m a r g o r P Book
event overview 6:00 PM Cocktail reception & silent auction with music by Ryan Woodard 7:00 PM Dinner is served 7:15 PM Program begins 7:45 PM Silent auction closes 8:30 PM Live Auction & Bid From The Heart 9:30 PM The Grand Champion is announced & the dance party begins!
SPONSORS
Letter from the Board Chair Thank you for joining us at the 2026 Bay Area Champion of the Year Golden Coast Gala! Tonight, we come together to celebrate an extraordinary group of Champions and their commitment to advancing inclusion for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Across the Bay Area, Best Buddies continues to change lives through our Friendship, Jobs, and Leadership Development programs, creating opportunities for meaningful friendships, fulfilling employment, and greater independence. Above all, we are deeply grateful for the privilege of being part of the community we serve. More than simply supporting the mission of inclusion, we have the opportunity to stand alongside our participants, learn from their strength and resilience, and celebrate their triumphs together. It is these relationships and shared experiences that make our work so profoundly meaningful. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to our generous sponsors, Advisory Board members, and dedicated Best Buddies staff for making tonight possible. To our Champions, Mission Partners, and Campaign Managers, thank you for your incredible dedication to raising awareness and funds for our mission. As we celebrate tonight's accomplishments and crown our 2026 Grand Champion, I hope you leave inspired by what we can accomplish together. Thank you for being part of the Best Buddies family and helping us build a future where inclusion is not the exception, but the expectation. In Friendship,
Bay Area Advisory Board Chair
Silent Auction Online Bidding Process How to register for the auction: Text BayAreaCOY26 to 76278 How to find an item: On the mobile bidding platform, click “View Items” You can browse auction items by scrolling through the full list, using the search bar, or selecting a specific category to narrow your results How to bid on an item: Find the item you’d like to bid on online Select the item and place a “Bid” Place an auto bid to set a maximum bid How to find the items you bid on: Items you have bid on can be found under “My Activity” How to tell if you were outbid: You will receive a text message when you’ve been outbid Alternatively, navigate to “My Activity” to check the status of your bids
Online Donation Process How to donate: Go to BayAreaCOY26.givesmart.com or click the link you received by text at check-in Click “Donate” on the auction page Select the Champion you would like to credit Choose a donation amount or enter a custom amount Confirm your donation and complete your payment. If you did not provide a credit card during registration, enter your payment information when prompted
CHAMPION CANDIDATES
AMANDA GOLL
JOHN HAMMOND
C AT H E R I N E K E N N I N G S
WESLEY LAM
C L AY M A K S Y M I U K
NIKOL NEIGER
PA U L PA R K
J U L I A N A P O R TO N I
K E N S E TO
WILLIAM WHITE
MISSION PARTNERS & CAMPAIGN MANAGERS
JJ KHIN & SYDNEY WREN
M AT T Q U I N T E R O
JAKE LARGE
LISA LEVY & MARK REN
LARRY LARKIN
N AT E M A J O R
GABI LABOVITZ
G I A N N A G I A N C A R LO
CAS BROUSSARD
AMANDA BEVILACQUA
2025
THANK YOU TO OUR SENSORY ROOM SPONSOR
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Let’s Talk About Your Hiring Needs
We are seeking employment partners ready to make a difference! When you hire through Best Buddies, you’re not just filling a position. You’re helping build a more inclusive workforce where everyone can thrive.
Be the Bridge. Donate Monthly! A community of supporters bridging gaps so that everyone is included.
ONE-TO-ONE FRIENDSHIPS
INTEGRATED EMPLOYMENT
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
INCLUSIVE LIVING
FAMILY SUPPORT
HISTORY
MISSION
We are the world's largest organization
Best Buddies International is a nonprofit
dedicated to ending the social, physical,
501(c)(3) organization dedicated to
and economic isolation of the 200
establishing a global volunteer
million people with intellectual and
movement that creates opportunities for
developmental disabilities (IDD).
one-to-one friendships, integrated
Founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver,
employment, leadership development,
Best Buddies has grown from one
inclusive living, and family support for
original chapter to nearly 2,900 chapters
individuals with intellectual and
worldwide, positively impacting the
developmental disabilities (IDD).
lives of over 1.25 million people with and without IDD. Best Buddies programs
VISION
engage participants in each of the 50
To put Best Buddies out of business.
states and 54 countries around the
Best Buddies envisions a world where
world.
people with IDD are so successfully
WHO WE SERVE The IDD community that Best Buddies serves includes, but is not limited to, people with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, and other undiagnosed disabilities.
integrated into schools, workplaces, and communities that its current efforts and services will be unnecessary. Until that vision becomes a reality, the organization will continue to educate students, community members, corporations, and employers about the emotional, functional, and natural needs and abilities of people with IDD.
Bay Area Friendship Chapters & Employer Partners Elementary School Chapters Amador Elementary School Bridges Academy Elementary School Jefferson Elementary School Middle School Chapters Albany Middle School Aptos Middle School Borel Middle School Dartmouth Middle School Graham Middle School Roosevelt Middle School High School Chapters Albany High School Amador Valley High School American High School Balboa High School Berkeley High School Branham High School Burlingame High School California High School Cupertino High School Dublin High School Emerald High School Foothill High School Galileo Academy High School Granada High School Gunn High School Hillsdale High School Leigh High School Los Altos High School Lowell High School Mission San Jose High School Montgomery High School Palo Alto Senior High School Skyline High School Westmont High School Wilcox High School Windsor High School Woodside High School
College Chapters University of California, Berkeley University of San Francisco UCSF Employer Partners 49ers Foundation Accenture Albertsons/Safeway Belmont Village Senior Living Bethel Care Home Bon Appétit at Google Center for Independence of Individuals with Disabilities Child Care Careers Chili's City of South San Francisco Club Sport Fit Devil Mountain Nursery Dr. Dave's Doggy Daycare First Citizens Bank Flagship at Facebook Flik at Merck Grocery Outlet JLL at Amazon JLL at Google Kintsugi Strong Gym Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Le Tusa Live Nation Madame Tussauds / Merlin Entertainment MarketSource Nike Pacific Workers' Compensation Law Center Pleasant Hill Library Presidio Golf Course SBM at Wells Fargo San Francisco Zoo Special Olympics Northern California
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES One-to-One Friendship JOIN A CHAPTER
JOIN CITIZENS (18+)
Join an existing school chapter! We have clubs at schools with & without special education programs.
Make a friend while participating in inclusive activities with adults with and without IDD in your local area.
START A CHAPTER
JOIN E-BUDDIES
Be an inclusion leader by starting a chapter! Receive support from Best Buddies staff every step of the way.
Sign up for our email-based pen pal program. E-Buddies provides virtual one-to-one friendship opportunities.
Integrated Employment HOST A MOCK INTERVIEW
TEACH A JOB SKILL
Conduct a practice interview for a jobseeking participant. We'll provide the interview questions, you ask away!
Promote workplace readiness by teaching job skills to participants who are seeking competitive employment.
JOIN A CAREER PANEL
INVOLVE YOUR EMPLOYER
Chat with Best Buddies participants about your job and offer advice on how to enter into your career field.
Share the mission by encouraging your employer to participate in Best Buddies events and programs.
Leadership Development BECOME AN AMBASSADOR Attend an ambassador training to learn speech writing, public speaking, and advocacy skills.
BRING AN AMBASSADOR TO YOUR COMMUNITY Invite an ambassador to speak about inclusion at your school or workplace!
BE A SPEECH COACH
HOST A TRAINING
Attend a training as a speech coach to support an individual on their journey to becoming an ambassador.
Get a group together to level up your leadership. We provide the content, you lead the training!
Signature Events & Advisory Board JOIN A COMMITTEE
ATTEND THE FRIENDSHIP WALK
Support the event planning process by joining a committee. Assist with logistics, publicity, sponsorships, and more!
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). Register today at BestBuddiesFriendshipWalk.org!
JOIN A LOCAL ADVISORY BOARD Advisory board members commit to a two-year term where they utilize their skills and connections to expand our reach at the local level. *There is an application and interview process for this volunteer opportunity.
2025 CHAMPION OF THE YEAR John Hammond Raised over $38,800 for Best Buddies in the Bay Area
SPECIAL THANKS Los Angeles San Advisory Board Board SanFrancisco FranciscoAdvisory Advisory Board
Ken Seto, Board Chair
Sarah Coyne
Senior Web Applications Developer Scientific Certification Systems
Managing Partner Fivespan Partners
Gianna Giancarlo
Wesley Lam
Managing Director Accenture Song
Outreach Ambassador Civic Edge Consulting
Kevin Lint
Kendra Stumbos Ryan
Former Managing Director Accenture
Director of Ecosystem Network F-Prime
Gala Planning Committee Los Angeles Advisory Board San Francisco Advisory Board AMANDA BEVILACQUA · SOPHIA CIPRIANI LISA LEVY · AN PHAM · AMY POLLOCK
April 17, 2027 Golden Gate Park Join us at the Best Buddies Friendship Walk, the leading walk in the country supporting inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Gather your friends, family, and coworkers, start a team, and walk with us as we create a more inclusive community, one step at a time. Register today and walk for inclusion!
BESTBUDDIESFRIENDSHIPWALK.ORG/BAYAREA
Want to make a difference? Scan the QR code to learn how you can get involved with Best Buddies! BESTBUDDIES.ORG/CALIFORNIA
MAKE A FRIEND | DONATE | VOLUNTEER BESTBUDDIES.ORG/CALIFORNIA