significant investment in the support and advancement of women leaders through its sponsorship of Global Gaming Women (GGW), an organization committed to empowering and advancing women in the gaming industry.
The sponsorship enables Pechanga to establish its own GGW chapter, offering enhanced opportunities for mentorship, education, networking, and leadership development. Nearly 25 women in supervisory roles at Pechanga have already joined the newly formed chapter. Its first event was a golf skills tune-up clinic with Journey at Pechanga golf professionals, including LPGA professional Ashley Tang.
The hour-long event gave women of all golf skill levels, and from a variety of professions, the opportunity to come together, share stories, network, and get to know one another for the first time, or that much better. Their careers span food and beverage management, culinary, casino management, finance, marketing, hotel operations and human resources.
Chapter organizers say the primary goal of the Pechanga chapter is to provide representation and mentorship for women looking to learn more and potentially advance their careers in gaming. A 2023 study by the American Gaming Association (AGA) shows women make up about 48 percent of the gaming industry workforce. That number drops significantly when looking at women in leadership roles. According to the AGA study, women account for 30 percent of managers, senior-level officials, and executives in gaming, compared with 70 percent for men.
“To me, this is all about having appropriate representation for our future leaders,” said Shauna Anton, Chief Financial Officer at Pechanga Resort Casino. “As I was moving through my career, there were very few women in any leadership roles at gaming establishments. It’s great to see the needle moving, though through opportunities such as the Global Gaming Women chapter at Pechanga, we can further do the work needed to move that needle even more. I’m so happy Pechanga sees and supports this opportunity.”
“The golf outing proved a great way to connect with some of the women here I wouldn’t ordinarily have a reason to converse or interact with on a professional basis,” said Catie Pham, Digital Marketing Manager at Pechanga Resort Casino. “I’m looking forward to learning more from the strong women here who’ve paved their own way in gaming and finding out what I can learn from them as I continue my career here.”
GGW Pechanga chapter organizers say more events and learning sessions will be planned in the near future. They expect the chapter to grow as more women at Pechanga learn about the opportunities for shared experiences and mentorship it offers.