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Diana Castrillon first came into MGM Resort’s orbit in 2008. She’d just arrived in Las Vegas as a single mother of a three-year-old. Her three-to-midnight schedule wouldn’t allow her to be the kind of mother she wanted to be. Castrillon was looking for traditional job hours, and that was about it.
Seventeen years later, Castrillon is still a member of the MGM family, but now in an executive capacity. Last year, she was promoted to vice president of human resources at affiliated Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey, spurring yet another move across the country and a whole new host of challenges outside Las Vegas.
The VP has never lived on the East Coast. She’s moved without knowing a soul.
“I guess I didn’t learn my lesson,” Castrillon says, laughing. “But this promotion has given me the opportunity to expand my scope to include talent management, compensation, employee engagement, and philanthropy.”
So much of this is new for the VP, but so is the scale. Castrillon spent the bulk of her career overseeing multiple Las Vegas properties, handling internal investigations and workplace accommodations. She was used to being a woman on the move, a hybrid worker before the term came into vogue. Now her focus is one location, one site, but there’s no doubt she’ll still get her steps in.
The casino hotel encompasses over 2,000 rooms; 161,000 square feet of gaming space; and 106,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The site has thirteen restaurants, eleven retail boutiques, a Roman-style outdoor pool, and an onsite spa. It’s where guests come to relax on the East Coast, but behind the scenes, Castrillon is helping breathe new life into the organization.
At present, the HR VP is currently focused on several strategic initiatives. One project is the rollout of a comprehensive year-long supervisor training program set to launch in March 2025. The program will emphasize business acumen, leadership brand exploration, and the development of team members. Then there’s a site-wide property reinvigoration that includes renovations and redesigns.
Additionally, her team just completed goal setting for its year-end reviews, pay for performance evaluations, and is currently building its player development department’s Asian gaming division. Throw in the development and rollout of an employee wellness app, and it seems like Castrillon will be searching for more hours in her day.
More holistically, Castrillon is trying to learn her new geography, both literally and culturally. She’s not enmeshed in the nonprofit or charitable space of Atlantic City quite yet, and she says she’s had to rely on trusted members of her team to help her learn the space.
“I’ve been lucky with this executive team and with my network,” the VP says. “I’m building trust, educating myself as a new resident of the community, and continuing to develop and nurture partnerships that have been made here.”
Borgata has a partnership with Reed’s Farm, a nonprofit that serves as a hub and educational resource for Atlantic County centered around regenerative agriculture and sustainable living. It’s also a partner to the local Boys and Girls Clubs, and Borgata’s Women’s Employee Network Group volunteered in February at Sister Jean’s Kitchen, a nonprofit that provides food and meals for those in need.
“I have a great team of colleagues who are very passionate about philanthropic work, and they’ve already taught me so much,” Castrillon says. “There’s been so much to learn in the last nine months, and I don’t think that’s going to end any time soon.”
For those who might be considering a career in the gaming and hospitality space, Borgata is partnering with nearby Stockton University for a summer hiring event. It provides seasonal work opportunities that can help get college students some experience in the space, potentially leading to full-on careers, or, at the very least, providing some tuition money for the upcoming year.
“I’m building trust, educating myself as a new resident of the community, and continuing to develop and nurture partnerships that have been made here.”
Diana Castrillon
The VP says she’s a reflection of the kind of opportunities someone can take advantage of if they’re open to it. She came to MGM just seeking traditional work hours, and now she’s an HR vice president.
Castrillon also has great advice for those beginning their HR journeys. The VP says flexibility isn’t just encouraged—it’s required.
“This world isn’t cookie cutter, and you need to look at every situation with an open mind and realize everyone is unique,” Castrillon says. “It’s an incredibly challenging but equally rewarding space to work in.”
The VP says it can be easy to keep comparing yourself to colleagues who seem to be getting promoted quickly and blasting up the ladder. But she stresses patience and taking the time to become an expert in your craft. We’ve all been told to have patience in our careers, but Castrillon says it’s repeated so often for a reason. Take your time and learn to be the best at what you do.
