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 CHAIRS | Karrin Taylor Robson & Molly Greene |
| Woman Who Cares | Sara Ward |
| Pope Humanitarian Award | DeeDee & Ken Vecchione |
| Company Who Cares | Village Health Clubs |
| Angel of the Art | Thunderbirds Charities |
| Man of Character | Chris Zaharis |
2023 Applause! Gala
| HONORARY CHAIRS | Kim Cullum and Lindsay Cullum-Colwell |
| Woman Who Cares | Lin Sue Flood |
| Lifetime Achievement | Nancy and Jimmy Walker |
| Pope Humanitarian Award | Christopher Gross |
| Angel of the Art | Active 20/30 Club of Phoenix |
| Man of Character | Jeff Guldner |
2022 Applause! Gala
| HONORARY CHAIRS | Nancy & Ron Eriksson |
| Woman Who Cares | Martha Martin-Henkel |
| Lifetime Achievement | Carole and Arte Moreno/The Moreno Family Foundation |
| Pope Humanitarian Award | Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust |
| Angel of the Art | Robert Meza |
| Man of Character | David Adame |
2021 Applause! Gala (winter)
| HONORARY CHAIRS | Martha & Wally Henkel |
| Angel of the Art | William A. Pope |
| Company Who Cares | Manley Creative |
| Woman Who Cares | Jennifer Moser |
| Pope Humanitarian Award | Ivy & Joe Ciolli |
| Man of Character | Rob Walton |
2021 APPLAUSE! GALA (SPRING)
| HONORARY CHAIRS | Ivy & Joey Ciolli |
| Angel of the Art | Dr. Stacie & Richard Stephenson |
| Pope Humanitarian Award | Maja & John Langbein |
| Lifetime Achievement | Sara O’Meara |
| Lifetime Achievement | Yvonne Federson |
2019 CENTENNIAL GALA
| CHAIR | Nan & C.A. Howlett |
| CHAIR | Sandy & Mac Magruder |
| CHAIR | Maja & John Langbien |
2018 Applause! Gala
| CHAIRS | Vicki Marce & Jill Garcia |
| Pope Humanitarian Award | The Charros Foundation |
| Woman Who Cares | Char Hubble |
| Woman Who Cares | Susie Wesley |
| Man of Character | Reed Glick |
| Angel of the Art | Jennifer Bohnert |
2017 APPLAUSE! GALA
| CHAIRS | Deanna Clarkson-Smith & Michelle Robson |
| Lifetime Achievement | Dr. Oliver & Sharon Harper |
| Man of Character | Dr. P. David Adelson |
| Woman Who Cares | Nan Howlett |
| Angel of the Art | Jill & George Garcia |
| Pope Humanitarian Award | Billie Jo & Judd Herberger |
2016 Applause! Gala
| CHAIRS | Susie Wesley & Jean Marley |
| Lifetime Achievement | Pat McMahon |
| Man of Character | Hon. Neil Guiliano |
| Woman Who Cares | Lynne Love |
| Woman Who Cares | Karrin Kunasek Taylor |
| Angel of the Art | Janet & Larry Read |
| Pope Humanitarian Award | Carolyn & Craig Jackson |
2015 APPLAUSE! GALA
| CHAIRS | Susie Wesley & Jean Marley |
| Lifetime Achievement | Dr. Gladys McGarey |
| Man of Character | Bobby Barnes |
| Man of Character | Michael Pollack |
| Woman Who Cares | Cheryl Hintzen-Gaines |
| Woman Who Cares | Carrie Martz |
| Angel of the Art | Vicki Marce |
| Pope Humanitarian Award | Erika Monroe-Williams & Matt Williams |
2014 Applause! Gala
| CHAIRS | Jennifer Carmer, Char Hubble, Lynne Love |
| Lifetime Achievement | Senator Jon Kyl |
| Man of Character | Joel Barthelemy |
| Man of Character | Joel G. Cohen, M.D. |
| Woman Who Cares | Nancy Hanley |
| Woman Who Cares | Trish McCarty |
| Angel of the Art | Todd Peterson |
| Angel of the Art | Judith Hardes |
2013 rEVEAL! Gala
| CHAIRS | Bobby Barnes & Jennifer Bohnert |
| Man of Character | Michael Nicholas |
| Woman Who Cares | Barbara Barrett |
| Woman Who Cares | Michelle King Robson |
| Angel of the Art | Melissa Leonesio |
| Lifetime Achievement | Nancy & Robert Spetzler |
2013 Applause! Gala
| CHAIRS (Follies Event) | Christi Warner-Beyer |
| Man of Character | Robert Black |
| Man of Character | Dave Howell |
| Woman Who Cares | Jane Christensen |
| Woman Who Cares | Sandy Magruder |
| Organization | SRP |
| Angel of the Art | Dr. Sue Sisley |
| Lifetime Achievement | Dr. Edward Diethrich |
2011 APPLAUSE! GALA
| CHAIRS (Follies Event) | Sarah Suggs |
| Man of Character | Ira Gaines |
| Man of Character | Ed Gaylord |
| Woman Who Cares | Betsey Bayless |
| Woman Who Cares | Libby Cohen |
| Organization | BlueCross BlueShield of AZ |
| Angel of the Art | Bob Machiz |
| Lifetime Achievement | Herman Chanen |
2010 NIGHT OF ILLUMINATION
| Man of Character | Tom Simplot |
| Man of Character | Stephen Zabilski |
| Man of Character | Angiolo Livi |
| Woman Who Cares | Pam Overton |
| Woman Who Cares | Melani Walton |
| Woman Who Cares | Sharon Ulrich |
| Organization | DMB |
| Angel of the Art | Linda Pope |
| Lifetime Achievement | Betty McRae |
2009 live event/women who care
| CHAIRS (Follies Event) | Nancy Silver |
| Man of Character | Michael Crow |
| Man of Character | Frank Leonesio |
| Live Event/Women Who Care | Christi Warner Beyer |
| Live Event/Women Who Care | Denise Resnick |
| Live Event/Organization | Wells Fargo |
| Live Event/Angel | Dick Warren |
| Live Event/Lifetime | Herberger Family |
| Woman Who Cares | Patsy Livi |
| Woman Who Cares | Kari Yatkowski |
| Woman Who Cares | Rusty Foley |
| Woman Who Cares | Chevy Humphrey |
| Woman Who Cares | American Express |
| Woman Who Cares | Darlene Keller Price |
| Woman Who Cares | Jacquie Dorrance |
2008 FOLLIES/WOMEN WHO CARE
| Man of Character | James Hebels |
| Man of Character | Pete Bolton |
| Woman Who Cares | Ginger Ward |
| Woman Who Cares | Debbie Moak |
| Woman Who Cares | Jamie Lendrum |
| Woman Who Cares | Lisa Molina |
| Organization | St. Joes/CHW |
| Angel of the Art | Jamie Hormel |
| Lifetime Achievement | Carolyn Warner |
2007 FOLLIES/WOMEN WHO CARE
| Man of Character | Ben Campbell |
| Man of Character | Mark J. Hiegel |
| Man of Character | Craig Jackson |
| Woman Who Cares | Laurie Florkiewicz |
| Woman Who Cares | Sue Glawe |
| Woman Who Cares | Penny Gunning |
| Woman Who Cares | JoAnn Yeoman Tongret |
| Organization | Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro PHX |
| Angel of the Art | Carole Machiz |
| Lifetime Achievement | Pat Goldman |
2006 follies/women who care
| Man of Character | Alice Cooper |
| Man of Character | Stan Levine |
| Man of Character | Doug Parker |
| Woman Who Cares | Nadine Basha |
| Woman Who Cares | Priscilla Nicholas |
| Woman Who Cares | Colleen Jennings-Roggensack |
| Organization | Girl Scouts – Arizona Cactus-Pine Council |
| Lifetime Achievement | Ann Graham |
2005 FOLLIES/WOMEN WHO CARE
| CHAIRS (Follies Event) | Patsi Livi & Linda Pope |
| Man of Character | Ken Kendrick |
| Man of Character | Robert Machiz |
| Man of Character | Ed Robson |
| Woman Who Cares | Governor Janet Napolitano |
| Woman Who Cares | Leah Hoffman-Langerman |
| Woman Who Cares | Kathleen Lang |
| Organization | Watson Wyatt & Company |
| Lifetime Achievement | Patsy J Kelly |
2004 FOLLIES/WOMEN WHO CARE
| CHAIRS (Follies Event) | Melissa Leonesio |
| Man of Character | Mac McGruder |
| Man of Character | Al Molina |
| Man of Character | Herman Channen |
| Woman Who Cares | Susie Alofs |
| Woman Who Cares | Carole Moreno |
| Woman Who Cares | Frances Cohen |
| Organization | Mervyn’s |
| Lifetime Achievement | Jean Rehfield |
2003 KINGS OF ARTS/WOMEN WHO CARE
| CHAIRS (Kings of Arts Event) | Cay Cowie & Darlene Keller Price |
| Man of Character | Gerrit Van-Huisstede |
| Man of Character | Bill Pope |
| Man of Character | Todd Peterson |
| Woman Who Cares | Betty McRae |
| Woman Who Cares | Pat Petznick |
| Woman Who Cares | Beverly Stewart |
| Woman Who Cares | Shelley Cohn |
| Organization | The 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 Character | Don Henninger |
| Man of Character | John Bircumshaw |
| Man of Character | Jimmy Walker |
| Man of Character | Scott Gauthier |
| Woman Who Cares | Jill Alanko |
| Woman Who Cares | Cynthia Hazeltine |
| Organization | The Phoenix Theatre Guild |
2001 RECIPE FOR SUCCESS/WOMEN WHO CARE
| CHAIRS (Recipe For Success Event) | Cay Cowie & Darlene Keller Price |
| Man of Character | Mark Tarbell |
| Man of Character | Eddie Matney |
| Woman Who Cares | Betty Fairfax |
| Woman Who Cares | Naomi Gauthier |
| Woman Who Cares | Melissa Leonesio |
| Organization | The Junior League of Phoenix |
| Lifetime Achievement | Kax Herberger |
2000 GALA/WOMEN WHO CARE
| Man of Character | David Areghini |
| Man of Character | CA Howlett |
| Community Leader | Robin Sewell |
| Woman Who Cares | Jan Bohannon |
| Woman Who Cares | Jana Boomersbach |
| Woman Who Cares | Sam Campana |
| Woman Who Cares | Cay Cowie |
| Woman Who Cares | Jo Ellen Lynn |
| Woman Who Cares | Linda Pope |
| Lifetime Achievement | Dale Wasserman |
1999 GALA/WOMEN WHO CARE
| Man of Character | Bob Lavinia |
| Man of Character | Gary Trujillo |
| Woman Who Cares | Dr. Elizabeth Briere |
| Woman Who Cares | Jordan Rich Rose |
| Woman Who Cares | Carrie Schnepf |
| Woman Who Cares | Mary Rose Wilcox |
1998 GALA/WOMEN WHO CARE
| Man of Character | Gene D’Adamo |
| Man of Character | Phil Gordan |
| Woman Who Cares | Denise Resnik |
| Woman Who Cares | Sylvia Laughlin |
