Her Story
About Rachael
Rachael Kelly serves as Assistant Manager of Environmental Services at Yamova Resort and Casino. She began her career in the casino industry in 2004 at what was then the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, starting part-time in the bingo hall before moving into full-time roles. Kelly advanced in the slot department as a technician and parts controller, gaining expertise in machine dynamics, requisition systems, purchasing, and vendor management. After 20 years in that revenue-focused area, she pursued professional development through Global Gaming Women and a tribal administration certificate program at Claremont Graduate University, which covered tribal sovereignty, business, ethics, and Harvard case studies. This led her to pivot to Environmental Services, where she now oversees cleanliness and sanitation across the enterprise, emphasizing first impressions for guests. Kelly attributes her success to perseverance, navigating closed doors by exploring new paths without giving up. She values trust, dependability, and teamwork, and advises young women entering the industry to connect with like-minded peers, embrace discomfort, seek mentors, and commit to lifelong learning. She remains active in Global Gaming Women and supports community initiatives including the Believe Walk for breast cancer and the Hope Foundation.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Rachael
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would attribute my success to perseverance. Every time that I thought I was gonna go in one direction, and that door stayed closed, I kept pushing through. Well, let's try this, let's try that, and just never giving up.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Stay connected with like-minded people that are looking for growth opportunities. Those like-minded people that want to continue to learn and to never stop learning. Make yourself uncomfortable. Put yourself in the mix with people that are inspiring to you, and watch them. And learn from them, even asking for a mentor, I think, is always beneficial.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Navigating through the different personalities is definitely a challenge. There are so many different backgrounds, ages, perspectives, and being able to handle those political landscapes is challenging. It's the matter of keeping your professional hat on, finding tactful ways to communicate, and still being able to get the job done.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Trust and dependability is huge. When you trust your team, or when my team trusts me, there's just that level of respect that we have for each other, just so we can work collectively in teamwork. Teamwork is huge, especially in the workplace, because I can't do it alone.
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