Past Gala Honorees

This page details all of the remarkable people we’ve honored in Galas past

2025 APPLAUSE! GALA

Sally Pope – HONORARY CHAIR

Michael Kruke – Visionary

Catherine Tuton – Woman Who Cares

Fred & Jami Pryor – Lifetime Achievement

Jan & Tom Lewis – Humanitarian Award

Jeff & Nancy Werner – Angels of the Art

Jay Franke & David Herro – Men of Character

2024 Applause! Gala

HONORARY CHAIRSKarrin Taylor Robson & Molly Greene
Woman Who CaresSara Ward
Pope Humanitarian AwardDeeDee & Ken Vecchione
Company Who CaresVillage Health Clubs
Angel of the ArtThunderbirds Charities
Man of CharacterChris Zaharis

2023 Applause! Gala

HONORARY CHAIRSKim Cullum and Lindsay Cullum-Colwell
Woman Who CaresLin Sue Flood
Lifetime Achievement Nancy and Jimmy Walker
Pope Humanitarian AwardChristopher Gross
Angel of the ArtActive 20/30 Club of Phoenix
Man of CharacterJeff Guldner

2022 Applause! Gala

HONORARY CHAIRSNancy & Ron Eriksson
Woman Who CaresMartha Martin-Henkel
Lifetime Achievement Carole and Arte Moreno/The Moreno Family Foundation
Pope Humanitarian AwardVirginia G. Piper Charitable Trust
Angel of the ArtRobert Meza
Man of CharacterDavid Adame

2021 Applause! Gala (winter)

HONORARY CHAIRSMartha & Wally Henkel
Angel of the ArtWilliam A. Pope
Company Who CaresManley Creative
Woman Who CaresJennifer Moser
Pope Humanitarian AwardIvy & Joe Ciolli
Man of CharacterRob Walton

2021 APPLAUSE! GALA (SPRING)

HONORARY CHAIRSIvy & Joey Ciolli
Angel of the ArtDr. Stacie & Richard Stephenson
Pope Humanitarian AwardMaja & John Langbein
Lifetime Achievement Sara O’Meara
Lifetime Achievement Yvonne Federson

2019 CENTENNIAL GALA

CHAIRNan & C.A. Howlett
CHAIRSandy & Mac Magruder
CHAIRMaja & John Langbien

2018 Applause! Gala

CHAIRSVicki Marce & Jill Garcia
Pope Humanitarian AwardThe Charros Foundation
Woman Who CaresChar Hubble
Woman Who CaresSusie Wesley
Man of CharacterReed Glick
Angel of the ArtJennifer Bohnert

2017 APPLAUSE! GALA

CHAIRSDeanna Clarkson-Smith & Michelle Robson
Lifetime Achievement Dr. Oliver & Sharon Harper
Man of CharacterDr. P. David Adelson
Woman Who CaresNan Howlett
Angel of the ArtJill & George Garcia
Pope Humanitarian AwardBillie Jo & Judd Herberger

2016 Applause! Gala

CHAIRSSusie Wesley & Jean Marley
Lifetime Achievement Pat McMahon
Man of CharacterHon. Neil Guiliano
Woman Who CaresLynne Love
Woman Who CaresKarrin Kunasek Taylor
Angel of the ArtJanet & Larry Read
Pope Humanitarian AwardCarolyn & Craig Jackson

 

2015 APPLAUSE! GALA

CHAIRSSusie Wesley & Jean Marley
Lifetime Achievement Dr. Gladys McGarey
Man of CharacterBobby Barnes
Man of CharacterMichael Pollack
Woman Who CaresCheryl Hintzen-Gaines
Woman Who CaresCarrie Martz
Angel of the ArtVicki Marce
Pope Humanitarian AwardErika Monroe-Williams & Matt Williams

2014 Applause! Gala

CHAIRSJennifer Carmer, Char Hubble, Lynne Love
Lifetime Achievement Senator Jon Kyl 
Man of CharacterJoel Barthelemy
Man of CharacterJoel G. Cohen, M.D.
Woman Who CaresNancy Hanley
Woman Who CaresTrish McCarty
Angel of the ArtTodd Peterson
Angel of the ArtJudith Hardes

2013 rEVEAL! Gala

CHAIRSBobby Barnes & Jennifer Bohnert
Man of CharacterMichael Nicholas
Woman Who CaresBarbara Barrett
Woman Who CaresMichelle King Robson
Angel of the ArtMelissa Leonesio
Lifetime Achievement Nancy & Robert Spetzler

2013 Applause! Gala

CHAIRS (Follies Event)Christi Warner-Beyer
Man of CharacterRobert Black
Man of CharacterDave Howell
Woman Who CaresJane Christensen
Woman Who CaresSandy Magruder
OrganizationSRP
Angel of the ArtDr. Sue Sisley
Lifetime Achievement Dr. Edward Diethrich

2011 APPLAUSE! GALA

CHAIRS (Follies Event)Sarah Suggs
Man of CharacterIra Gaines
Man of CharacterEd Gaylord
Woman Who CaresBetsey Bayless
Woman Who CaresLibby Cohen
OrganizationBlueCross BlueShield of AZ
Angel of the ArtBob Machiz
Lifetime Achievement Herman Chanen 

2010 NIGHT OF ILLUMINATION

Man of CharacterTom Simplot
Man of CharacterStephen Zabilski
Man of CharacterAngiolo Livi
Woman Who CaresPam Overton
Woman Who CaresMelani Walton
Woman Who CaresSharon Ulrich
OrganizationDMB
Angel of the ArtLinda Pope
Lifetime Achievement Betty McRae

2009 live event/women who care

CHAIRS (Follies Event)Nancy Silver
Man of CharacterMichael Crow
Man of CharacterFrank Leonesio
Live Event/Women Who CareChristi Warner Beyer
Live Event/Women Who CareDenise Resnick
Live Event/OrganizationWells Fargo
Live Event/AngelDick Warren
Live Event/LifetimeHerberger Family 
Woman Who CaresPatsy Livi
Woman Who CaresKari Yatkowski
Woman Who CaresRusty Foley
Woman Who CaresChevy Humphrey
Woman Who CaresAmerican Express
Woman Who CaresDarlene Keller Price
Woman Who CaresJacquie Dorrance

2008 FOLLIES/WOMEN WHO CARE

Man of CharacterJames Hebels
Man of CharacterPete Bolton
Woman Who CaresGinger Ward
Woman Who CaresDebbie Moak
Woman Who CaresJamie Lendrum
Woman Who CaresLisa Molina
OrganizationSt. Joes/CHW
Angel of the ArtJamie Hormel
Lifetime Achievement Carolyn Warner 

2007 FOLLIES/WOMEN WHO CARE

Man of CharacterBen Campbell
Man of CharacterMark J. Hiegel
Man of CharacterCraig Jackson
Woman Who CaresLaurie Florkiewicz
Woman Who CaresSue Glawe
Woman Who CaresPenny Gunning 
Woman Who CaresJoAnn Yeoman Tongret
OrganizationBoys and Girls Clubs of Metro PHX
Angel of the ArtCarole Machiz 
Lifetime Achievement Pat Goldman 

2006 follies/women who care

Man of CharacterAlice Cooper
Man of CharacterStan Levine
Man of CharacterDoug Parker
Woman Who CaresNadine Basha
Woman Who CaresPriscilla Nicholas
Woman Who CaresColleen Jennings-Roggensack
OrganizationGirl Scouts – Arizona Cactus-Pine Council
Lifetime Achievement Ann Graham 

2005 FOLLIES/WOMEN WHO CARE

CHAIRS (Follies Event)Patsi Livi & Linda Pope
Man of CharacterKen Kendrick
Man of CharacterRobert Machiz
Man of CharacterEd Robson
Woman Who CaresGovernor Janet Napolitano
Woman Who CaresLeah Hoffman-Langerman
Woman Who CaresKathleen Lang
OrganizationWatson Wyatt & Company
Lifetime Achievement Patsy J Kelly 

2004 FOLLIES/WOMEN WHO CARE

CHAIRS (Follies Event)Melissa Leonesio
Man of CharacterMac McGruder
Man of CharacterAl Molina
Man of CharacterHerman Channen
Woman Who CaresSusie Alofs
Woman Who CaresCarole Moreno
Woman Who CaresFrances Cohen
OrganizationMervyn’s
Lifetime Achievement Jean Rehfield

2003 KINGS OF ARTS/WOMEN WHO CARE

CHAIRS (Kings of Arts Event)Cay Cowie & Darlene Keller Price
Man of CharacterGerrit Van-Huisstede
Man of CharacterBill Pope
Man of CharacterTodd Peterson
Woman Who CaresBetty McRae
Woman Who CaresPat Petznick
Woman Who CaresBeverly Stewart
Woman Who CaresShelley Cohn
OrganizationThe Dairy Council of Arizona
Lifetime Achievement Eleanor Hofmann
Lifetime Achievement Carolyn Pain

2002 king of arts/women who care

CHAIRS (Kings of Arts Event)Cay Cowie & Darlene Keller Price
Man of CharacterDon Henninger
Man of CharacterJohn Bircumshaw
Man of CharacterJimmy Walker
Man of CharacterScott Gauthier
Woman Who CaresJill Alanko
Woman Who CaresCynthia Hazeltine
OrganizationThe Phoenix Theatre Guild

2001 RECIPE FOR SUCCESS/WOMEN WHO CARE

CHAIRS (Recipe For Success Event)Cay Cowie & Darlene Keller Price
Man of CharacterMark Tarbell
Man of CharacterEddie Matney
Woman Who CaresBetty Fairfax
Woman Who CaresNaomi Gauthier
Woman Who CaresMelissa Leonesio
OrganizationThe Junior League of Phoenix
Lifetime Achievement Kax Herberger 

2000 GALA/WOMEN WHO CARE

Man of CharacterDavid Areghini
Man of CharacterCA Howlett
Community LeaderRobin Sewell
Woman Who CaresJan Bohannon
Woman Who CaresJana Boomersbach
Woman Who CaresSam Campana
Woman Who CaresCay Cowie
Woman Who CaresJo Ellen Lynn
Woman Who CaresLinda Pope
Lifetime Achievement Dale Wasserman

1999 GALA/WOMEN WHO CARE

Man of CharacterBob Lavinia
Man of CharacterGary Trujillo
Woman Who CaresDr. Elizabeth Briere
Woman Who CaresJordan Rich Rose
Woman Who CaresCarrie Schnepf
Woman Who CaresMary Rose Wilcox

1998 GALA/WOMEN WHO CARE

Man of CharacterGene D’Adamo
Man of CharacterPhil Gordan
Woman Who CaresDenise Resnik
Woman Who CaresSylvia Laughlin