March 30, 2026 • 12 mins
Rochelle Nguyen, CEO of Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada, joins Joanna & Sean for Women Who Shine!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sunday Mornings with Joanna and Sean right here on Sunny one.
It was six point five, and we are proud supporters
of an initiative.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
That we call Women Who Shine.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
We do this every Women's History Month, and so it's
back this March, and we have some incredible women that
we are able to feature each morning.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
This morning joining us in studio Rochelle Win. She is
the CEO of Candle Lighters. Now we are fortunate enough
to host their glamp out a couple of years ago.
Rachelle Frennie, who's not familiar with the mission of Candle Lighters,
could you just tell us about it again?
Speaker 4 (00:29):
The full title is Candle Lighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada.
We serve families, and when I say serve families, not
only the kids that are in treatment that have had
a diagnosis with cancer, but also all of the family,
the entire family. That is our mission. We provide not
only financial resources, think play therapy. We have our big
(00:51):
camp out, hence the reason we have glamp out to
kind of support that cause. And we have our upcoming
Spring Fling and Halloween Bash and sovereign other activities that
are meant to help the entire family while they are
going through, you know, the unfortunate circumstances of having a
child that's been diagnosed With the.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Answer, absolutely, you guys do incredible work. We are proud
to support Candlelighters.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
And so we want to learn a little bit about
you since we're shining the spotlight this morning on you, Rachelle,
tell us how long have you been with Candle Lighters
and maybe your your career background on how you got there.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Well, I have been here a short three months, and
I call it a god. I just I didn't realize
I could love and fall in love with an organization
so quickly. Having been there for only three months, it
has been an amazing journey. When people ask like what
brought you to Candle Lighters, I would like to say
it was my career, but I think it I spent
(01:46):
the past twenty plus years as a criminal defense lawyer,
so I don't know if there's a natural intersection between
that and what I do at Candle Lighters. Okay, And
when I thought about it, like how did I end
up in this role? I think my journey in life
kind of brought me there in a strange way, and
it's what I always tell other women and young women
(02:08):
and high school kids when they are looking at what
their career path looks like. It can take you on
a windy, twisty road, but you might get to where
you were meant to be the whole time. So I
started off as a lawyer. I came to Las Vegas
in nineteen ninety nine, straight out of college. I had
never met a lawyer before. My mom was washed dishes
(02:30):
in a hospital and my father is a refugee from
Vietnam and worked in a textile factory, and so I
had never met a lawyer before I came here. And
people are like, how did you end up in Vegas
from the Pacific Northwest? Yeah, and I will say the
sun intoxicated me because it had rained one hundred and
twenty nine days in a row in nineteen ninety nine.
(02:51):
So when I came here at twenty one first spring
break with some girlfriends, I did not want to leave,
and I thought of it as a new adventure. And
it turned out to be an amazing coincidence. They were
starting a new law school. I had the opportunity to
build an institution. Fast forward twenty years later, I had
been a public defender. I had owned my own practice.
(03:12):
I'd done that with my husband. We had survived, our marriage,
had survived working together as well. And I had an
opportunity to run in the state legislature, and so I
served a couple of terms in the Assembly and then
later now I serve in the state Senate. But that
really broadened my horizons. Not only was I doing stuff
like in the criminal justice system but to support small businesses,
(03:36):
but also working with a lot of nonprofits in the world,
working in healthcare, figuring out how budgets worked, doing a
lot of things that I hadn't done in my other job.
And when this opportunity came up with Candle Lighters, I
was like, this is the perfect opportunity to use the
storytelling skills that I had as a lawyer, to have
(03:59):
running a business, running a budget, capturing in those relationship
building that is so incrucial to the nonprofit sector. I
was like, I can use this, all these skills to
like further, just an incredible organization that I was fortunate
to be aware of prior to sharing this role, but
in that capacity. So that's my long story.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
What a journey that is pretty incredible.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
I mean you've been everywhere, You've kind of done a
little bit of everything. You know, thinking back throughout your journey,
if there is a piece of advice that you wish
maybe somebody told you when you were either just first
starting out on your journey or maybe you know, before
going into the nonprofit world. What piece of advice do
you wish somebody would have given you.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
Don't wait until you think you're ready. I think with
women in particular, they wait until they are ready. I've
often been told in business as well as in politics,
that people ask have women have to be asked to
run like five or six times. Sure, women of color
have to be asked like ten or twelve times before
(05:03):
they feel like they are ready to be in that role.
And I would say, you're never going to be ready
in my role. Now. Had I ever run a nonprofit before?
Speaker 1 (05:14):
No?
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Do I think I'm doing an incredible job at it.
Sometimes do I feel like I have a lot to learn? Yes?
And so I would say, don't wait for people to
for it to be the perfect time. You know, there's
something to be said about building the plane while you're
flying it, and I think you learn a lot when
you're in those moments. Of like a little bit of
(05:36):
chaos is good.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
I think that's a bit of confidence. I think more
of us need to have out there is to jump
into something, whether or not you feel like you're ready. Right.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Now, you deal with a lot of inspiring stories in
the line of work that you're in working with candle Lighters.
You know, do you have any personal inspiration that you
live by, like maybe a quote, like a sticky note
that's on your mirror, a mantra you tell yourself every
day before you go into work to get yourself in
the right headspace.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
I think being able to advocate for these families and
these children that are going through just unspeakable like circumstances
that I don't think anyone would wish on anyone. That
it's really important in all things that you one show up,
show up, be present when you're in those circumstances, listen
(06:25):
to those stories. I think following up on those stories
and following up on those relationships are super important. I
know that that's the what I bring to Candle Lighters
is showing up, following up, and then following through. You
don't have those trusts with those families unless you follow
through and say what you are, do what you say
(06:47):
you're going to do right, And so I think that
is kind of what guides me just in my role
at Candle Lighters, but also in life. And that's the
advice I'd give people out there is show up, follow up,
and follow through.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Love that.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Now, if you could pick any song that really is
your theme song, your personal anthem when you walk through
the door, this is how you know, this is what's
going to get you going each and every day.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
What song is that for you?
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Well, I'm a huge I have a dog named Neil
after Neil Young. But in honor of Women's History Month,
I think one of my just women iconic people. I mean,
there's like Dolly Pardon, there's like, you know, I think
modern like Taylor Swift. Sure, but for me, it is
(07:32):
always going to be Stevie Nicks. I love not just
her music and her songwriting, but I feel like she's
just she's like a powerful, strong woman that came up
in a space. Reminds me of my mom. My mom
(07:53):
listened to Heart and listened to Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac
and those strong women. So I would have to say
anything by like Stevie Nicks Love that probably my go
to music.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Great answer love that one.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
That might have already answered my next question here. Outside
of maybe Stevie Nicks and your mom, are there other women,
particularly in your life that you have found inspiring personally
to you?
Speaker 4 (08:15):
You know, my mom just passed away from cancer, and God,
I hope I don't cry here, but I you know,
with the limited resources that she had, I think I
mentioned earlier that she was bipolar. You know, music kind
of inspired her sometimes at her darkest times, but also
(08:39):
motivated her and her happy times. Like I mentioned Heart
and Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac and she loved Tracy Chapman. Yes,
probably too much, but was obsessed with it and the music.
But I think the way music, you know, guided her
and the opportunity that she gave me and my younger so,
(09:02):
I don't know if I can think of a stronger person.
She had all of these circumstances, horrible childhood, riddled with
violence and like physical and mental abuse, but she was
able to break that cycle. And I never knew a
childhood that didn't have anything but support, love, unconditional love,
(09:24):
and allowed me and my sister to not only go
to college, graduate from high school, rise above the circumstances
that she had of her childhood, or that my father
had of his upbringing, coming up during a wartime and
coming into this country as a refugee, to be sitting
here today running this amazing organization, And I think kind
(09:47):
of that love, that passion, that unconditional like in times
of trauma. If my mom could do it, I can
definitely do it with the resources that I have now.
So I would say my mom, amazing, thank you for
sharing that.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
She sounds like an incredible woman. And if you think about,
you know, the millions of difference of things that had
to have happened for all of us to be here
like right now, it's pretty incredible when you really think
about that, right.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
It is very odd. Sometimes I think I'm like, how
am I sitting here today on this show hopefully inspiring
other like women leaders to lead, but also be able
to be in lead this incredible organization Like candle Lighters.
(10:28):
It makes it easy. I go in, I see the
people I work with, They're just incredible. They have that
same kind of passion. We have survivors, We have parents
that are Candlelighter moms, shall letter dads that come in
and are able to take advantage of our services. Even
in those unfortunate circumstances where people have lost their kids,
their families are still Candlelighter families and come back year
(10:52):
after year to take part in bereadment activities, memory like opportunities,
and counseling opportunities. Because once a candle Lighter family, always
a candle Lighter family. And to be a part of
that organization and be able to take the experience I
have and use it to help lead this organization to
the next level is just an incredible gift that I have.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Absolutely no I know. Candle Lighters has a strong history
here in southern Nevada. Where can people actually go to
learn more, maybe to get involved, to attend one of
your incredible upcoming events. Where can they get more information
about candlelight.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
Our website is an incredible place to go. We will
be in touch with you almost immediately. So candle Lighters
V like Nevada dot org, So candle Lighters v dot
org is probably the best place to go. You can
find out about volunteer opportunities, you can find out about
donation opportunities, you can find out about the activities that
(11:51):
we have, and we're already getting ready for our Superhero
five K in September, which is like our biggest fundraiser,
and we're super excited to be able to take that
to the next level. So that is an opportunity for
people to come up there, dress up like a superhero,
see our kids who are our everyday superhero. Sure, and yeah,
(12:13):
it's wonderful.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
That's so awesome.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Rachelle Winn, thank you so much for coming in. You've
been incredibly inspiring and we hope to see more of
you again in the near future.
Speaker 4 (12:22):
No, I would love to come here be able to
talk about anything that you want me to, but if
it's candle lighters, you know I will drive across town
and around the world to get over here and talk
about the organization.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Awesome. Thank you so much for being a part of
our twenty twenty six Women Who Shine
Sunday Mornings with Joanna and Sean right here on Sunny one.
It was six point five, and we are proud supporters
of an initiative.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
That we call Women Who Shine.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
We do this every Women's History Month, and so it's
back this March, and we have some incredible women that
we are able to feature each morning.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
This morning joining us in studio Rochelle Win. She is
the CEO of Candle Lighters. Now we are fortunate enough
to host their glamp out a couple of years ago.
Rachelle Frennie, who's not familiar with the mission of Candle Lighters,
could you just tell us about it again?
Speaker 4 (00:29):
The full title is Candle Lighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada.
We serve families, and when I say serve families, not
only the kids that are in treatment that have had
a diagnosis with cancer, but also all of the family,
the entire family. That is our mission. We provide not
only financial resources, think play therapy. We have our big
(00:51):
camp out, hence the reason we have glamp out to
kind of support that cause. And we have our upcoming
Spring Fling and Halloween Bash and sovereign other activities that
are meant to help the entire family while they are
going through, you know, the unfortunate circumstances of having a
child that's been diagnosed With the.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Answer, absolutely, you guys do incredible work. We are proud
to support Candlelighters.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
And so we want to learn a little bit about
you since we're shining the spotlight this morning on you, Rachelle,
tell us how long have you been with Candle Lighters
and maybe your your career background on how you got there.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Well, I have been here a short three months, and
I call it a god. I just I didn't realize
I could love and fall in love with an organization
so quickly. Having been there for only three months, it
has been an amazing journey. When people ask like what
brought you to Candle Lighters, I would like to say
it was my career, but I think it I spent
(01:46):
the past twenty plus years as a criminal defense lawyer,
so I don't know if there's a natural intersection between
that and what I do at Candle Lighters. Okay, And
when I thought about it, like how did I end
up in this role? I think my journey in life
kind of brought me there in a strange way, and
it's what I always tell other women and young women
(02:08):
and high school kids when they are looking at what
their career path looks like. It can take you on
a windy, twisty road, but you might get to where
you were meant to be the whole time. So I
started off as a lawyer. I came to Las Vegas
in nineteen ninety nine, straight out of college. I had
never met a lawyer before. My mom was washed dishes
(02:30):
in a hospital and my father is a refugee from
Vietnam and worked in a textile factory, and so I
had never met a lawyer before I came here. And
people are like, how did you end up in Vegas
from the Pacific Northwest? Yeah, and I will say the
sun intoxicated me because it had rained one hundred and
twenty nine days in a row in nineteen ninety nine.
(02:51):
So when I came here at twenty one first spring
break with some girlfriends, I did not want to leave,
and I thought of it as a new adventure. And
it turned out to be an amazing coincidence. They were
starting a new law school. I had the opportunity to
build an institution. Fast forward twenty years later, I had
been a public defender. I had owned my own practice.
(03:12):
I'd done that with my husband. We had survived, our marriage,
had survived working together as well. And I had an
opportunity to run in the state legislature, and so I
served a couple of terms in the Assembly and then
later now I serve in the state Senate. But that
really broadened my horizons. Not only was I doing stuff
like in the criminal justice system but to support small businesses,
(03:36):
but also working with a lot of nonprofits in the world,
working in healthcare, figuring out how budgets worked, doing a
lot of things that I hadn't done in my other job.
And when this opportunity came up with Candle Lighters, I
was like, this is the perfect opportunity to use the
storytelling skills that I had as a lawyer, to have
(03:59):
running a business, running a budget, capturing in those relationship
building that is so incrucial to the nonprofit sector. I
was like, I can use this, all these skills to
like further, just an incredible organization that I was fortunate
to be aware of prior to sharing this role, but
in that capacity. So that's my long story.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
What a journey that is pretty incredible.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
I mean you've been everywhere, You've kind of done a
little bit of everything. You know, thinking back throughout your journey,
if there is a piece of advice that you wish
maybe somebody told you when you were either just first
starting out on your journey or maybe you know, before
going into the nonprofit world. What piece of advice do
you wish somebody would have given you.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
Don't wait until you think you're ready. I think with
women in particular, they wait until they are ready. I've
often been told in business as well as in politics,
that people ask have women have to be asked to
run like five or six times. Sure, women of color
have to be asked like ten or twelve times before
(05:03):
they feel like they are ready to be in that role.
And I would say, you're never going to be ready
in my role. Now. Had I ever run a nonprofit before?
Speaker 1 (05:14):
No?
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Do I think I'm doing an incredible job at it.
Sometimes do I feel like I have a lot to learn? Yes?
And so I would say, don't wait for people to
for it to be the perfect time. You know, there's
something to be said about building the plane while you're
flying it, and I think you learn a lot when
you're in those moments. Of like a little bit of
(05:36):
chaos is good.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
I think that's a bit of confidence. I think more
of us need to have out there is to jump
into something, whether or not you feel like you're ready. Right.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Now, you deal with a lot of inspiring stories in
the line of work that you're in working with candle Lighters.
You know, do you have any personal inspiration that you
live by, like maybe a quote, like a sticky note
that's on your mirror, a mantra you tell yourself every
day before you go into work to get yourself in
the right headspace.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
I think being able to advocate for these families and
these children that are going through just unspeakable like circumstances
that I don't think anyone would wish on anyone. That
it's really important in all things that you one show up,
show up, be present when you're in those circumstances, listen
(06:25):
to those stories. I think following up on those stories
and following up on those relationships are super important. I
know that that's the what I bring to Candle Lighters
is showing up, following up, and then following through. You
don't have those trusts with those families unless you follow
through and say what you are, do what you say
(06:47):
you're going to do right, And so I think that
is kind of what guides me just in my role
at Candle Lighters, but also in life. And that's the
advice I'd give people out there is show up, follow up,
and follow through.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Love that.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Now, if you could pick any song that really is
your theme song, your personal anthem when you walk through
the door, this is how you know, this is what's
going to get you going each and every day.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
What song is that for you?
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Well, I'm a huge I have a dog named Neil
after Neil Young. But in honor of Women's History Month,
I think one of my just women iconic people. I mean,
there's like Dolly Pardon, there's like, you know, I think
modern like Taylor Swift. Sure, but for me, it is
(07:32):
always going to be Stevie Nicks. I love not just
her music and her songwriting, but I feel like she's
just she's like a powerful, strong woman that came up
in a space. Reminds me of my mom. My mom
(07:53):
listened to Heart and listened to Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac
and those strong women. So I would have to say
anything by like Stevie Nicks Love that probably my go
to music.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Great answer love that one.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
That might have already answered my next question here. Outside
of maybe Stevie Nicks and your mom, are there other women,
particularly in your life that you have found inspiring personally
to you?
Speaker 4 (08:15):
You know, my mom just passed away from cancer, and God,
I hope I don't cry here, but I you know,
with the limited resources that she had, I think I
mentioned earlier that she was bipolar. You know, music kind
of inspired her sometimes at her darkest times, but also
(08:39):
motivated her and her happy times. Like I mentioned Heart
and Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac and she loved Tracy Chapman. Yes,
probably too much, but was obsessed with it and the music.
But I think the way music, you know, guided her
and the opportunity that she gave me and my younger so,
(09:02):
I don't know if I can think of a stronger person.
She had all of these circumstances, horrible childhood, riddled with
violence and like physical and mental abuse, but she was
able to break that cycle. And I never knew a
childhood that didn't have anything but support, love, unconditional love,
(09:24):
and allowed me and my sister to not only go
to college, graduate from high school, rise above the circumstances
that she had of her childhood, or that my father
had of his upbringing, coming up during a wartime and
coming into this country as a refugee, to be sitting
here today running this amazing organization, And I think kind
(09:47):
of that love, that passion, that unconditional like in times
of trauma. If my mom could do it, I can
definitely do it with the resources that I have now.
So I would say my mom, amazing, thank you for
sharing that.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
She sounds like an incredible woman. And if you think about,
you know, the millions of difference of things that had
to have happened for all of us to be here
like right now, it's pretty incredible when you really think
about that, right.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
It is very odd. Sometimes I think I'm like, how
am I sitting here today on this show hopefully inspiring
other like women leaders to lead, but also be able
to be in lead this incredible organization Like candle Lighters.
(10:28):
It makes it easy. I go in, I see the
people I work with, They're just incredible. They have that
same kind of passion. We have survivors, We have parents
that are Candlelighter moms, shall letter dads that come in
and are able to take advantage of our services. Even
in those unfortunate circumstances where people have lost their kids,
their families are still Candlelighter families and come back year
(10:52):
after year to take part in bereadment activities, memory like opportunities,
and counseling opportunities. Because once a candle Lighter family, always
a candle Lighter family. And to be a part of
that organization and be able to take the experience I
have and use it to help lead this organization to
the next level is just an incredible gift that I have.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Absolutely no I know. Candle Lighters has a strong history
here in southern Nevada. Where can people actually go to
learn more, maybe to get involved, to attend one of
your incredible upcoming events. Where can they get more information
about candlelight.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
Our website is an incredible place to go. We will
be in touch with you almost immediately. So candle Lighters
V like Nevada dot org, So candle Lighters v dot
org is probably the best place to go. You can
find out about volunteer opportunities, you can find out about
donation opportunities, you can find out about the activities that
(11:51):
we have, and we're already getting ready for our Superhero
five K in September, which is like our biggest fundraiser,
and we're super excited to be able to take that
to the next level. So that is an opportunity for
people to come up there, dress up like a superhero,
see our kids who are our everyday superhero. Sure, and yeah,
(12:13):
it's wonderful.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
That's so awesome.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Rachelle Winn, thank you so much for coming in. You've
been incredibly inspiring and we hope to see more of
you again in the near future.
Speaker 4 (12:22):
No, I would love to come here be able to
talk about anything that you want me to, but if
it's candle lighters, you know I will drive across town
and around the world to get over here and talk
about the organization.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Awesome. Thank you so much for being a part of
our twenty twenty six Women Who Shine
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