The Dubin Breast Center of The Tisch Cancer Institute at the Mount Sinai Health System held its eighth annual benefit on Monday, December 10, 2018, at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan.
The evening honored sisters, Melissa Spohler and Meredith Shepherd, their mother Priscilla Alexander, and Amy Tiersten, MD, Clinical Director of Breast Medical Oncology at The Mount Sinai Hospital and Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Eva Andersson-Dubin, MD, founder of the Center and a Mount Sinai Trustee, and Elisa Port, MD, FACS, the Center’s Director, presented the awards to Mrs. Spohler, Mrs. Shepherd and Mrs. Alexander for their advocacy for breast cancer patients and to Dr. Tiersten for her commitment to breast cancer research at Mount Sinai.

With 520 guests in attendance, the event raised $2.6 million to benefit the Dubin Breast Center, part of The Tisch Cancer Institute, a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer program. Among those who attended were Tim and Michelle Barakett, Jon and Sharon Corzine, Kenny and Shoshana Dichter, Beth Dozoretz, Lisa Evans, Tracy Pollan and Michael J. Fox, Joe Fernandez and Tony Godsick, Amy and John Griffin, Sonia and Paul Tudor Jones, Chris and Richard Mack, Mike and Suzey Novogratz, Bob Pittman, Mark and Jill Rachesky, Carole Radziwill, Steve and Maureen Rattner, Daryl and Steven Roth, Perri and Eric Ruttenberg, John Sykes, James and Merryl Tisch and Nina and Gary Wexler. This year’s slate of performers included Peter Cincotti, Penelope Edmonds, Caroline Jones, Chloe Kohanski, Marc Scibilia, and three performers from Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, LaChanze, Ariana DeBose, and Storm Lever.





The Dubin Breast Center of The Tisch Cancer Institute offers the latest, most innovative approaches available for breast health and the treatment of cancer under one roof. The 15,000-square-foot facility is located on the campus of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, and houses a range of services from prevention to survivorship.
The Dubin Breast Center represents Mount Sinai’s bold new vision for patient-centered breast cancer treatment and research—one that focuses on the emotional as well as the physical health and wellness of people who have, or may be at risk for, cancer. Patients receive personalized, comprehensive, and integrative care in a welcoming, private, and reassuring setting. The Dubin Breast Center’s extraordinary physicians and scientists actively collaborate, enabling our clinical teams to apply leading-edge knowledge and the newest, most sophisticated techniques and technologies.













On Saturday, December 8, 2018 New York City Ballet and The School of American Ballet joined forces, once again, for The Nutcracker Family Benefit – one of New York’s favorite holiday events for families. Anne J. Citrin, Rebecca Hessel Cohen, Alyssa Tablada, and Tanya Rivero Warren served as the Event Chairs.
The benefit began with a performance of the timeless classic, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™, followed by a holiday party on the Theater’s Promenade where the Sugarplum Fairy and characters from the production signed autographs and mingled with guests.

More than 650 guests attended including Sienna Miller, Zanna Roberts Rassi and Mazdack Rassi, Emma Willis, Ron and Cynthia Beck, Daniel Brodsky, Monique Cunningham, and Agnes Gund amomng others. The event, which raised $792,000, is a critical source of support for New York City Ballet and its Education and Outreach Programs as well at The School of American Ballet’s Scholarship Fund.









Volunteers of America-Greater New York (VOA-GNY) honored Wells Fargo on December 3 with its Spirit of the Founders award at its gala at The Plaza. In addition to funds raised for the dinner, during the ceremony, the bank also announced a $100,000 Foundation grant.
Each year VOA-GNY’s Spirit of the Founders award is presented to a person or company that leads the way in community involvement and contributes to VOA’s life-changing, often life-saving work, to care for the homeless, families affected by domestic violence, children with special needs, at-risk youth, adults living with HIV/AIDS, behavioral health or substance use issues, veterans and older adults. VOA-GNY has been at the forefront of social services for more than 120 years, helping individuals and families in need overcome obstacles to living safe, healthy and productive lives.

Robert DiDiano, Regional Managing Director for Wealth Management at Wells Fargo, accepted the award on behalf of the company. Wells Fargo was being honored for its very generous support of Operation Backpack®, a community service of VOA-GNY that helps ensure that every child living in a New York City homeless or domestic violence shelter gets a new, top-quality backpack filled with supplies in time for the first day of school.
VOA-GNY also extended a special recognition to The Weeks Lerman Group and Magnusson Architecture and Planning for their longtime, year-round support of the organization.
Willie Geist, host of Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist and Morning Joe co-host, emceed the fundraiser, themed “A New York Winter’s Eve.”










Photographs by Ben Asen Photography (VoA); Erin Baiano (NYCB)