AWARDEE BIO

Shelley Berkley was elected Mayor of Las Vegas in November 2024, bringing decades of leadership in public service, higher education, and healthcare advocacy to City Hall. A lifelong Las Vegan, she is deeply committed to building a vibrant, inclusive, and thriving future for her community.

Before becoming mayor, Berkley served as Senior Vice President of the Touro University system, following eight and a half years as CEO and Senior Provost of Touro University Western Division. Under her leadership, Touro grew into a leading center for medical and health sciences education, advancing opportunities for students and strengthening the region's healthcare workforce.

From 1999 to 2013, Berkley proudly represented Nevada in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she served seven terms as the first woman elected to her district. During her 14 years in Congress, she was a strong voice on the Transportation, Small Business, Veterans Affairs, Foreign Affairs, and Ways and Means Committees. Among her proudest achievements was helping to secure and build the Veterans Administration medical complex in Southern Nevada, ensuring quality healthcare for the region's veterans. She was also a passionate advocate for graduate medical education, expanded healthcare access, and reform of the nation's healthcare system.

Berkley's career began in 1983 as a Nevada State Assembly woman, where she championed consumer protection, authored the state's Lemon Law, and created the Senior Law Project. She later served two terms on the Nevada State Board of Regents.

Mayor Berkley is married to Dr. Larry Lehrner and is the proud mother and grandmother of a growing family.