The ADAPT Leadership Awards took place on March 9th at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. The awards gala raised $750,000 to support the important ongoing work of ADAPT Community Network.
The 2023 ADAPT Leadership Awards honored Willie Geist, host of NBC News’ Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist, and co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe; John D. Kemp, Esq., President & CEO of Lakeshore Foundation, co-founder of the American Association of People with Disabilities, and author of Disability Friendly: How to Move from Clueless to Inclusive; Jeanine Salvatore, philanthropist, and Louis Salvatore, co-Head of Blackstone Credit’s Performing Credit team.
Abigail Hawk, star of the CBS series Blue Bloods, hosted the awards gala for the first time.
Willie Geist was honored with the ADAPT Leadership Award in a special presentation by Ali Stroker, Tony award winner, 2022’s ADAPT Leadership Award honoree, past ADAPT Co-Chair, and longtime supporter of the organization.
Jeanine and Louis Salvatore were honored with ADAPT Leadership Awards in a presentation by James Hausman.
John D. Kemp, Esq. was honored with the Hausman Humanitarian Award in a presentation by Edward R. Matthews, CEO of ADAPT Community Network.
ADAPT Leadership Awards Gala Event Chairs were Liz Cohen Hausman and James Hausman.
Honorary Gala Co-Chairs were Cara Buono, LaChanze, Tamsen Fadal, Susan Lucci, Deborah Roberts, and Judy Woodruff.
VIPs attending included: Marie Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece; Nicole Ari Parker, Cristina Cuomo, Steve Lacy, Kerri E. Neifeld, Ainsley Earhardt, Kori Chambers, Mr. G, , Megan O’Connor, Abiba Kindo, Rachel Baker, Jennifer O’Sullivan, Tiffany Moller, Jodie Patterson, Dr. Kathryn Beal and Bruce Beal, Yesim Philip, Blair Husain, Jennifer Creel, Fernanda Nevin, Michael Berger, Alan Zack, Alison Harmelin, Samer Hamadeh, Peter Davis, Nancy Jarecki, Lauren Lorraine, Dorrit Morley, Eden Williams, Lo’renzo Hill-White, Tony Woods, Patrick Hazlewood, Kevin and Laura Hickman and Camilla Barungi.
Chilina Kennedy, star of Beautiful, The Carole King Musical, performed at the gala.
ADAPT Community Network is the leading human service not‐for‐profit and a pioneer in providing cutting‐edge programs and services for people with disabilities. Every day, we build a more inclusive world for thousands of New Yorkers through education, technology, health, residential, and recreational programs in all five boroughs. Our schools and services encompass many people who have challenges beyond cerebral palsy such as autism, Down syndrome, spina bifida, and neuromuscular disorders, among others. We are the largest provider of pre‐school education for children with disabilities in New York. ADAPT’s 100 comprehensive programs serve over 20,000 children and adults with disabilities and their families.
For more information about ADAPT Community Network go to: www.adaptcommunitynetwork.org.
Photographs by Gary Gershoff and Craig Barritt/Getty.
