Cheers to the Chairs! Honoring Nikki Shaffer and Lindy Smith

Festival of Trees Co-Chairs benefiting Arizona Burn Foundation How did you get involved with the Arizona Burn Foundation? NIKKI: My gal pal Lindy Smith has been involved with the foundation for several years, and my husband, Chris, is a Phoenix firefighter and member of the Arizona Emerald Society, which delivers the Christmas trees post-gala every […]

Cheers to the Chair! Honoring Kristine McIver

Sing On September Chair benefiting Phoenix Boys Choir How did you get involved with Phoenix Boys Choir? When my son, Andrew, was almost 7, he read an ad for the Phoenix Boys Choir and told me he wanted to join. After his birthday, I set up an interview. Andrew was excited and insisted on wearing […]

Cheers to the Chair! honoring Debbie Allford

Night of Gold 2020 Event Chairman benefiting HonorHealth How did you get involved with HonorHealth? My husband, Allan Allford, is on the board of HonorHealth Foundation. He suggested I look at HonorHealth’s Desert Mission programs and services as they help our most vulnerable neighbors. After meeting several people associated with HonorHealth and Desert Mission, I […]

Cheers to the Chair! honoring Electa Thompson

September 2020 Honoree Electa Thompson Board chairperson of Tempe Community Action Agency How did you get involved with Tempe Community Action Agency? Through my brother, who invited me to TCAA’s annual fundraiser event, First Crush, now known as Vicinity. I loved the mission and work of the agency. I became a volunteer and eventually helped […]

Cheers to the Chair!: Mark Feldman

August 2020 Honoree Mark Feldman Chair of Arizona Commission on the Arts How did you get involved with the Arts Commission? It was an accident, to be truthful. I’m told I checked the wrong box on the application form. Instead of adding me to the 529 Education Plan Board, promoting specialized savings accounts used to […]

May 2020: Robert S. Tancer

This month we are honoring the beloved former board chair of Arizona Opera, Robert S. Tancer, who passed away on March 17, 2020. We hope you will enjoy these tributes in his honor from three of his friends in the arts community. From Joseph Specter, president & general director of Arizona Opera: Bob was one […]

April 2020: Ruby Farias

April 2020 Honoree Ruby Farias Chair of the 2020 World of Wonder gala benefiting Childsplay Why do you support Childsplay? Childsplay is a wonderful organization that provides theater to children who may not have the opportunity to see a play. As an artist/designer, I wholeheartedly believe that theater offers an opportunity for imagination and wonderment. […]

March 2020: Jill Krigsten Riley, Mari Lederman, Jennifer Moser and Renee Parsons

March 2020 Honorees Jill Krigsten Riley, Mari Lederman, Jennifer Moser and Renee Parsons Co-chairs of Wish Ball 2020 benefiting Make-A-Wish Arizona Why do you support Make-A-Wish Arizona? JILL: Make-A-Wish Arizona creates life-changing wishes for children dealing with a critical illness. It gives children facing those illnesses something positive to look forward to. When they are […]

February 2020: Tracy and Louis Basile

February 2020 Honorees Tracy and Louis Basile Co-chairs of the 2020 Gala: A Night in Morocco benefiting Child Crisis Arizona Why do you support Child Crisis Arizona? TRACY: At the time we became aware of Child Crisis Arizona and their work, we had our own young kids. It became very apparent to us that our […]

January 2020: Kimberly Guimarin and Heidi Surovetz

January 2020 Honorees Kimberly Guimarin and Heidi Surovetz Co-chairs of Buon Natale benefiting the Junior League of Phoenix Foundation Why do you support the Junior League of Phoenix? KIMBERLY: The Junior League of Phoenix is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective […]