On Monday, May 6th over 600 prominent New Yorkers gathered at The Pierre to learn about The Anxiety Epidemic: New Research • New Insights.
Anxiety disorders are the most common and pervasive mental disorders in the United States. Nearly one-half of those diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 37% of those suffering receive treatment, likely because of stigma.
Over the past sixteen years, the Fountain House Symposium and Luncheon has become New York’s premier lay forum addressing the issues of serious mental illness. This year, Fountain House honored two outstanding mental health advocates. Singer-songwriter Judy Collins, the recipient of the Fountain House Humanitarian Award, has inspired audiences with sublime vocals, boldly vulnerable songwriting, personal life triumphs, and a firm commitment to social activism.
At the event, she spoke openly about her struggles with anxiety, depression, and alcoholism as well as the devastating suicide of her son. Judy also sang a few lines from her hit song, “Both Sides Now” and encouraged a sing-along with the 600 event attendees. Elizabeth Vargas, host of A&E Investigates and Emmy award-winning journalist, received the first ever Fountain House Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism. Not only has she courageously shared her own struggles with anxiety and alcoholism, she has also consistently demonstrates empathy and integrity when discussing the topic of mental illness in the media.
The entire audience was inspired and emotional after watching a film celebrating Kenneth J. Dudek, who is retiring after 27 years as Fountain House President. During his tenure, Kenn created and implemented a strategic vision that has positioned Fountain House as a leader in the global search for cost effective, humane, and successful solutions for people living with serious mental illness. The film focused on his legacy of innovation, including numerous new programs such as Fountain House Gallery and Studio, College Re-Entry, Wellness, Fountain House Bronx, and more. Afterwards, the guests gave Kenn a standing ovation.
Consuelo Mack, the Founder, Executive Producer, and Anchor of Consuelo Mack WealthTrack, was the Master of Ceremonies. Fountain House was privileged to have three excellent panelists: Anne Marie Albano, PhD, ABPP, Sanjay J. Mathew, MD, and Scott Stossel.
The event raised over $1 million to support Fountain House programming and their innovative approach to improving the lives of people with serious mental illness. The Symposium and Luncheon was established to advance community knowledge of mental illness and reduce the associated stigma, and to raise vital funds for Fountain House’s innovative employment, education, housing, and wellness programs.
The dedicated Chairs who worked tirelessly to ensure this event’s success were: Patricia Begley, Kitty de Chazal, Alexandra A. Herzan, Carolyn B. MacKenzie, Anne Mai, Jennifer Oken, Florence Peyrelongue, and Ilyse Wilpon. Founding Chairs are Lorna Hyde Graev and Lynn Nicholas, PsyD.
Among those attending: Jody Arnhold, Debbie Bancroft, Ann Barish, Evelyn Lorentzen Bell, Friederike Biggs, Deeda Blair, Denise LeFrak Calicchio, Angela Clofine, Jody Cox, Guy de Chazal, Becky and Loic de Kertanguy, Jackie and Nick Drexel, Genie Egerton-Warburton, Emilia Fanjul, Eleni and Randalll Gianopulos, Mark Gilbertson, Diana Goldin, Jeremey Goldstein, Marjorie Reed Gordon, Larry Graev, Tracey Huff, Mariana Kaufman, Fernanda Kellog and Kirk Henckels, Holly Kelly, Michele Gerber Klein, Karen Klopp, Kathleen Kocatas, Jeannie Lawrence, Shelly and George Lazarus, Katherine Lipton and Alex Lipman, Sharon Handler Loeb, Vincent Mai, Chris Meigher, Nicole Miller, Noelle Momsen, Nancy Missett, Nick Nicholas, Laura Parsons, Elizabeth Peabody, Noelle Penna, Ashley V. Perfall, Lil Phillips, Ann and John Pyne, Eugenie Revson, Paige Rustum, Arlene and Chester Salomon, Betsy Seidman, Elizabeth Scheuer, Jean Shafiroff, Missie Rennie Taylor, Topsy Taylor, Kari Tiedemann, Katie Tozer, Diane van Amerongen, Adrienne Vittadini, Bettina Zilkha and Katie Zorn.
Fountain House empowers people living with serious mental illness to live and thrive in society. Each year, over 1,600 members come to Fountain House to contribute their talents, learn new skills, access opportunities, and forge new friendships. For more than seventy years, Fountain House has successfully addressed the devastating impact of serious mental illness. It is the most widely replicated evidence-based mental health treatment approach in the world with over 300 model programs serving more than 100,000 people annually throughout the United States and in more than 30 countries.
To learn more about Fountain House, visit: www.fountainhouse.org
Manhattan School of Music’s Centennial – explored, noted, and amplified through a range of programs during the 2018-19 season – reached a celebratory crescendo this April with the MSM Centennial Gala Concert at Carnegie Hall and the Gala Dinner that followed, across 57th Street at the Park Hyatt’s Onyx Room.
“The milestone of 100 years is both a culmination and a new beginning,” said James Gandre, President of Manhattan School of Music. “But most of all, for the extended MSM Community and for our audiences, MSM’s Centennial has been a season-long celebration of excellence, an extended festival that culminated in the Centennial Gala Concert at Carnegie Hall.”
Event host Alec Baldwin, who received an Honorary Doctorate from MSM in 2012 and is one of classical music’s most popular champions, joined MSM Distinguished Visiting Artist conductor Leonard Slatkin and the MSM Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall for a sold-out musical celebration of 100 years of Manhattan School of Music.
The multi-faceted evening featured selections of classical music, jazz, opera, and musical theater – the pillars of the MSM curriculum – performed by a roster of artists drawn from the distinguished ranks of the MSM community. The evening featured: Susan Graham (MM ’87, HonDMA ’08); Grammy Award-winning, Oscar-nominated jazz trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard (HonDMA ’17, MSM Board of Trustees); violinist and former New York Philharmonic Concertmaster Glenn Dicterow (Chair, MSM Orchestral Performance Program); award-winning pianist Olga Kern (MSM Faculty); pianist André-Michel Schub (MSM Faculty), Naumburg International Violin Competition Honorarium Prizewinner Kelly Hall-Tompkins (MM ’95, HonDMA ’17); MSM Director of Choral Activities Kent Tritle; and MSM Director of Orchestral Activities George Manahan (BM ’73, MM ’76). In all, 325 MSM alumni, faculty, and current students performed.
Following the concert, performers and guests crossed 57th Street for a sumptuous dinner celebration at the Park Hyatt’s Onyx Room, whose back-lit walls were festooned with colorful “MSM 100” decals and whose tables were alive with spring florals.
Visit MSM Centennial Celebrations for the full story of Manhattan School of Music: www.msmnyc.edu/about/history/centennial-celebrations/
MorseLife Health System recently honored supporters who have donated art to the MorseLife Permanent Art Collection at a special reception following its 2019 Biennial Meeting. The Art of Generosity reception was held at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach.
Terri Sriberg was honored with The Chairman’s Award for her almost 20-year commitment and dedication to MorseLife. Mrs. Sriberg, an interior designer, assembled the donated and commissioned art on the campus of MorseLife. This prestigious award was established by former Chairman David Markin. Previous honorees are Sheila and Alec Engelstein, David Mack and Marilyn and Stanley Katz.
It was announced by friend Judie Schlager as a special surprise at the reception that a new nursing scholarship, the Terri and Paul Sriberg Nursing Scholarship Fund, has been established at MorseLife in memory of Paul Sriberg, Mrs. Sriberg’s beloved husband who passed earlier this season.
A video of the donated and commissioned artwork now enhancing the MorseLife campus was created for the reception inside the Norton Museum of Art. The art pieces range from large oil paintings to life-size sculptures, as well as decorative arts. In addition, each piece was professionally photographed, archived and featured in a limited-edition coffee table book as a keepsake and additional thank you for donors.
Photographs by Anna Yatskevich (Manhattan School of Music); Capehart Photography (MorseLife)
