w e l c o m e F ROM THE CO - CHAIRS
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t has been our honor to serve as co-chairs of the Steve Chase gala for the last seven years. During that time, we’ve had the pleasure of giving proper accolades to: Local community leaders… Bill Jones, Harriet Goldberg, Steve Kaufer & Scott Van Dyke, Mary Cone, Patrick Jordan, Tammy Fox, Father Andrew Green, Karolee Sowle, Julian diCiurcio, Annette Bloch, David Kaplan & Glenn Ostergaard, Terri Ketover, Dave Morgan, and Helene Galen. Those who labor in research labs and medical facilities or advocates for a greater voice or increased funding … HIV research legends Dr. Anthony Fauci, Prof. Luc Montagnier, and Dr. Michael Gottlieb, the CAEAR Coalition for years of lobbying Congress, and HIV activists Hydeia Broadbent and Jake Glaser. Those who use their celebrity from stage or screen to speak out… Barry Manilow, Kristin Chenoweth, Bebe Neuwirth, Ann-Margret, Bob Mackie, Pauley Perrette, Dionne Warwick, Matt Bomer, Peter Gallagher, Mario Lopez, Lorna Luft, and filmmakers Sarah Pillsbury and Midge Sanford, Ron Nyswaner and Ed Saxon, David France and Joy Tomchin, and Don Roos.
As members of the board of directors for Desert AIDS Project, we are pleased to see the progress that people like these have made possible in this fourth decade of the AIDS epidemic. Even though HIV continues to be a major health concern both worldwide and right here in our community, there have been great strides made. With proper care and medications, people can now live with HIV as a chronic condition, possibly keeping full-blown AIDS at bay for their entire lives. We are so proud of the Get Tested Coachella Valley campaign that D.A.P. has launched and continues to steer with the help of 50+ community partners. With your help, we feel the end of HIV really IS in sight within the next few years. That’s why we invite you tonight to Imagine … … a world without HIV. … an AIDS-free generation. … helping to create it. With deep gratitude for your continued support,
Barbara Keller Gala Co-Chair Board Chair, Desert AIDS Project
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Jim Casey Gala Co-Chair Board Member, Desert AIDS Project
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we l c o m e F ROM THE CEO
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watched a video recently that invited me to imagine 50,000 people. Then, it showed me that number was enough to fill a baseball stadium … 125 jumbo jets … 500 Ferris wheels … a dance floor the size of a square block in New York City. Fifty thousand people holding hands would stretch for 47 miles.
It’s also the number of people who contracted HIV last year. In fact 50,000 people have contracted HIV every year since 2003. The good news is … that each and every one of you is already holding D.A.P.’s hand tonight in our fight against HIV and its progression to AIDS. Your purchase of a ticket, a table, or a sponsorship at this gala is invaluable to our clinics and our social service programs. Your support is providing medical care. It’s housing and feeding people. It’s helping us help those who are able to go back to school or back to work, even after many “long time survivors” were told that their diagnosis was a death sentence. You and the 50+ community partners of Get Tested Coachella Valley are also holding our hand by helping us tell others that testing is prevention … and that knowledge really is power. Because even if someone tests HIV-positive, they can still live a longer, stronger life. They can become 96% less likely to pass the virus to others by being on the right HIV medications. And, anyone testing HIV-negative needs to learn how they can stay that way. A special thanks to our co-chairs, Barbara Keller and Jim Casey, who join hands with D.A.P. every day. They have not only brought together this fabulous gala for the seventh consecutive year but also help to guide Desert AIDS Project every day as two invaluable members of our incredible board of directors. As we work toward that day when there is a vaccine against HIV or a cure for AIDS, thanks for holding our hands and helping Desert AIDS Project bring about brighter tomorrows for our clients while helping prevent the further spread of HIV. Until there’s a cure …and beyond
David Brinkman, MBA CEO, Desert AIDS Project
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w e l c o m e F ROM SENATOR d i a n n e f e i n s t e i n
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we l c o m e F ROM SENATOR B AR B ARA B O X ER
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w e l c o m e F ROM CONGRESSMAN RAUL RUI Z M . D .
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we l c o m e F ROM ASSEM B L Y MEM B ER EDUARDO GARCIA
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w e l c o m e F ROM SU P ERVISOR J OHN J . B ENOIT
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we l c o m e F ROM MA Y OR s t e p h e n p . p o u g n e t
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GALA
COMMITTEE
Until we can say “AIDS is over,” the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards Gala Committee will continue to bring you the most fabulous evening they can so that those we serve can live longer, stronger lives. 2015 GALA COMMITTEE
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Jim Casey, Gala Co-Chair Barbara Keller, Gala Co-Chair Terri Ketover, PhD, Gala After-Party Chair David Brinkman, Chief Executive Officer Annette Bloch Carolyn Caldwell Barbara Fromm Gary D. Hall Patrick Jordan Larry Luckinbill Tim Parrott David Perez Tim Perez David Zippel
John Paul (JP) Allen Fundraising Events Manager
Hudson Alling Volunteers Services Associate
Tamara Bolton, Sensorium Event Productions Gala After-Party Production
Stephen Boyd Design Gala Program
Kelley Coe Fundraising Events Associate
Karyn Cooks, Flair Media “Imagine” Campaign
Barry Dayton Director of Marketing and Communications
Trini Garza and Brandon Alameda
D.A.P. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Barbara Keller, Chair Steve Kaufer, Co-Vice Chair Hon. Steve Lachs, Co-Vice Chair Fred Drewette, Treasurer Tammy Fox, Secretary Kevin Bass Ted Briggs Carolyn Caldwell Jim Casey Patrick Jordan Robert Karl, Jr., DDS Terri Ketover, PhD David Perez Bruce Purdy Greg Rodriguez Sheila Williams, JD 16
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Frank Goldstin, MOMENTOUS Events Gala Production
Christiane Joubert, Jones Agency Program Ad Sales
Brett Klein Events and Retail Marketing Manager
David A. Lee and Daniel Vaillancourt Script Writers
Mark Duebner Design Branding and Graphic Design
Alexis Ortega Social Media Marketing
Darrell L. Tucci Chief Development Officer
Ron Willison Major Gifts Manager s te v e
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DESERT
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hanks to those of you in this audience tonight – and so many other donors, volunteers, and
supporters — Desert AIDS Project marked a lot of milestones over the last 12 months. Here are just a few of the highlights:
• January – President Bill Clinton visited D.A.P. and praised our Get Tested Coachella Valley campaign as a model of public-private partnership for ending AIDS through HIV testing, education, and prevention.
• February – The Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards celebrated its 20th year as the signature, annual fundraiser to help us provide quality client services. Kudos to our wonderful co-chairs Barbara Keller and Jim Casey for seven consecutive years of leadership and to Integrated Wealth Management for pledging $1.5 million as presenting sponsor during those years.
• March -- We dedicated a beautiful bench in our Harold Matzner Serenity Garden to the spirit of Larry Gibson, a volunteer and client, who was always ready to help in this ongoing fight to conquer AIDS. The bench’s plaque captured his spirit: “Larry Gibson. HIV activist. Writer. Role model.”
• April – Senator Barbara Boxer visited our campus to recognize the 25 years of funding we’ve received from the federal Community Development Block Grant program, locally administered by the City of Palm Springs.
• May – Get Tested Coachella Valley drew praise from the CDC and the State Office of AIDS for first-ever HIV testing at two huge LGBT events, the White Party and Blatino Oasis.
• June – Our Annette Bloch Cancer Care Center, along with Desert Regional Medical Center, screened 115 people for oral, head, and neck cancer, free-of-charge at our second annual clinic. The generous million-dollar gift from Annette Bloch three years ago at this gala allows us to treat all kinds of cancer among our clients.
• July – We mourned the passing of AIDS researchers and activists, among the 298 fatalities in the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, bound for the International AIDS Conference in Australia. On a happier note, D.A.P. brought the Dining Out For Life International Conference to our fair city, which included a panel discussion with local restaurateurs Jerry Keller, Tony Marchese, Mindy Reed, and Daniela Saenz.
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• August – On the very day Desert AIDS Project celebrated its 30th year of incorporation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit – August 22 – we learned that, for the second consecutive year, D.A.P. was recognized as a Top 20 HIV/AIDS Charity. This is the second year that About.com, the Internet’s largest source for expert content, helping 85 million users each month, has assembled the list and D.A.P. has been on it for both years. We are humbled to be in the company of national and international HIV/AIDS charitable organizations like the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the American Foundation for AIDS Research – amfAR, which was co-founded by tonight’s Science and Medicine Award honoree, Dr. Michael Gottlieb.
• September – Our Cathedral City Revivals store debuted its newly-beautified 17,000 square feet … and the public has responded with increasing sales. Our chain of four stores, manned almost completely by volunteers, contributes significantly to D.A.P.’s diversified revenue streams, often winning reader polls and other accolades from local publications like The Desert Sun and CV Independent.
• October – Our 27th Desert AIDS Walk ramped up the community spirit by again sharing funds raised with other local partners including AIDS Assistance Program, the LGBT Community Center of the Desert, the Mizell Senior Center, and others. An estimated 2,500 Walkers were essential in eclipsing our already-aggressive goal of $295,000 by raising more than $332,000!
• November – Although successful from its launch in April, our Career Building Program took off in a big way this month as 17 clients found jobs and five more landed volunteer opportunities after completing our curriculum. We’re aiming to combat depression, stress, isolation, and poverty by restoring self-confidence and identity through work and/or returning to school.
• December – Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator, awarded “four star status” to Desert AIDS Project for the fourth consecutive year – an achievement reached by only 7% of all nonprofits they rank. We began World AIDS Day, on December 1, by partnering with the Riverside County Department of Public Health and Mental Health to host the Pathways to Health and Well-Being HIV Conference here at the Convention Center. That evening, we hosted our inaugural Everyday Heroes event honoring LindaSue Rosefsky, Kandy Lee, Mark Jones and Brian Vatcher, and Sean Strub. All of them, truly, “ordinary people doing extraordinary things!”
None of these accomplishments would be possible without the contributions of work, wisdom, and wealth that our volunteers, donors, and supporters give to our clients. Thank you for yet another year of bringing us closer to an AIDS-free generation!
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GALA
S P ONSORS PRESENTING SPONSOR
PINNACLE SPONSOR
PRODUCING SPONSORS
HAROLD MATZNER
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S P ONSORS
Wells Fargo
Bruce Purdy & Barrett Shepard Renaissance Hotel Savoury’s Catering Time Warner Cable UC Riverside
PRODUCING SPONSORS
BENEFACTOR SPONSORS
PRESENTING SPONSOR
Integrated Wealth Management
PINNACLE SPONSOR
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians AIDS Assistance Program Avista Beem Foundation City of Palm Springs The Five Hundred Gary Gaiser & Rick Mantle Frank Kurland Lab Corp Morongo Band of Mission Indians Peter M. Scheer, DDS, MS Smirnoff, Diageo Sysco Union Bank
Eisenhower Medical Center Harold Matzner Walgreens
AFTER-PARTY SPONSOR One America Insurance
AWARD/MAJOR SPONSORS Annette Bloch Desert Regional Medical Center Helene Galen Steve Tobin
STAR SPONSORS
Elgart Aster & Paul Swerdlove Hard Rock Hotel Donna MacMillan Reaction Productions
SUPPORTING SPONSORS
PATRON SPONSORS
Steven Anders/Wade Endowment Fund Bank of America Desert Sun Fine Art Fair Helppie Foundation Here TV HIV Equal/World Health Clinicians ITEX in the Desert Empire & Temecula Valley Heather James Fine Art Kaiser Permanente Barbara & Jerry Keller Terri & Bart Ketover Dorothy & Mel Lefkowitz Walter Leiss Bob Mackie Macy’s MOMENTOUS Events
Supervisor John Benoit Robert Bradshaw & Angelo Roy Colin Fisher Studios John Conboy Barbara & Don Krasne Cookie Miller Ken Sealy Mark Seymour/Hunter’s Signs by Tomorrow Purshe Kaplan Sterling
MEDIA SPONSORS The Advocate CV Independent Gay Desert Guide Jones Agency Live Magazine Palm Springs Life The Standard
THANK YOU TO OUR 2015 GALA SPONSORS 2015
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ONE
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WOMEN
Shari Applebaum
Carol-Anne Graff-Radford
Valerie Powers Smith
Sherrie Auen
Stephanie Greene
Patricia Prentice
Leisa Austin
Janet Grove
Suzanne Quardt
Leslie Barclay
Lynn Hammond
Shellie Reade
Nancy Bleiweiss-Nevil
Elizabeth Harris
Madeline Redstone
Annette Bloch
Victoria Hill
Mindy Reed
Barbara Boxer
Heidi Homme
Denise Roberge
Sera Brill
Leslie Jaffe
Karynsue Rose-Thomas
Patricia Bryan
Judy Jensen
Susan Rosser
Mary Jane Butorac
Suzy Katz
Jackie Rudman
Carolyn Caldwell
Barbara Keller
Sheri Saenz
Naomi Caspe
Shubha Kerkar
Michele Sarna
Joanne Chunowitz
Terri Ketover
Phyllis Schahet
Diane Cohen
Kirsten Kief
Barbara Schlager
Mary Cone
Sally Kirshner
Gloria Scoby
Roberta Conroy
Sue Knollenberg
Erin Scott
Peggy Cravens
Susan Konheim
Lori Serfling
Traci Crosbie
Paula Kozlen
Carolyn Shagrin
Christie Crother
Marjorie Kulp
Ann Sheffer
Kim Daniels
Rosanne Kumins
Shawn Shepherd
Rene Dell’Acqua
Dorothy Lefkowitz
Nancy Sinatra
Susan Diamond
Carol Luber
Amanda Smith
Jaci Fitzsimonds
Donna MacMillan
Iris Smotrich
Georgia Fogelson
Yvonne Maloney
Lynne Toles
Tammy Fox
Reesa Manning
Felicia Tomasko
Carol Fragen
Cheryl Markovitz
Susan Unger
Barbara Fromm
Eileen Mason
Pat Walthers
Helene Galen
Cheryl McArthur
Julie Warren
Angie Gerber
Cookie Miller
Gayle Whittemore
Denise Giram
Linda Noddle
Sheila Williams
Alexandra Glickman
Kristin Olson
Barbara Zacky
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P ARTNERS GOLD Ted Briggs and Ted Jarvis James Casey Hugh E. Donaldson Norman Halliday and Douglas Jones Geoffrey Kors and James Williamson David Morgan Steven Tobin STERLING Curtis Barber and Tim Carlson Mark Hamilton and John Renner Tim Jochen, M.D. and Lee Erwin David Kaplan and Glenn Ostergaard Steve Lachs and Michael Ruvo Walter Leiss Andrew Z. Linsky Yvonne and Bill McCallum Perry S. McKay Curtis W. Ringness and Barry E. Ralph Robert M. Seale and Ron McManigal Louis Smith and Kyle Mudd Dr. Ronald W. Steigerwalt and Michael Carson
SILVER Dimitri Bakakos Kevin Bass and Brent Bloesser David Brinkman and William Grimm, M.D. Marlin Connole and Ron Rishky David De Muro and Chris Longobucco Bill DeHart and David Kamimoto Larry Espinosa Gilbert Benson Fenn Randall George and Charles Collins Prescott F. Griffith Steven Henke and Greg Probst Patrick Jordan and Donald Stanton Steve Kaufer Gene Leone and Art Williams Mark Loeffler Mark Maslack, M.D. and Tony Mason Joe McCormack John Mesicek Mike Muttart and Nick Tsepelis Marshall Pearcy and Douglas Woodmansee David Perez and James Reed Bruce Purdy and Barrett Shepard Willie Rhine and Albert Gonzalez Brian Rix David Rosenauer and Rex Walker Elliott Sernel and Larry Falconio Daniel L. Warn and Ricardo Aguilar William C. Wheeler Jules Young and Matthew Russell 2015
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B RON Z E John Paul (JP) Allen and Paul Granados Rich Alther and Ray Repp Allan Ames and Cary Lowe Jeffrey Bach and Chris Campbell Taylor Baird and Roger Allen Carl Baker Walter Baumhoff and John Macon Scott Beloved Robert A. Berey and Robert H. Geisler Tracy Boomer and Robert Downing Ronn Burns and Louis Falszarano Rob Burrington and Julian diCiurcio Geoffrey-Martin Cyr David Dancer and Jose Dias Barry Dayton Doug Donenfeld Phillip L. Doolittle Mark Duebner and Keith Cornell Michael Eicksteadt Edwin W. Ellis David R. Feltman John Fleming Edward Flottemesch Trini Garza Frank Goldstin Bob Hayes and James Burba Michael H. Hayes Chris Heritage Esq. Dave Hersh and Carl Trimpeg Michael C. Hilgenberg and Heath Hilgenberg Victoria and John Hill Peter M. Hirsch and Michael Bakish Erik Hjemvik Timothy Hohmeier and Chuck Diodosio Robert Kincaid and Rick Hutcheson Allison Jones and Marc Byrd Mark Jones Thomas P. Judge and Lawrence J. Ausburn Robert J. Karl and Nohe Cruz Keith R. Kincaid and Christopher K. Harms Karl Heinz Kling and Richard McArdle Paul Kowal Brandt Kuhn J. Brad Lampley and Rigo Lomeli John Lazarchic Chuck Leachman and Mickey Feigelson Gerald A. Levin and William R. Huff Eugene R. Leyval and Daniel R. Varela Dave Locke and Keith Markovitz Randy Lowe Dennis Lynch Bob T. Machado and Michael Crick John J. Mahoney and Michael Chedester Jim B. Mallory Steve and Yvonne Maloney
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LI F E
Raymond Manci and Kevin Tabor Irene and John Mancini Stephen Manookian and Alton Johnson John Marksbury and Chuck Steinman Joe McFate Dan McIntyre Mark Messenger and Peter Demopoulos Marvin Meyers and Roger Bredahl Michael Miner and Charles Marler Thomas Morgan and Jean-Stepane Vachon Michael Muller and Bryan Arnold Patrick Mundt J. Matthew Naylor and Victor Rodriguez Jack Newby Christopher Norman and F. Albert Weaver Jeffrey Norman Barth Z. Norton Tom Patrick and Steve Rulo M. Kirk Pickerel and G. Roger Martin Greg Polzin Dominick Procaccino Bruce Radler and Stewart Fleishman Dan Reed Robert D. Rieffel Stephen G Rieman and Mark Krasne Gary P. Riley and Jeff Grosvenor Greg Rodriguez Russ Russell and Kevin Vorwerk Stan Russell and Gil Rose Osmundo Saguil, M.D. Bob Sanderson and Eric Branthoover Stephen Saponaro, M.D. and Tim Schneider Dr. Barbara Schlager and Dr. Gary Petrauski Ann Sheffer and Bill Scheffler Brian Schipper and Richard Lord Gregory Seller and Pasquale Bettino Geno Sexton and Mishu Rahman William Shaw and Dennis Lynch James Sherman Jerry Silva Bruce Smith and Cameron Brown Gary D. Soto Robert Speaks and Edward Arcuri Marcos Suarez, M.D. Darrell L. Tucci Brian Vatcher and Cary Boisvert Sven Vennen and Andrew Merskin Dave Vogel and Larry Fulton Bates Westerberg James Whitten Randy Wiemer and Michael Larson Gary Williams Ron Willison Stephen R. Winters and Don Curtis Jack P. Woods Jeffrey Wright 25
IM AGI NE
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Opening Number Live It Up Productions & So You Think You Can Dance All Stars Cast Welcome by Co-Chairs Barbara Keller and Jim Casey Dinner Salad Butternut Squash, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Chili Oil Puree with Ginger Yogurt Aioli, topped with Champagne Poached Pear, Shaved Vegetables, Kale and Mixed Greens Entrée Hominy Crusted Chicken stuffed with Hummus, Swiss Cheese and Mushrooms Served with Carrot Mashed Potatoes, Candy Striped Beets, Asparagus and Porcini Mushrooms, finished with a BBQ Sriracha Glaze and Pineapple Papaya Salsa Vegetarian Option Available Upon Request Desserts Vanilla Bean Chocolate Mousse and Crème Brulee Cup topped with Fudge Pecan Brownie Bites - OR -
Chocolate Mousse, Marshmallow and Peanuts on Chocolate Cake Topped with Chocolate Ganache, Colorful White Chocolate Garnish Welcome by Emcee Mario Cantone Senator Barbara Boxer Presents 100 Women Award to Helene Galen Shoshana Bean Narration: “Please Don’t Let Me Go” by Live It Up Productions and So You Think You Can Dance All Star Cast Dr. Steven Scheibel Presents Science & Medicine Award to Dr. Michaell Gottlieb Shoshana Bean Narration: “The Journey” by Live It Up Productions and So You Think You Can Dance All Star Cast Shoshana Bean Narration: “Kiss the Air” by Live It Up Productions and So You Think You Can Dance All Star Cast 26
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Emcee Mario Cantone Shoshana Bean Narration: “Home” by Live It Up Productions and So You Think You Can Dance All Star Cast Co-Chairs Barbara Keller and Jim Casey Shoshana Bean Narration: “Now” by Live It Up Productions and So You Think You Can Dance All Star Cast Special Remarks by Allan Joy and Paul Koval “Something You Can Do” by Graham Berger Sacks Shoshana Bean Narration: “Goodnight/If I Own Today” Intro by Mario Cantone Leslie Jordan Presents Partner For Life Award to David Morgan “Rain/Chandelier” by Live It Up Productions and So You Think You Can Dance All Star Cast Desert AIDS Project’s CEO David Brinkman Emcee Mario Cantone Gala After Party!
MARIO CANTONE EMCEE The comedian-actor-impressionist-singer believes that AIDS and LGBT rights need a constant champion. He once summed it up this way: “In the ‘70s, the gay movement was really making strides. Huge strides. And then AIDS came along and slapped a judgment on it all and the Right Wing religious movement was like, ‘See. This is why; we told you.’ And it pushed back the movement 30 years.” The snappy, razor-sharp wit – that we saw in Anthony, Charlotte’s wedding-planner-with-an-attitude in Sex and the City– seems ever-present. When judging the 2014 Miss America telecast, he said, “It’s overwhelming. I feel like I’m in some gay-to-straight conversion therapy right now!” His TV work includes The USO Comedy Tour, Chappelle’s Show, The View, Oprah, Martha, and late-night appearances with David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon. Mario’s stage performances include Laugh Whore, his Tony-nominated one-man show, as well as Assassins and Love! Valor! Compassion! But while the diversely-talented Mario has even appeared in productions of Shakespeare’s The Tempest and The Taming of the Shrew, his film work hasn’t strayed too far from his comic roots, like voicing Mikey Abromowitz in the animated Surf’s Up. In the documentary, The Aristocrats, Mario joins 100 superstar comics, from Don Rickles to Sarah Silverman, who spin the dirtiest joke ever told. Even at his wedding to Jerry Dixon, his partner of 20 years, Mario cracked wise and political, saying: “… Thanks for the anticlimactic honeymoon, government!” 2015
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P ER F ORMERS SHOSHANA BEAN With a Broadway sound dripping with soul, Shoshana Bean has a voice and stage presence that makes her seem as comfortable in front of an orchestra as she is in front of a beat box. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music with a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre in 1999, Shoshana – “Sho” to her friends – moved to New York and joined the original cast in the offBroadway revival of Godspell. Since then, the stage roles have been plentiful and included the Broadway musical adaptation of Hairspray, the national touring company of Leader of the Pack, and a starring role as “Elphaba” in Wicked. During her run in Wicked, she appeared on the Soul Train Christmas Starfest, and performed alongside Brian McKnight to honor Aretha Franklin at the 2005 Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. She also backed up Michael Jackson during his 30th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden. Her debut solo album, Superhero, was released in 2008 on her own label, Shotime Records. In its first week, the album hit #5 on the iTunes R&B charts … becoming the first independent album to make it to the top 100.
SCOTT ALAN Many of Broadway’s elite have sung Scott Alan’s songs, including Liz Callaway, Jonathan Groff, Adriane Lenox, Stephanie J. Block, Cheyenne Jackson, Eden Espinosa … and Shoshana Bean who is tonight’s featured performer. All of these and more can be found on his debut CD Dreaming Wide Awake which was followed five more albums, featuring even more of the greats from Broadway and the West End, singing his work. Scott has sold out concerts of his music here at home in Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco, as well as in Australia, Germany, Holland, and London. For tonight’s audience at the 21st Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, Scott has teamed up with the Live It Up! Productions performers and the All-Stars of So You Think You Can Dance to bring us all a very touching story that will weave through the gala evening, using song and dance to interpret one couple’s story of what it means to live with HIV.
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P ER F ORMERS TRINI GARZA When you think of the Live It Up! Productions song and dance troupe, you have to channel your “inner GLEE-k” because it was the result of a few friends sitting around the piano of a mortgage broker, riffing. That mortgage broker was Trini Garza – entertaining since his teen years – and his friends included former students from his high school show choir. Before anyone could dump a Slushie on his head, Trini put together Live It UP! Productions of Palm Springs, as President and Creative Director, and the troupe began performing Broadway-styled musical numbers at concerts, casinos, corporate events, on cruise ships, and at fundraisers like the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards. Live It Up’s knock-your-socksoff shows – complete with choreography, lighting, staging and costumes made special for each show – include Forever Bond; Rockin’ The Gatsby; and Fifty Shades of Dusque, An Erotic Musical Journey. Most recently, they’ve put together Top Rock for the Hard Rock Café, a medley of harddriving sound, light and movement worthy of The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Fleetwood Mac, Bon Jovi, Queen, Guns N Roses and Motley Cru. Trini has directed shows for theme parks in the U.S. and Japan, as well as for large corporate events and tours for most of the top companies in the world. He was Musical Director for the Venetian and also co-directed the New Year’s Eve Gala Event and various other events for the MGM Grand. His celebrity collaborators are a Grammy “Who’s Who” that includes Natalie Cole, Queen Latifah, Wynonna Judd, KISS, Kool and the Gang, Wayne Newton, and Prince.
BRANDON ALAMEDA With diverse credits spanning TV, film, theater, hosting and recording, this Bay Area native, now Co-Creative Director of Live It UP! Productions, has been a sought-after triple threat in Greater Los Angeles for 15 years. Brandon Alameda has been a consistent international performer for Disney, Universal, Paramount, and Sony with venues including theme parks, cruise ships, and the Las Vegas Strip. His versatility, infectious energy, and smooth tenor fueled his success as lead vocalist in one of LA’s hottest cover/party bands, the MVPs, as well as a singing lead on the Fox TV show, Boston Legal. Other highlights include co-starring on MAD TV and playing “Pepper” in the original Las Vegas company of the Broadway musical MAMMA MIA! He also performs regularly at the Upright and 88’s cabarets, garnering rave reviews before star-studded, A-list audiences.
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HONOREES HELENE GALEN
100 WOMEN AWARD This well-known philanthropist seems to have generosity etched into her very DNA, as she continues the good works she began with her late husband, financier Louis J. Galen. Perhaps bestknown is their $50 million gift to help build the Galen Center, a 10,000+-seat arena at Louis’s alma mater, the University of Southern California. Helene has continued supporting children, the homeless, education, the arts, and more. Locally, Helene’s recent gifts have included $1.5 million for a new theater at Rancho Mirage High School, as well as $1 million for the new Palm Springs Art Museum location in Palm Desert. She touches many lives through her donations to the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, the McCallum Theatre, Jewish Family Service, and the Palm Springs International Film Festival. But Helene also has a long and personal connection to Desert AIDS Project. As friends with the gala’s namesake, she said “When this event began as an honor to Steve, I knew it would be one that I would never miss. I have toured Desert AIDS Project again not long ago and was overwhelmed that it provides so much for our community. I have been a proud supporter of its work since the beginning of this gala.” That support has included being a multi-year Award Sponsor at the Steve Chase gala. She also takes her membership in the 100 Women annual giving program seriously and recently hosted a fundraiser at her home, to benefit the services that 100 Women provides to women and children affected by HIV. Thanks for being on the D.A.P. team, Helene!
PRESENTED BY SEN. BARBARA BOXER
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HONOREES DAVID MORGAN
PARTNERS FOR LIFE AWARD If you’ve been to the Copa Nightclub recently for an evening of entertainment or enjoyed the comedy of Leslie Jordan, the drag of Varla Jean Merman, or the musical stylings of Amy & Freddy, you may not have realized that you were already “Dave Morganadjacent.” That venue and those acts … and much more … all fall under the direction of Palm Springs resident Dave Morgan, who is owner of Reaction Marketing & Promotions. As its website says, Reaction “creates and executes custom promotions that get the reaction you want. We bring together entertainment and consumer goods to create explosive results on multiple platforms.” Dave and Reaction build their clients’ business with TV, radio, and print, as well as through on-premise programs, events, and tours. So, when this long-time D.A.P. supporter said, “Hey, I have this idea for a fundraiser,” they listened … and the popular “Dancing with the Desert Stars” event was born. And for four years, it’s been raising increasingly more money for client services, as it puts smiles on the faces of D.A.P. supporters. For all he has done to raise funds and awareness for HIV/AIDS and Desert AIDS Project and his long-time generous support as a Gold level member of Partners for Life, it’s clear to us Dave Morgan truly is a partner for life to D.A.P. and those we serve!
PRESENTED BY LESLIE JORDAN
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HONOREES DR. MICHAEL GOTTLIEB
SCIENCE & MEDICINE AWARD His discovery of the elements making up what would become known as AIDS before the first diagnoses were made in 1981 reads almost like the noire detective novels of the 1940s. That’s when the young assistant professor at the UCLA Medical Center, whose specialty was immunology, found a strange set of symptoms in a young gay patient – unexplained fevers, dramatic weight loss, and a severely damaged immune system. Dr. Gottlieb’s sleuthing work led to a total of five cases, as he and his forensic team analyzed blood and tissue samples and eventually named their suspect: a DNA virus laying waste to immune system T-cells, the ones that defend against invading infections. Doctors and researchers worldwide were adding pieces to the puzzle but Dr. Gottlieb was one of few who spoke freely about the controversial disease. His work in the early days of the epidemic is chronicled in “And the Band Played On” and Gottlieb was physician to both the late Elizabeth Glaser, co-founder of the pediatric AIDS foundation bearing her name, and Rock Hudson. Using a $250,000 gift from Hudson’s estate, Dr. Gottlieb was one of the founding chairs of amfAR, the American Foundation for AIDS Research, along with AIDS activist Elizabeth Taylor and Dr. Mathilde Krim, who was the Science and Medicine Award winner at the 2006 Steve Chase gala. Dr. Michael Gottlieb is a living legend in HIV/AIDS research and treatment!
PRESENTED BY DR. STEVEN SCHEIBEL
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Thunderous applause and many kudos
to our elegant and very hands-on philanthropic friend, HELENE GALEN, to the creative and especially resourceful visionary, DAVE MORGAN and to DR. MICHAEL GOTTLIEB, the indefatigable, resolute doctor who identified the condition now known as AIDS. With much admiration for you all, Barbara & Jerry Keller and Willie Rhine
Coachella Valley
Open daily at 8am for breakfast, lunch, dinner & all-day happy hour
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t h e
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THE KNOT
United in our shared commitment to fighting AIDS This newly-designed award symbolizes the contributions of those we honor tonight at the 21st Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards. Now in the fourth decade of AIDS, there seems to be more reason to hope than ever before. As we draw nearer to a vaccine against HIV and a cure for AIDS, you help us advocate for those who need our care while we continue to prevent further infections. Your support is essential in knitting together the fabric of our community.
THE A THE ARTIST RIK PHILLIPS
D.A.P. is grateful to the Palm Springs Art Museum’s Artists Council for bringing the talented Rik Phillips to us. His body of work over a 40-year career includes award-winning sculptures in public spaces and in private collections including Barbra Streisand and Armand Hammer.
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VOLUNTEERS O u r t h e
i n c r e d i b l e
2 1 s t
A n n u a l
v o l u n t e e r s
S t e v e
C h a s e
f o r
G a l a
Leticia Aguilera
Julian di Ciurcio
Isaac Hurtado
Laura Natchison
Azusel Agulera
Tom Dillard
Tom Hyatt
Greg Newton
Theresa Alcazar
Art Dominguez
Judy Jensen
Mike O’Bleness
Kevin Baar
Larry Edwards
Candy Johansen
Joey Oliveri
Rhonda Baker
Shylo Endris
Paul Johner
Frank Peabody
Louis Barbo
Doug Etie
Jeff Jones
James Person
Shelia Barnett
Matt Farokhmansesh
Andrew Kesler
Bill Pitts
Brian Bastian
Larry Fossum
Dion Khan
David Reed
Scott Beloved
Fiona Foyston
Keith Kincaid
Rob Rieffel
Pat Bergmann
Paull Gagliardi
Kim Kitagawa
Frank Roman
Dick Boisvert
Valerie Garcia
Don Kopczick
Linda Sue Rosefsky
Diane Braun
Joe Glassett
Donna Lawton
Jonny Roy
Tony Buonauro
Diane Glassett
Davis Leigh
Donald Rudy
Mike Burger
Dennis Golay
Chris Lomeli
Esme Ryan
Kate Castle
Jonathan Goldman
Sue Lowe
Tahir Shareef
Chris Christensen
Ralph Gonzalez
Jason Lushia
Don Small
Ed Clarke
Will Grau
Judy Malespino
Cheryl Smith
Mike Cohan
Edie Groesbeck
Michael Malfavon
Steven Sole
Mark Cohen
Lisa Guirado
Denise Marvel
Meghan Sullivan
Mark Cummings
Rod Hagan
Gerry McBride
David Summers
Jim Day
Steve Hale
Bill McClintock
Tom Swedenburg
Barry Dayton
Jim Harris
Robert McCormack
Bud Syderstricker
Jose De La Cruz
Denise Haslam
Mitch Mellman
Gabriel Valle
Dee Dee De La Cruz
John Hedges
Charlie Mercer
Rick Verdeja
Stan Dean
Jesus Herrara
Danny Mills
Debbie Waterhouse
Viga Dean
Blake Holiday
Anthony Monzon
Todd Watkins
Tony DeFrance
Chuck Howard
JoAnn Morford
Chris Wienke
Dennis DeGroot
JoAnn Hudson
Louis Mujica
Andrew Zuniga
Rick Deutsch
Antonio Huerta
Mark Murray
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Congratulations to the 2015 Honorees DR. MICHAEL GOTTLIEB SCIENCE & MEDICINE AWARD
HELENE GALEN 100 WOMEN AWARD
DAVID MORGAN
PARTNERS FOR LIFE AWARD
Bill & Yvonne McCullum 2015
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Congratulations to the 2015 Honorees and thank you to the staff and volunteers of Desert AIDS Project! Elliot Sernal and Larry Falconio
Our thanks to David Brinkman and the Board of Directors for all the wonderful work they do to serve the clients of Desert AIDS Project. Daniel Warn and Ricardo Aguilar 2015
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We join a grateful community in thanking the staff and volunteers of the Desert AIDS Project for the incredible work you do. Â Steve Kaufer Young Chu
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Congratulations to this year’s honorees and thank you to Desert AIDS Project for your continued good work. Marshall Pearcy & Douglas Woodmansee
Congratulations to the 2015 Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards Honorees Randall George & Charles Collins
Congratulations! To This Year’s Honorees Kevin Bass & Brent Bloesser 138
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Our sincere appreciation to Desert AIDS Project for the wonderful service you provide to those in need. Rick Rockhill & John Lazarchic
Congratulations to the 2015 Honorees and thank you to the staff and volunteers of Desert AIDS Project! Dimitri Bakakos
Congratulations! DR. MICHAEL GOTTLIEB HELENE GALEN DAVID MORGAN LARRY ESPINOSA 2015
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THANK YOU TO THE STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND BOARD OF DESERT AIDS PROJECT, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR’S HONOREES Bill DeHart & David Kamimoto
CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR’S HONOREES Brian Rix
Congratulations! DR. MICHAEL GOTTLIEB HELENE GALEN DAVID MORGAN John Mesicek 140
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Kevin Benson Fenn Congraulates DR. MICHAEL GOTTLIEB HELENE GALEN DAVID MORGAN
Congratulations to the 2015 Honorees and thank you to the staff and volunteers of Desert AIDS Project! Prescott Griffith 2015
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Mark Maslack M.D. & Tony Mason congratulate this year’s honorees
CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR’S HONOREES AND THANK YOU TO DESERT AIDS PROJECT
ROBERT SEALE & RON MCMANIGAL 142
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