For 15 years, the Moonridge Foundation Philanthropy Leaders Summit has brought together changemakers committed to doing more than just imagining a better world—they’ve built it. This year’s theme, From Intention to Impact, honors that legacy by challenging us to turn purpose into measurable progress and ideas into lasting change.
Join us in transforming intention into impact, because the next 15 years of change start with what we choose to do today.
A highly sought-after philanthropy expert, board member and business leader, Julie Murray has led numerous successful public/private partnerships and social impact projects for corporate funders, family foundations and community leaders. Principal and CEO of the Moonridge Group, and President of the Moonridge Foundation, she is widely credited with transforming social impact in Nevada to be more strategic and collaborative.
While serving in 2019 and 2020 as the President and Board Chair for the NV International Women’s Forum, she formed a successful strategic alliance with the National Association of Corporate Directors and led the IWF team who won the bid to host the 2022 IWF World Leadership Conference in Las Vegas.
Murray has been honored for the strategic and collaborative nature of her work. She co-founded with business leader and philanthropist Eric Hilton the Three Square Food Bank in Las Vegas, a $55m annual operation that is sought after for its award-winning national-model best practices. She worked with philanthropist athlete Andre Agassi to launch the national model charter school, Agassi Prep, and is the co-founder of the “I Have a Dream” Foundation Nevada.
Murray serves on the Nevada Board for SilverSummit Healthcare and on the Community Advisory Council for Barrick/NV Gold Mine. She is the Board Chair for the Moonridge Foundation, a Donor Advisory Fund; and on the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada and Noah’s Animal House.
She is a frequent speaker about philanthropy and has served as an adjunct professor of philanthropy at the University of Nevada Las Vegas teaching graduate students about driving efficiencies into social impact.
Murray resides in Las Vegas and has three grown children and one new grandbaby.
Brian Gordon is a principal with Applied Analysis, a leading economic, fiscal and policy research firm based in Las Vegas, Nevada. As a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with 30 years of experience and holding the Accredited in Business Valuations (ABV) credential, Gordon is widely recognized for his …
His work spans Nevada’s key industries, including real estate, hospitality,
mining, banking and finance and manufacturing, as well as large-scale infrastructure
and community development projects. Gordon has conducted economic and fiscal
impact assessments of projects spanning statewide industries like tourism and real
estate to major venues such as Allegiant Stadium and T-Mobile Arena. His work has
also included evaluating high-profile events such as UFC’s International Fight Week,
WWE’s WrestleMania, NFL’s Super Bowl and Formula 1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. While
sports and entertainment are prominent examples, these analyses demonstrate a
broader ability to evaluate complex projects that drive economic activity across diverse
sectors. Gordon has also led countless market studies and research projects, providing
actionable insights for developers, policymakers and business leaders.
He has also served as a subject matter expert witness in numerous litigation cases and as a court-appointed manager for various business enterprises. Appointed by the Governor to
Nevada’s Economic Forum, Gordon plays a critical role in forecasting General Fund
revenues. His contributions to the real estate sector involve more than a decade of
service to the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association, including positions as a
board member and Treasurer, reflecting his leadership and commitment to Nevada’s
economic development.
Currently, Punam operates her own business as a speaker, trainer and writer. For the last 13 years, she served as Executive Director of the Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation, a private foundation that existed to advance fundamental change, primarily related to public education and the arts.
From 2009-2012, she was an officer of NV Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NVE), a vertically-integrated statewide electric utility with 2,700 employees, serving as vice president of people resources and as vice president of employee and community engagement.
She joined NV Energy following 13 years in the gaming industry, most recently serving as an officer and senior vice president, corporate diversity and community affairs, for MGM MIRAGE, now MGM Resorts Int’l (NYSE: MGM).
During her tenure, MGM MIRAGE received numerous awards in her areas of responsibility, including being ranked among the “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” by DiversityInc magazine, one of the “Top Corporations in the U.S.” for multicultural businesses by DiversityBusiness.com and as one of the “Most Admired Companies in America” by Fortune magazine. Additionally, under her leadership the Company’s philanthropy program, including its centerpiece employee-directed foundation, set new standards for strategic philanthropy and employee engagement within the gaming industry.
Prior to joining the gaming industry in 1996, she had been with the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce for six years, holding a variety of management positions, the last of which was Senior Vice President of Government Affairs.
Education
Mathur attended the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, studying elementary and special education, from 1979-1983.
Community Involvement
Mathur has received appointments to statewide leadership positions by four of Nevada’s Governors:
→ Governor Brian Sandoval (R) appointed her to the Common Core Steering Committee in 2013 and to the Board of Jobs for America’s Graduates in 2014.
→ Governor Jim Gibbons (R) appointed her to the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Education Reform in 2010.
→ Governor Kenny Guinn (R) appointed her to the Commission on Tourism in 2002.
→ Governor Bob Miller (D) appointed her to the Welfare Reform Task Force in 1994.
A champion and advocate for public education, she has a long history of involvement with the Clark County School District, the fifth largest district in the nation, having served on a lengthy list of committees and special task forces over the years, including the Superintendent’s Equity & Access Commission in 2019.
She also works closely with the NV Department on Education in a variety of roles to advance the ball on education reform in Nevada, including appointments by the Majority Leader of the Nevada State Senate in 2019 and 2023 to serve on the Commission on School Funding.
In 2020, in response to the pandemic, Mathur co-founded Delivering with Dignity, an innovative emergency management solution, in which delicious meals made by independently-owned restaurants were delivered by volunteer Food Heroes to the most vulnerable members of the community. Her introduction to food insecurity occurred 15 years earlier, as the founding board chair for Three Square, a non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating hunger in southern Nevada. She has served on the Board of the United Way of Southern Nevada for over two decades, is active with Communities In Schools, serving as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors, and serves on the board of The Guinn Center for Policy Priorities. And, in 2023, she was a part of the Host Committee for Super Bowl LVIII.
She is also active in a number of organizations to improve the effectiveness of the child welfare and foster care systems.
Awards and Recognition
She has received numerous awards including the inaugural Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson Yours in Service Award (2020) and the inaugural Athena Award from the Nevada Women’s Chamber of Commerce (2004), induction into the Nevada Women’s Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Hall of Fame (2005), “Humanitarian of the Year” by Junior League (2012), “Achievement Award” by Las Vegas India Chamber of Commerce (2013), as a Woman of Distinction by Nat’l Association of Women Business Owners (2006), a Platinum Achievement Award by the Cooperative Development Energy Program by Fort Valley State University (2011), A Lady of Distinction by Olive Crest, an organization advocating for needs of children in the foster care system (2009) and Woman of the Year by The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada (2009).
She was named among “Top 100 Influential Women in Las Vegas” by MyVegas Magazine in 2014 and 2015 and, in 2024, she was named among Nevada’s “Most Respected Leaders” by Nevada Business Magazine.
Personal
Mathur resides in Las Vegas with her three amazing sons and one spectacular daughter, and is an exuberant grandmother.
That same year, she assumed the role of President & CEO of the Nevada Women’s Fund—an organization founded in 1982 and recognized as one of the first women’s funds in the nation. Ila also serves as a Commissioner for the Nevada Commission for Women and was named a 2025 Woman to Watch by Nevada Business Magazine.
Widely recognized as a passionate and visionary nonprofit leader, Ila is known for her ability to build meaningful relationships that engage and empower communities. An entrepreneur at heart, she thrives on finding innovative ways to grow operations, scale impact, and streamline strategies that strengthen fiscal health—all while leading with bold vision and enduring optimism.
Transforming Philanthropy Through Lasting Change
Missed the 2025 PLS? Purchase the recording below to view and learn about today’s best practices, trends, gain insights, and become inspired to elevate your philanthropy.
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Part 1 and Part 2 with your password sent to your email, click here for recording.
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