Look at her. Seriously: Just look at.those.photos. Now go back and look at ’em again and realize that Mrs. Lauren Cahlan is every bit golden on the inside as her flaxen hair reveals, with plenty of smarts to support her sexy, and humor to balance it all beeautifully.
As she describes in this first-person narrative that ran in the Las Vegas Review-Journal this summer, growing up in Oklahoma at the heels of her pageant-winning mother, Little Lauren aspired to follow in mum’s heels. It was a dream realized, earned and appreciated in 2016, when she was crowned Mrs. Nevada-America…but this bee’s so much more than what you see. A wholehearted marriage, passion for her job and a strong sense of giving back fill up Cahlan as she works as a senior account executive for one of Vegas’ busiest public relations firms.
Beauty, brawn and brains…and, a juicer? Checkeroo. Meet Lauren Cahlan.
Lauren Cahlan, Mrs. Nevada-America 2016
A LITTLE ABOUT LAUREN
I’ve lived in Las Vegas since… June of 1997
I can remember when I decided I wanted to start and keep my adult life here. It was the year…2012—I had just graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno.
…and what appealed to me about living in Vegas was…the abundance of job opportunities and low cost of living.
In my experience, the biggest misconception about living in Las Vegas is…that everything revolves around the Strip. There’s much more to living here than just hotels and gambling; however, we’re blessed to have some of the world’s best dining, entertainment and shopping—so I would consider it a perk!
The thing I secretly (or not-so-secretly) love most about living here is… so many restaurants! I’m a self-proclaimed foodie who LOVES to dine out!
If I had to pick a daily mantra or a quote I try to live by, it would be…
You can never be overdressed or overeducated.—Oscar Wilde
A favorite Vegas spot that never gets old is…Marche Bacchus: Love the brunch and ambiance!
If I had to pick a theme song(s) for my life it would be…Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield.
A person who inspires me every day is…my husband, Shaun.
…and the way he inspires me is…I have a bad habit of procrastinating at times. He is one to set his mind to something and will get going right away until a task is finished. His self-discipline and motivation are inspiring to me. Plus, he’s easy on the eyes. Lucky me!
Something people would be surprised to know about me is…I’m a direct descendent of the second signer of the Declaration of Independence, Josiah Bartlett.
ABOUT LAUREN’S WORK
Let me tell you a little about my background: I graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a degree in journalism with an emphasis on public relations and advertising, and a minor in political science. Upon graduation, I started at Wicked Creative public relations as an account coordinator and worked my way through the ranks. I’m now a Senior Account Executive overseeing 20 or so clients and a team of six people. I work with an array of dining, entertainment, fitness, and nightlife clients. No two days are ever the same here at the office!
Because of the nature of public relations, my days can vary a ton. When people ask me what a typical day might look like, this is what I say: HA! That is an understatement! A day could range between two extremes…one being sedentary at my desk answering emails and leading conference calls, and the other could be getting a call that I’m needed on camera to film an episode of Wahlburgers with Mark Wahlberg himself. (Yup…that really happened.)
My first mentor was… Jennie Miller
…and this is what I learned from her: Jennie was my first supervisor at Wicked. The lessons I learned from her are countless—and I still think about ways to channel her guidance when handling a situation.
In my opinion, the most unusual thing about working in PR here in Las Vegas as opposed to other U.S. cities is…it’s definitely a 24-hour town. I could be staffing a 5 a.m. news segment with a client, or we could be handling a 1 a.m. celebrity red carpet. Hopefully not on the same day, of course.
…and the most awesome thing about doing this work, here, is… Because Las Vegas is a global epicenter of world-class dining, entertainment, shopping, and gaming, as PR people we are exposed to some of the coolest clients around. Doing PR in a place like my hometown of Oklahoma City, for example, would have been great…but it wouldn’t have been the same experience that I’ve had here.
The thing I love most about my job—what really gets me up in the morning—is…the thrill of a great placement. There’s nothing like the feeling of seeing hard work come to fruition!
Ever wonder why we’re called “Wicked Creative?” Here’s the scoop: When Wicked’s president and founder, Stephanie Wilson, set out to start her own business, her former business partner was from Boston—hence the “wicked” reference. And, we pride ourselves on creativity…so Wicked Creative is the perfect fit!
Best perk about my job and/or the coolest thing that’s happened to me because of it is…That’s “perks,” with an “s”: Stephanie is a true believer in a positive work/life balance, so we are gifted with ample time off to decompress and unwind. Plus, I’ve been given quite a few opportunities to travel for (super cool) work events to places like New Orleans, New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
One of the coolest experiences I’ve had was working with Terry Bradshaw to promote his show My Life in Four Quarters, which premiered at The Mirage in 2013. To plug the show, I helped arrange an L.A. media tour, which included a stop at The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, among other outlets. Hanging out with Terry and Jay (who donned his signature all-denim look) was unforgettable!
True or false: People in PR consider themselves part of “the industry” in Las Vegas: True…and false. We work closely with the industry crowd, but we aren’t there to experience the day-to-day.
In my opinion, the biggest misconception of non-industry people about people who work in the industry is…that industry people just party all the time. It’s tough work out there!
Today, my favorite way to give back to my community is…I’m actually the reigning Mrs. Nevada-America, so I’ve had the opportunity to work with a ton of amazing causes like Special Olympics, Best Buddies, The Shade Tree, and more. One of my favorite experiences was organizing a book drive for Spread the Word Nevada earlier this year to help promote childrens’ literacy. At Wicked, we often donate PR services pro-bono for local charities, so it is wonderful to give back in that way.
Watching her mum Jill Barnhart win the Mrs. Oklahoma-America title in 1993 was one of many moments where Cahlan knew she wanted to compete. In her interview with the Review-Journal, Cahlan remembers: “[My mother] toted me around to appearances, and I watched her give back to our community. She was, and is, my greatest role model.”
A 5- or 10-year aspiration of mine is… In 5 years, I’d love to start a family with my husband, Shaun. He’s incredibly supportive of my career and would be an amazing support system when it comes to balancing a career with a family.
The thing I’m most proud of that I’ve accomplished at Wicked Creative is… We worked on a celebrity event/grand opening that was the most challenging—and in the end, most rewarding—experience of my career. There were a ton of moving parts and extra hours spent, but it was all worth it. We ultimately won a PRSA “Award of Excellence” for our work on the project.
LAUREN ON HEALTH + JUICE
No matter how busy I get at work, this is what I do to make sure I eat well during the week: Meal prep! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t always have a ton of time to spend all day cooking for the week ahead. When that is the situation, I make sure I’m armed with Trader Joe’s salads that I can easily grab and go when in a hurry. I also like to individually package my snacks and fruits/veggies so that I can avoid hanger at all costs.
The fruit(s) or vegetable(s) you’ll always find in my kitchen are…broccoli, berries, bananas, sweet potatoes, and apples!
The health habit that gets me made fun of the most is… my incessant FitBit obsession. I do walks around our office building at least three times per day so I can stay competitive in weekly challenges with friends. Every step counts. Even if it’s to the office candy bowl for leftover Halloween goodies (…whoops).
Yes or No: I love juice so much I make it at home. NOPE: that’s why I need The Juice Standard in my life.
True or false: Making juice at home is a royal pain in the tail. So true!
The person who introduced me to cold-pressed juice was… Stephanie Wilson— she was a fan of The Juice Standard from the start. She got our whole office hooked!
The first time I drank green juice, I thought it was…interesting. It definitely grew on me, but not going to lie—it took a bit of time!
The reason I drink cold-pressed juice is because…the health benefits are undeniable, and for busy bees on the go, there’s no easier way to get the nutrition our bodies need.
The reason I like TJS’s cold-pressed juice is because…it’s so tasty, and ALL organic, all of the time! I go for a Bee WHealthy™ when I need a quick hit of nutrition. If I’m feeling indulgent, I order a Bee Magnificent. Still healthy, but…Oh. My. Gosh. Soooo. Good.
True or False: My liver is for cleansing so I don’t believe in no stinkin’ fasting: False—I’m personally a fan of doing a one- or two-day cleanse every so often. I like to hit the “reset” button—especially during the holiday season.
The longest juice fast or cleanse I’ve ever done is…3 days. I know, that’s beginner status. : )
This is how I incorporate cold-pressed juice into my lifestyle: I like to replace a meal very so often with an ice-cold, organic juice. It’s so easy to do and definitely more tasty than trying to quickly eat a stale granola bar in the morning. Plus, I like to think a green juice will help off-set a glass of chardonnay after work. Juice now—wine later.
The funniest thing that ever happened to me while drinking juice OR when I in fact was embarking on a juice fast, was… As you may know, the color of beets aise quite…vibrant. While enjoying a Bee On Point at home, my inquisitive kitten Remington started chewing on my straw when I wasn’t paying attention. He was so smitten with the flavor (rightfully so) that he decided to pull the straw right out of the juice, leaving a trail of beet-colored drops in his path on our very light-colored tile. Lesson? Don’t leave your juice unattended around curious furry friends.
My advice to a newbee juicer would be… start slow. I didn’t love green juice when I was a newbee, so I started with the fruity flavors and nut milks. After a while, I gave Bee WHealthy™ a try and I’ve never looked back!