Home Means Podcast

Las Vegas reinvents itself again and again. But reinvention only works when it is paired with responsibility.In this episode of Home Means, Diana Bennett, CEO & Co-Founder of Paragon Gaming, reflects on the evolution of Nevada’s gaming industry, the bold ideas that shaped Las Vegas, and why our city thrives when leaders are willing to take risks and think differently.This conversation explores legacy, empathy, and why leadership in Nevada means more than building properties. It means building people.🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

Nevada does not wait for change. It creates it. In this episode of Home Means, Lieutenant Governor Stavros Anthony reflects on Nevada’s culture of reinvention, from the early days of gaming and quickie marriages to becoming a global destination for fine dining, professional sports, and large-scale entertainment.He also shares a message for young Nevadans about leadership: it begins with character. Integrity, courage, and excellence are built through education, mentorship, and real-world interaction, not social media.This conversation explores innovation, economic evolution, and the values that shape the next generation of Nevada leaders.🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

Nevada has built its identity on resilience.In this episode of Home Means, Megan Jones reflects on the grit that has allowed Las Vegas and Nevada to reinvent themselves again and again. From water innovation to rapid population growth, the state has repeatedly found ways to adapt and move forward. She also shares how the community responded after the October 1 tragedy, coming together not only to support one another but to pass meaningful gun safety legislation that many believed was impossible.Drawing on lessons from her time working with Senator Harry Reid, Megan discusses leadership, loyalty, and why compromise is often necessary to achieve real change.This conversation explores resilience, public service, and the spirit that keeps Nevada moving forward.🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

Henderson’s growth did not happen overnight and it did not happen by accident. In this episode of Home Means, Mayor Michelle Romero shares how thoughtful planning, regional collaboration, and long-term decision-making helped shape Henderson into one of the highest-ranked cities in the nation for quality of life.From working across jurisdictions to attract the right businesses, to investing in infrastructure that supports future generations, Mayor Romero explains why saying “no” can be just as important as saying “yes.” She also reflects on how today’s decisions are designed with students, families, and the future workforce in mind.This conversation explores leadership, stewardship, and what it means to build a city people want to stay in, not grow out of.🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

Keeping the lights on in Nevada isn’t about having the TV on. It’s about safety, survival, and responsibility.On this episode of Home Means Podcast, host Heather Brown talks with Tony Sanchez, Executive Vice President of Business Development & External Relations at NV Energy, about leadership, listening more than talking, and what it means to power a state where extreme heat makes reliability personal.They also dig into community responsibility, statewide service, and why dignity and access matter when nearly every Nevadan depends on your work.🎧 Available on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

Building a great city takes more than growth. It takes intention.In this episode of Home Means, Jan Jones Blackhurst, former Mayor of Las Vegas, reflects on leadership, risk-taking, and what it means to design communities where people want to live, work, and raise families.From infrastructure and education to healthcare and workforce development, Jan explains why long-term thinking matters and why communities thrive when people stay engaged and informed. She also shares how representation opens doors for future leaders and why trust in yourself is often the first step toward meaningful change.This is a conversation about stewardship, responsibility, and building a future that works for everyone.🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

Las Vegas is one of the most welcoming cities in the world—and that hospitality comes from the people who call it home.In this episode of Home Means, Heather Brown sits down with Heather Harmon, Executive Director of the Las Vegas Museum of Art, to discuss how a world-class museum can reflect community, care, and belonging. They explore how Las Vegas’s culture of hospitality is shaping the museum’s vision, why museums are education-forward spaces, and how art creates human connection in a rapidly changing, technology-driven world.This conversation highlights the role of cultural institutions in working alongside schools, nonprofits, and government to strengthen community—and why art must remain central to Nevada’s future.🎧 Available January 27 on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

Kids don’t show up to school as blank slates. They show up hungry, tired, caring for siblings, navigating trauma, or quietly carrying responsibilities most adults never see. In this episode of Home Means Podcast, host Heather Brown sits down with Tami Hance-Lehr, CEO of Communities In Schools of Nevada, to unpack what it really means for students to be “ready to learn.”Tami explains why academic improvement cannot happen until basic needs are met and how Communities In Schools brings wraparound services directly onto school campuses across Nevada. From food and clothing to mental health care, transportation, and family support, this conversation highlights a model that removes barriers instead of blaming students.They also talk candidly about leadership, empathy, and why asking for help is a skill, not a weakness, especially for women leading complex organizations.This is a conversation about education, opportunity, and the Nevada way of opening doors so students can imagine, access, and move toward futures they may not yet know exist.🎧 Available on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

This special year-end episode brings together the most meaningful lessons and standout moments from the guests who joined us throughout 2025. Each conversation offered something different, including stories of resilience, leadership, community, creativity, and the unique ways people build their lives here in Nevada.In this compilation, we revisit the experiences that stayed with us, the perspectives that challenged us, inspired us, and deepened our understanding of what it means to call this place home. Whether you followed every episode or are joining us for the first time, this highlight reel captures the wisdom and heart our guests shared over the past year.These are the voices that shaped our conversations and the lessons we are carrying forward into the year ahead.🎧 Available on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music.

In this episode of Home Means, host Heather Brown sits down with Stephanie Goodman, Vice Chair of the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents and Executive Director of the Dr. Robert Hunter International Problem Gambling Center. Las Vegas-born and UNLV alumna, Stephanie brings a uniquely grounded perspective on how education, health, and industry must align for Nevada’s next chapter.From expanding workforce-pathways and shaping a diversified economy to elevating problem-gambling awareness tied to the heart of Nevada’s gaming industry, Stephanie shares what it takes to fuel real momentum for our state. She challenges us to rethink what meaningful jobs look like, to hold policymakers accountable for education, and to bring bold solutions into the community.🎧 Available on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music.

What happens when the world’s fastest race meets the world’s brightest city?Lori Nelson-Kraft, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, joins Home Means to pull back the curtain on how F1 found its perfect home in Las Vegas and how the event has become more than a spectacle.From global brand strategy to community impact, Lori shares how the Grand Prix creates opportunities for local students, nonprofits, and businesses while redefining what legacy means for our city. She also talks about sustainability, civic pride, and the shared vision that could make Las Vegas the “Monaco of North America.”It is a story about speed, vision, and staying power, and how the lights on the Strip reflect something deeper about who we are as Nevadans.🎧 Listen November 18 on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

What does it mean to leave a mark on Nevada? In this episode, host Heather Brown sits down with Senator Richard Bryan, one of the Silver State’s most enduring leaders. From his early days as Nevada’s first public defender to serving as Attorney General, Governor, and U.S. Senator, Bryan has spent a lifetime shaping the future of his home.He shares insights from decades in public service, from the realities of running for office in Nevada to the financial and personal sacrifices that come with leadership. With humor and candor, Bryan reflects on the lessons he carried with him from his upbringing, his mentors, and the people who influenced his path, values that guided him through some of the most pivotal moments in Nevada’s history.This conversation is part history, part inspiration, and all Nevada. It’s a reminder that legacy isn’t just about the offices we hold, but the community we build and the values we leave behind.

Higher education isn’t known for speed, but Chris Heavey wants to change that. As Interim President of UNLV, he’s leading a university that’s learning to move faster, think bigger, and grow alongside the community it serves.In this episode of Home Means, Heather Brown talks with Heavey about what it means to lead during transformation — from building new programs in medicine, engineering, and cybersecurity, to reshaping education around real-world skills. He shares how UNLV is breaking the “slow university” stereotype by staying experimental, entrepreneurial, and deeply connected to Nevada’s needs.Heavey also calls out one uncomfortable truth: family income still predicts college success more than test scores. His answer? Give every student the chance to succeed through practical experience, internships, and meaningful learning that prepares them for what’s next.🎧 Home Means Forward premieres October 21 on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

Higher education isn’t known for speed, but Chris Heavey wants to change that. As Interim President of UNLV, he’s leading a university that’s learning to move faster, think bigger, and grow alongside the community it serves.In this episode of Home Means, Heather Brown talks with Heavey about what it means to lead during transformation — from building new programs in medicine, engineering, and cybersecurity, to reshaping education around real-world skills. He shares how UNLV is breaking the “slow university” stereotype by staying experimental, entrepreneurial, and deeply connected to Nevada’s needs.Heavey also calls out one uncomfortable truth: family income still predicts college success more than test scores. His answer? Give every student the chance to succeed through practical experience, internships, and meaningful learning that prepares them for what’s next.🎧 Home Means Forward premieres October 21 on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

In this episode of Home Means Unity, we sit down with Sallie Doebler, CEO of the Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE, to explore how unity across sectors creates real community impact.Sallie thinks like a civic matchmaker. She pairs donor priorities with city needs, fills budget gaps without duplicating what nonprofits already do, and chooses projects where collaboration creates big results. From making sure unhoused individuals can safely keep their pets while seeking resources to aligning businesses and government around shared goals, her work is all about partnerships that stick.She also offers advice to emerging civic leaders: build trust, seek mentors, and avoid reinventing the wheel. The smartest move is often adapting what already works and making it fit your community.

Nevada’s future isn’t just about degrees, it’s about access to skills, jobs, and opportunity. In this episode Lauri Perdue (University of Phoenix, Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, and Serving Our Kids) shares why building workforce pipelines is the real infrastructure of change.From retooling education around skills-based hiring, to helping families find sustainable career pathways, to fighting food insecurity with Serving Our Kids, Lauri shows how access can transform lives and strengthen our communities.🎧 Listen on Spotify, YouTube, or Amazon Music.

What does it take to build an economy as bold as Las Vegas itself? In this episode, host Heather Brown sits down with Shani Coleman, Director of Community & Economic Development for Clark County, to explore adaptability, innovation, and inclusion in Nevada’s future.Shani shares what growing up in Las Vegas taught her about resilience, why the sports industry could be the region’s next economic driver, and how programs like Seed Vegas are opening doors for entrepreneurs from underserved communities.🎧 Tune in for a candid conversation about what it means to ensure everyone has a seat at Nevada’s economic table.

What do you get when you combine decades of public service, a love for Las Vegas, and a front-row seat to the city’s transformation? You get Mayor Shelley Berkley and she has stories.In this episode of Home Means Progress, Shelley walks us through the wins, lessons, and challenges from her time in Congress to her current role as Mayor. She shares how the city has changed, what keeps her up at night about the future, and the moves she thinks Nevada must make to keep up with its growth.

In this episode of Home Means, host Heather Brown sits down with Sean Parker, CEO of the Center for the Future of Learning, to explore how Nevada can reimagine education to support a thriving, diverse economy. From empowering teen “Futurescapers” to confronting tough perceptions around healthcare and schools, Sean shares bold ideas for building a system that reflects the unique strengths of our community.

I tried to do rapid fire questions with Bo Bernhard…Spoiler: they weren’t so rapid. But they were too good to cut. So here’s your bonus round.Starting with future episodes, we’ll wrap every show with Rapid Fire questions, short, fun, and full of surprises. Bo just gave us the warm-up.

Welcome to Home Means, a podcast dedicated to uncovering the heart and soul of Nevada through the stories of its residents. Hosted by Heather Brown, Home Means is a celebration of the people, places, and moments that make Nevada truly special.In our first-ever episode, Dr. Bo Bernhard gets into why Las Vegas isn’t just the place that puts on the show, it creates it. We talk sports, entertainment, memory lane, and why this city refuses to be boring.Welcome to Home Means.