The 13th Annual Moving Families Forward Gala: We Are Family, which benefits the vital programs and ongoing services for children and families at the Ackerman Institute for the Family, took place on Monday, October 21st, at the InterContinental New York Barclay in New York City.
This year’s gala was hosted for the first time by Abby Phillip, CNN White House Correspondent, and featured a special presentation by LaChanze, Tony, SAG, and Emmy winning actress. Judy Gold, actress and comedienne, served as auctioneer for the event.
They honored: Christina Ackermann, Executive Vice President, General Counsel of Bausch Health, with the Ackerman Courageous Leadership Award, presented by Joseph C. Papa, Chairman of the Board & CEO of Bausch Health. Ashley De La Rosa, currently starring on Broadway as Janelle Woods in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” was presented with the Ackerman Diversity & Inclusion Award by Nicole Poteat, Vice President at Bank of America Private Bank, and Board and Gala Committee member; Tamsen Fadal, 12-time Emmy-winning journalist for PIX11 News, executive producer and host of Broadway Profiles for The Broadway Channel, was presented with the Ackerman Family Advocate Award, presented by LaChanze. Maria Hinojosa, Executive Producer of Latino USA, with the Ackerman Humanitarian Award, presented by Gisselle Acevedo, President and CEO Ackerman Institute. Kate Snow, anchor of NBC Nightly News Sunday, award-winning Senior National Correspondent for NBC News, was given the Ackerman Champion of Hope Award, by Ira Sallen, Board Vice-Chair, Ackerman Institute for the Family. Ackerman’s Social Work and Diversity Program, the 27-year old initiative that diversifies the family therapy field, was honored with the Legacy Honor, presented by Kiran Arora, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Ackerman Institute for the Family.
Corporate sponsors of the Gala included: Bausch Health, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, Delta Air Lines, Farmers Insurance, Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner, Norton Rose Fulbright, McDermott Will & Emery, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.
The 2019 Moving Families Forward Gala: We are Family Co-Chairs were: Leslie Roberts and Deborah Werner. Jeannette Monninger was the Honorary Chair. The Gala Planning Committee was: Gisselle Acevedo, Martha Fling, Victoria R. Kahn, Gisella Lemos, Nicole Poteat, and Janine Weisenbeck.
VIPs in attendance included: Mike Love, singer, songwriter, co-founder of the Beach Boys and wife Jacqueline Love; Kori Chambers, PIX 11 News Anchor; Bart Feder, General Manager, PIX 11; Ira Bernstein, Co-President, Debmar Mercury. Among the VIPs were several members of the Ackerman Board of Directors: Gisselle Acevedo, Jeannie Ackerman Curhan, Linda Dishy, Alfred Feliu (Secretary), Martha Fling (Board Chair), Thomas G. Kahn, Dayan Kazi, Arthur Maslow, Jeanette Monninger, Imke Oster, Nicole Poteat, Leslie Roberts, Gregory T. Rogers, Bob Ruckh (Treasurer), Ira Sallen (Vice Chair), Sheri Sandler, Stephen Sokoloff, Arnold Syrop, Janine Weisenbeck, Deborah Werner, Doris Kempner (Emeritus Board), Paula Oppenheim (Emeritus Board), and Lois Braverman (Emeritus President).
The Horticultural Society of New York held its annual Autumn lunch place at the Metropolitan Club on Thursday October 17th.
Sheila Stevenson, a long time devotee and supporter, was given the Award of Excellence. Sheila has been an instrumental Board Member for many years and a major contributor and volunteer.
Laura Turner Seydel received the Barbara A. Margolis Award. Laura is the daughter of Ted Turner, and an international environmental advocate and eco-living expert dedicated to creating a healthy and sustainable future for our children.
Martha Stewart was the featured speaker and gave a very informative presentation with wonderful pictures of her beautiful gardens. She talked about her love of gardening and horticulture, and how it can contribute to everyone’s well being. It certainly does for Martha who is indefatigable in her attention to the world growing around her, and her knowledge from experience is encyclopedic.
Distinctive Garden Pots by Pennoyer & Newman, cast from Estate Originals were the centerpieces adorning the tables and planted with herbs grown in the Hort’s own Education Center Greenhouse.
The Horticultural Society of New York improves the lives of over 10,000 New Yorkers every year with programs in public schools, at risk youth, the formerly incarcerated and the homeless. They plant and maintain gardens in underserved public areas and operate NYC’s only public Greenhouse Education Center and Kitchen Garden, providing garden and nutrition-based programming.
The Animal Medical Center (AMC), the world’s largest non-profit animal hospital, has launched the public phase of its $70 million Gift of Love capital campaign, the largest campaign in the institution’s nearly 110-year history.
The fundraising effort has already raised more than 60 percent of its goal, from 50 leadership donors. Driven by strong support from the Board of Trustees and donors, the quiet phase of AMC’s Gift of Love campaign has already raised nearly $43 million of its $70 million goal, bolstered by a series of landmark, seven-figure gifts.
AMC’s Gift of Love capital campaign will dramatically transform and renovate the 60-year old building by updating more than 26,000 square feet of existing clinical and client space, while expanding the hospital by more than 11,000 square feet. These improvements will enable AMC to meet the increased demand for patient care, enhance its coveted postgraduate veterinary education program, and strengthen its cutting-edge research on naturally occurring diseases.
An iconic New York City institution for over a century, AMC’s 109 veterinarians provide collaborative care across 17 specialties. AMC runs one of the most prestigious postgraduate education programs in the field and is the only Level 1 Veterinary Trauma Center in NYC. In 2018, AMC treated 54,000 patient visits, doubling its caseload over the last decade.
The Center for Reproductive Rights held its 2019 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center this past Monday, October 28th. It was a celebration of the power of law to advance reproductive rights as fundamental human rights around the world. The evening featured actor, producer, and director Elizabeth Banks as the host, with additional remarks from the Center’s Senior Vice President for Global Legal Programs Enid Muthoni Ndiga and Nancy Northup, President and CEO.
Ms. Banks announced the creation of the Center for Reproductive Rights Creative Council – a new initiative to harness the power of the creative community in order to advance reproductive rights as fundamental human rights around the world. The group will leverage their platforms, reach, and cultural influence to raise the profile of the Center’s cases and issues in helping to educate the public, and to advocate for change on sexual reproductive health and rights.
The cocktail event overlooking Central Park and 59th Street raised more than $2 million to support the Center’s work.
Photographs by Tricia Baron (Ackermann)
