Sigrid Ladores-Barrett, dean of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Nursing, received a Community Achievement Award from the Asian American Group during its Aug. 29 gala in Las Vegas.
Ladores-Barrett, a Filipino American nurse scientist, educator and pediatric nurse practitioner, accepted the honor by thanking Asian American Group leaders Rita Vaswani and Harry Singh. She dedicated the recognition to the UNLV School of Nursing, as well as to her mentors, colleagues, students and family.
“As a proud Filipino, an immigrant who came to the U.S. at age 15, I couldn’t imagine that I’d be standing here receiving a community award from the Asian American Group,” she said in her acceptance remarks.
Ladores-Barrett said the recognition reflects the work of the UNLV School of Nursing, which was recently named a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing. The school is one of 20 nursing programs nationwide to receive the 2026 designation and the only nursing program in Nevada with the honor.
“It is the only nursing school in Nevada to have this designation, so it is a big deal,” she said.
In her speech, Ladores-Barrett reflected on her journey from Iloilo City in the Philippines to academic and health care leadership in Nevada. She moved to the United States at 15 and arrived in Las Vegas two years ago after years in the South.
“Even for a little immigrant girl from Iloilo City, Philippines,” she said, “with hard work, anything is possible.”
She thanked her husband and sons, saying she hopes her children see the value of hard work through her example. She also thanked her students, who, she said, inspire her to do better each day.
Ladores-Barrett has served as dean of UNLV’s School of Nursing since September 2024 and is also a professor. Before joining UNLV, she was a tenured associate professor and department chair at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing. Her prior work included directing the school’s doctoral program and co-directing its Honors Program.
Her research focuses on reproductive health, fertility and quality-of-life concerns among adolescents and adults living with chronic illnesses, including cystic fibrosis. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and has held leadership roles within the Philippine Nurses Association of America.
The Asian American Group’s Community Achievement Awards recognize local leaders and professionals whose work supports the Asian American community and the broader Las Vegas area. Ladores-Barrett said she remains committed to advancing that work in Nevada and beyond.
“I continue to do the work to uplift the Asian American community in the state and the country,” she wrote in a Facebook post after the gala.
The award adds to a growing list of recognition for Ladores-Barrett, who was named among the TOFA100 Most Influential Filipinos in the World in 2025 during The Outstanding Filipino Awards’ celebration in Las Vegas.
