Aileen Pastor
’08 BA Journalism & Media Studies, ’13 MA Public Administration
Greenspun College of Urban Affairs Alumna of the Year
When Aileen Pastor stepped into her Management 301 course at UNLV nearly two decades ago, she assumed she was just checking another course-requirement box on the way to earning her undergraduate journalism degree.
Certainly, Pastor never believed the class — titled “Principles of Management and Organizational Behavior” — would end up shaping her entire professional life.
Yet that’s precisely what happened when her professor unleashed an assignment requiring students to find and interview someone in a leadership role to learn about their management style and best practices for leading a team.
Initially, Pastor turned to a colleague of her father who worked at McCarran (now Harry Reid) International Airport. And that’s when the first life domino fell.
“My father’s colleague encouraged me to interview the deputy general manager of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada,” Pastor recalls. “I took that advice, and during that interview I also was introduced to the communications director, who was searching for internship applicants.”
Pastor took the initiative to apply for the internship and got it. Nearly 18 years and multiple steps up the public sector ladder later, Pastor remains at the RTC, now serving as manager of events, detours, and partnerships.
Her responsibilities include managing, planning, and coordinating regional partnerships for community programs and special events, as well as overseeing transit detours related to bus operations. These operations encompass 40 routes and more than 3,500 bus stops that service more than 150,000 customers per day.
Early in her career journey with the RTC — which is Southern Nevada’s transportation-planning agency and transit authority — Pastor returned to UNLV to earn her graduate degree in public administration. It’s a degree she likely never would’ve considered pursuing had she never set foot in that Management 301 class.
“That assignment — and taking the advice of my father’s colleague — quite literally landed me in a career field that wasn’t even on my radar,” Pastor says. “That career has allowed me to utilize both of my UNLV degrees in the work that I do for the community every single day.”
Actually, Pastor’s community work stretches beyond her work responsibilities. A Rebel through and through, the lifelong Las Vegan has made it a priority to give back to her alma mater in multiple ways over the years.
For instance, in addition to supporting the UNLV Alumni Association — be it helping out at various events or with the annual Day of Service — Pastor has mentored numerous UNLV students who have worked for the RTC as paid interns. These students have come not just from the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs but various departments across campus.
And when one of these student interns falls under Pastor’s wing, she goes out of her way to ensure that they receive the same type of professional guidance and support that she experienced as an RTC intern.
“I’ve heard the stories where the only thing student interns are asked to do for an entire summer is make copies and update contact lists,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to give students the same experience I had, which was to learn real skills, develop confidence by working on projects autonomously, and simply get out of my comfort zone.
“I’d like to think this kind of approach is why some of my interns have gone on to become full-time RTC employees, while others have landed amazing job opportunities in other fields.”
What went into your decision to enroll at UNLV?
As a first-generation American whose parents immigrated from the Philippines, I had the dream of a better life instilled in me since childhood. So for me, going to college was non-negotiable.
To this day, I remain grateful that I got a great education at a reasonable cost, which I was able to offset by earning the Millenium Scholarship and working part time while attending school.
Looking back, I know I made the right call because I was able to continue to grow my life and career in the community I’ve called home since I was born.
When did you first consider majoring in journalism?
I actually started as a finance major. My dream was to work at Robert Half Finance & Accounting and move to the East Coast after spending my entire life in Las Vegas.
During my first semester, I struggled with the introductory accounting classes. Thankfully, though, it was also the semester that I took my elective journalism class with professor Charles Zobell, who had a knack for making print media fun and exciting.
I quickly changed majors and still think about one of our first assignments in professor Zobell’s class: writing an obituary.
You started at the RTC as a student intern, and more than 17 years later, you’re still there. As you reflect on your career, what are some of the key reasons you’ve decided to remain with the same organization?
Throughout my 15 years as a full-time employee and two years as a part-time intern, I’ve had the privilege of holding at least a half-dozen positions and leading many different teams. And as each year passed, the job grew on me.
This community is always growing and changing, and since we’re constantly working to meet the community’s needs, there is always something new to learn.
Also, because our agency is so large and encompasses so much — public transit, traffic management, funding for streets and highways, bicycling programs, etc. — there is always something different and important to work on.
You have volunteered your time to various alumni-related events and initiatives. What is it about your alma mater that inspires you to give back?
Service has always been part of my life. Couple that with the friendships I’ve made on campus and through campus events, and it has been easy to maintain the connection. Plus, as a proud and grateful UNLV graduate, giving whenever and however I can is simply the right thing to do.
A recent UNLV graduate who wants to enjoy a long, successful communications career asks you for one “must do” and one “must don’t”. What’s your response?
Must do: Try different fields of communication, because you never know what your true career passion will be unless you expand your horizons and get out of your comfort zone.
Must don’t: Don’t limit yourself by only applying for jobs that you’re 100% qualified for or by not going for jobs you don’t believe you have the skills to get. You very well could be the ideal candidate, regardless of the perfect experience.
What does the phrase “Rebel Spirit” mean to you, and when was the last time it was on display?
It means taking pride in and showing support for my alma mater. And my Rebel Spirit is always on display — the proof is in my closet, which is filled with more UNLV gear than any other sports team or organizational brand.
Let’s just say eight years on a campus leaves a lasting impression!
