Issuu

Meet the Palm Beach Staff

Tricia Williams, Regional Director

Lisa Nance, Director, Development

Dani Erblat Senior Employment Consultant

Gisele Mazuk Employment Consultant

Michael Henry Residential Manager

Tyler Jasensky Senior Program Manager

Torrance Bostic Lead Program Manager

Best Buddies in Palm Beach 1655 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. Suite 401, West Palm Beach , FL 33401

Dear Friends,

Tricia N. Williams Regional Director, Palm Beach

This nine-week philanthropic competition for Best Buddies in Palm Beach celebrates the participants and community leaders throughout Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast who have been nominated as “Champions.” Their shared goal is to increase awareness of the mission of Best Buddies while raising critical funds to sustain and expand our programs. At the conclusion of the campaign, all candidates and their Mission Partners are honored tonight at the Champion of the Year Gala. The candidate who raises the most donations will take home the Crown of Inclusion and the title of Champion of the Year 2026. This year, we continue to celebrate the Best Buddies Independent Living Program in Boca Raton while looking toward the future of our Family Support pillar. Proceeds from the Champions’ efforts and tonight’s Gala directly benefit local Best Buddies programs, helping us create more friendships, expand integrated employment, develop leadership opportunities, and open doors for hundreds of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast. As I reflect on this special year, I am filled with gratitude for the past eight years serving this incredible area. To our donors and supporters, thank you for believing in our mission and investing in opportunities that change lives. Your generosity has made our growth and accomplishments possible and has helped create a more inclusive community throughout Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast. It has been a privilege to work alongside our Champions, families, volunteers, partners, and supporters. While my role as Regional Director comes to a close, my commitment to this mission and this community does not. I look forward to continuing this work in a new capacity at the state level, carrying with me the friendships, memories, and inspiration this community has given me. Thank you for Supporting our Champion of the Year Gala! In Friendship,

Thank You To Our Sponsors!

T O

B I G

Thank You

O U R

C O M M I T T E E

A D V I S O R Y

B O A R D

2026 Chairs & Committee Anna Glennon & Hunter Huff, Co-Chairs Nickole D’Angelo, Logistics Chair Jennifer Wheaton - Logistics Chair Erica Lyles, Mission Chair Kathy Casper, PR Chair Linda Borgmeyer Marcelle Burke Sarah Christy

Lynsey Kane Amy Kilpatrick Mary Marsh Sarah Morgan Lara Patterson Whitney Schappert Samara Smith Janna Zaidspiner

Advisory Board Cara Pregadio - The Breakers, Palm Beach Advisory Board Chair Ashi Colina - Greenberg Traurig Jim Dawson - Holland & Knight Michael DeDonno Ph D - Florida Atlantic University Lewanna Farrell - Parent Advocate Anina Fox - The Breakers, Palm Beach Michael McCorkle - SlateStone Wealth Jennifer Wheaton - Liberty Mutual Insurance

B I G

Thank You T O

O U R

G A L A

C H A I R S

A DOLCE THANK YOU TO OUR INCREDIBLE GALA CHAIRS, ANNA GLENNON AND HUNTER HUFF! La Dolce Vita! What a beautiful celebration of friendship, inclusion, and the power of belonging. Your passion, dedication, and leadership helped make this evening truly bellissimo! Because of you, our community came together to celebrate what makes Best Buddies so special: the friendships that change lives, the opportunities that create independence, and the belief that everyone deserves to be included, valued, and celebrated. Your commitment to our mission helps create a world where people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else. Grazie for making this evening unforgettable and for reminding us that life is sweeter when we share it with friends!

Thank You A

P A L M

B I G

B E A C H

S U P P O R T E R S

Thank you to our Table Sponsors & Community Supporters

Volunteer Opportunities Citizens Friendship Walk Champion of the Year We would love to have you join us and further your involvement with Best Buddies. If you are interested in joining one of our planning committees or simply learning more about Best Buddies, please contact Tyler Jasensky, Lead Program Manager, Volunteers. tylerjasensky@bestbuddies.org

Thank You A

B I G

A U C T I O N

D O N O R S

How to Bid Register: text PBCOY26 to 76278 Fill out your information from the text received back

*AS OF OCTOBER 16TH AUCTION DEADLINE *You can also bid in the silent auction once you’ve registered

Bid From the Heart The Value of Your Donation Supports The Best Buddies Living program represents one of our organization’s five key mission pillars, Inclusive Living. This program fosters an integrated experience for people with and without IDD to become active, contributing citizens who live independently in a dynamic environment where they can learn, grow, and thrive. $15,000 This donation will directly impact those applicants that are a perfect fit but can't afford the program. We won't let the ability to pay get in the way of growth and independence. $10,000 Cover the cost of the Residential Manager's support for a resident with IDD for one year. The Residential Manager focuses on individualized independent living skills such as cooking, navigating roommate conflicts, money management, and health and wellness. $5,000 Educational programming: This donation covers the educational programing for a location for a year! $2,500 This will send all members of a Best Buddies Living location to our incredible leadership conference to joins Best Buddies leaders, volunteers, and community advocates from around the globe to imagine, create, lead and empower the future of the disability rights and inclusion movement. $1,000 Cover a meal plan for 4 residents for one month. Residents can use this meal plan service along with gift cards to a local grocery store $500 Training never stops! Cover the cost of a training in financial literacy, wellness and nutrition or cooking and kitchen safety. $250 Membership has its benefits! Each donation covers a month for a non-residential participant to join the community for weekly group dinners and all group events

2025 Champion of the Year

Juliet and Kate Warner Congratulations to Juliet and Kate Warner, 2025 National Champions of the Year! Juliet and Kate Warner made Best Buddies for Palm Beach history by raising over $248,000 for Best Buddies and earning the titles of 2025 National Champion of the Year and Mission Partner. Competing against more than 400 Champions nationwide, their efforts made Palm Beach the number one Champion of the Year Gala Their win has also provided additional support for our local Jobs program, creating more opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to achieve meaningful employment and independence. For Juliet, this journey was about much more than fundraising. It was an opportunity to celebrate her sister, Kate, whose impact on their family is immeasurable. Juliet has shared that Kate has taught their family to embrace differences, connect without hesitation, and see people for who they are. She doesn't simply adapt to the world around her; she inspires those around her to become better. Kate's message says it all: everyone deserves a friend, and everyone deserves to feel included. Their partnership with Best Buddies was a natural extension of the values they have lived as a family for years. Through their campaign, they inspired an entire community and demonstrated that inclusion changes not only individual lives but families and communities. We are incredibly grateful to Juliet, Kate, and the generous donors who made this extraordinary accomplishment possible. Their national recognition is a tremendous achievement for Palm Beach, but their greatest legacy will be the lives changed through their commitment to inclusion. Congratulations again!

Champions

Fernando Diaz, Jr.

John Halpine

Juliana Farro

Georgia Marsh Harris Peace Taylor McKeague

Kade Peters

Irene Rubio Miralles Serena Redding

Lauren Scuderi

David Vogel

Mission Partners

Ana Belen Salichs

Carson Barnes

Bryan Kaufman

Emily Rock

Ben Totfalusi

Emiliano Quintana

Shayna West

Christian Redding

Nicolette Gallucci

Dallamin Velasquez

Ronin Nance

This Year’s Entertainment We are thrilled to showcase the incredible talents of our participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those who celebrate them through inspiring musical performances that celebrate their unique abilities and creativity.

Chloe Thiabult

Erika Sauer Featuring

Grammy Nominated Artist ‘The Colors in My Mind’

Chris Redding

William T. Dwyer High School: Building a Culture of Inclusion With 113 active members this school year, William T. Dwyer High School continues to demonstrate the power of inclusion through its thriving Best Buddies chapter. From 2016 to 2026, Deanne has served as the chapter’s dedicated advisor, providing wonderful leadership and guidance while helping students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) build meaningful friendships and foster an inclusive school community. One of the chapter’s signature traditions is its annual fashion show, which celebrates the confidence, individuality, and talents of students of all abilities. The event is hosted by Hunter Huff, an outstanding Best Buddies Global Ambassador whose leadership and advocacy continue to inspire others. William T. Dwyer has also demonstrated its commitment to the broader Best Buddies Palm Beach community by serving as a Mission Partner for our Gala on two occasions, helping advance our mission of inclusion throughout Palm Beach County.

A BETTER APPROACH TO PRIVATE AVIATION ®

Selene Aviation is a boutique charter brokerage arranging private jet travel worldwide. With a focus on safety, privacy, and quality, your dedicated team provides personalized service and attention to every detail, available 24/7.

www.seleneaviation.com 1-888-989-8940 | charter@seleneaviation.com

Proud to support Best Buddies.

Walk. Celebrate. Support.

04.17.27 8:30am Registration | 9:00am Start Cacti Park of the Palm Beaches The Best Buddies Friendship Walk is the leading walk in the country supporting inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (also known as IDD). BESTBUDDIESFRIENDSHIPWALK.ORG/PALMBEACH

BEST BUDDIES IN PALM BEACH 1655 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. Suite 401 West Palm Beach, FL 33401 561.972.5312 MAKE A FRIEND | DONATE | VOLUNTEER To find your local Best Buddies office, visit: BESTBUDDIES.ORG