60 Years of Jubilation: Washington Performing Arts Gala Raises $680K
By • March 24, 2026 0 306
The evening included a silent auction, cocktails and dinner by Well Dunn, as well as performances from the Children of the Gospel Choir and host and featured performer Ari Shapiro, who was presented by Washington Performing Arts in 2024 with longtime collaborators Pink Martini. Daughter of WPA founder Patrick Hayes, Elisabeth Hayes, was Honorary Chair.
The night culminated in a Decades Dance Party celebrating 60 years of music, memories, and community. The gala raised over $680,000.
See more photos from the event below. Photos by Kalorama Photography.
-
- Michele Fowlin, Artistic Director of Washington Performing Arts’s Children of the Gospel
-
- Tina Co Mather and Ari Shapiro
-
- Tamia Johnson
-
- Scott Rosenbloom and Kristen Yealy
-
- Jenny Bilfield, president and CEO of Washington Performing Arts
-
- Phil Mendelson, Aaron Myers Executive Director, Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Ana Harvey CEO Dupont Underground and Former Board Chair Reginald Van Lee
-
- Women’s Committee members and Brian L. Mack
-
- Chair Rudy Burwell, Former Chair Tom Gallagher, CEO and President Jenny Bilfield, board member Trista Colbert and President Emeritus Doug Wheeler
-
- Tina Co Mather, Sandy Wilkes, Sunny Alsup, Helen Wilkes
-
- Embassy of Italy’s Counselor Michela Carboniera and Francesca Vanoli, education director for the Embassy of Italy
-
- CEO and President of Mars Inc Poul Weihrauch; his wife Dorte Hoag; Nici Bush, Board Member and Mars VP of Innovation, Science and Technology, her husband Dr. Toby Bush; Peter Seka, general counsel at Mars Inc, and wife Jennifer Seka; Lara McCauley, Global Vice President Strategic Business Communications, Mars Inc, and husband Sergio Oehniger, Partner at Morgan, Lewis, and Bockius; Andrew Enschendé, Parter at Potomoc Law Group; Stefanie Straub, VP General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Mars Inc.
-
- Mona Mohib and Board Chair Rudy Burwell
-
- Dr. Joseph May and Gala Host Committee Mr. Brian Pesin
-
- Mekhi McClain, member of Washington Performing Arts’s Children of the Gospel
