1. S O C I E T Y — P A R T Y B E S T O F — E V E N T S
PhotoCredit:ManhattanSociety.combyChrisLondon
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Tr ac y St e r n a n d Ra n dy Po l u m b o o n Mo n day , May 18, 2015 a t CHEF’S CLUB

2. All that ails a society cannot be left only to the promise of
philanthropy. But the entrepreneurial spirit behind the hu-
manity that targets what requires attention to sustain the future
of an evolved civilization ultimately reflects that society’s broader
values. Political leaders of either party who may seek guidance into
what policy prescriptions to pursue need look no further than that
to which their constituents are attempting to treat with their own
generosity here in New York.
Furthermore, it is not a sign of weakness but one of
strength to recognize that every great community, region, or
country has ailments that require treatment. It is instead a sign
of weakness to assume that they will get better on their own
without the assistance of the more enlightened, thoughtful,
and generous among us. Patriots, regardless of their political
affiliation or identity, ought to want to live in a country that
not only liberates their own spirit to succeed but provides op-
portunities to elevate their countrymen. No patriot wants to
live in a country collapsing from within.
Consider instead the words of industrialist Henry Ford:
Dr. Dendy Engelman, Jason Wright, Gigi Stone Wood
By Christopher London,
with photos by Gregory Partanio & ManhattanSociety.com
NEW YORKERS BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE
“. . . well-paid workers generating consumer demand that in
turn promotes business expansion and hiring.” Ford was one
of the first business leaders to articulate what economists call
“the virtuous circle of growth.” If you love the promise of
America, what would be the point in living in a great big beau-
tiful house in a decaying and dangerous neighborhood with
starving and abused citizens just outside your gates?
The events referenced below evidence that some of our so-
cietal leaders in the business community understand implicitly
that America’s place in the world shall be determined by that
which we do to fortify, shape, and secure the future of the
families of our nation.
The Opportunity Network’s 8th Annual Night
of Opportunity
On April 13, The Opportunity Network (OppNet), a New
York City nonprofit that puts high-achieving, low-income
students on the road to top colleges and successful careers,
hosted its eighth annual Night of Opportunity at Cipriani Wall
PhotoCredit:AdditionalphotosinthissectionbyMarcHallandKatieLord(forCoro);JDZPhotography(Sanctuary),andMichaelSimon(OpportunityNetwork)
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3. Street. The gala, which aimed to raise more than $1.7 million
for the organization, exceeded this number raising more than
$2 million.
OppNet honored Catherine Engelbert, the CEO of
Deloitte LLP; Robert F. Smith, the founder, chairman, and
CEO of Vista Equity Partners; and the designer Narciso Ro-
driguez.
Notables in attendance included the New York attorney
general, Eric Schneiderman; Miss USA 2014, Nia Sanchez;
the founder and CEO of Opp Net, Jessica Pliska; and the
chairman and APAX partner, Jason Wright; the co-founder
of OppNet and head of corporate finance at Creative Art-
ists Agency, Brian Weinstein; a Deloitte vice president and
managing partner, Chet Wood; a Jana Partners LLC partner
and co-portfolio manager, Scott Ostfeld and his wife, Jenni-
fer Maxfield Ostfeld; Narciso Rodriguez’s husband, Thom-
as Tolan; Zero+Maria Cornejo designer Maria Cornejo;
and Miss USA 2012, Nana Meriwether.
NYSPCC Junior Committee Anniversary
The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Children (NYSPCC), the world’s first child-protection agen-
cy, celebrating its 140th year of service, held its annual Ju-
nior Committee spring benefit on May 6, at Tao Downtown
Lounge.
The NYSPCC’s set of young philanthropists assume social
responsibility each year to raise essential funds for the efforts
of the agency: helping children heal from abuse and neglect,
and helping families grow stronger. The Junior Committee
has been supporting the efforts of the agency since 2005. The
beneficiary of this event was the NYSPCC’s Trauma Recovery
program.
Steering Committee members in attendance included Al-
exandra Papanicolaou (president), Chani Churchill (vice
president), Elizabeth Tooter (secretary), Matt Semino (trea-
surer), Hudson Bova, Christopher Breck, Lauren Cahill,
Stephen Czeck, Meaghan Kimball, Athena Klein, Jona-
than Klein, Marc A. Lewinstein, Maureen Nash, Xanthe
Ranger, and Audrey Seybert.
Other notable supporters in attendance included Nicole
DiCocco, Denise Limongello, LMSW, Jennifer Panciera,
Jane Pontarelli, Barbara Regna, and Linette Semino.
Matt Semino, a principal at the Investment Management
firm Bessemer Trust and the treasurer of the NYSPCC Junior
Committee, explained why he and his wife, Linette Semino, a
real estate broker at the Corcoran Group in New York City,
actively support the NYSPCC: “The organization is focused
on helping New York’s most vulnerable children emerge with
strength from experiences of trauma and abuse.”
S O C I E T Y
Barbara Regna, Valerie Lettan, Bettina Bennett
Denise Limongello, Lauren Cahill, Jennifer Panciera
Kristy Rao, Nicole DiCocco, Jane Pontarelli
Dr. Mary Pulido, Edward Shaheen, Alexandra Papanicolaou Shaheen
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4. Without the healing work of this organization, abused chil-
dren might not stand a chance to propel their lives toward
reaching their dreams and goals. The organization, founded
in 1875, is the first, and one of the most highly respected,
child protective agencies in the world. The NYSPCC responds
to the complex needs of abused and neglected children, and
those involved in their care, by providing best practice coun-
seling, legal, and educational services. The NYSPCC’s unique
work is used as a model for child welfare agencies across the
nation.
Sanctuary for Families Honors Weil, Gotshal
& Manges LLP for Pro Bono Work
Members of New York City’s philanthropic, legal, social jus-
tice, civic, and business communities joined forces on June 2
to help Sanctuary for Families celebrate its 30th anniversary of
helping families escape violence and build safe, independent
lives, and call for an end to all forms of gender violence at its
annual Zero Tolerance benefit. The event, held at Pier Sixty/
Chelsea Piers, raised more than $2 million to support critical
programs dedicated to helping survivors of domestic violence
and sex trafficking.
Among the evening’s highlights was the presentation of
the Zero Tolerance Award to Michael J. Sharp, the general
counsel and executive vice president of Jefferies Group, the
global investment banking firm, for his long-standing commit-
ment to Sanctuary’s work. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP,
the first law firm to give me a legal job upon graduation from
the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and a great train-
ing ground for a young aspiring lawyer, was presented with
the Law Firm Leadership Award for its tireless and effective
pro bono work on behalf of Sanctuary’s clients. It’s a source
of pride that some of the most intelligent and committed pro-
fessionals I have ever encountered in legal practice I met in my
first job at this standout law firm, which, although multina-
tional, is now quintessentially New York, embodying the spirit
which makes this city great.
“Tonight Sanctuary for Families is proud to celebrate 30
years of progress against domestic violence and sex traffick-
ing,” said the Honorable Judy Harris Kluger, the executive
S O C I E T Y
Jen Lee, Mark Lewinstein, Xanthe Ranger
Matt Semino, Linette Semino
William Gorin, Stephanie Ferdman, Judy Kluger, Andrea Bernstein
Christopher Nordquist, David Duplantis
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5. director. “The money raised this evening makes it possible
for our staff to reach more victims, educate the community,
advocate for change, and bring us closer to ending the abuse
forever.”
The gala was chaired by Andrea A. Bernstein, a partner
of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP; Brian P. Friedman,
the chairman of the executive committee of Jefferies Group
LLC; Richard B. Handler, the chairman and CEO of Jeffer-
ies Group LLC; Sallie Krawcheck, the chair of Elevate Net-
work; Nicole Sayfie Porcelli, the co-chair of Sanctuary for
Families’ Mothers’ Council; and Marcello Porcelli, the CEO
of LargaVista Companies.
Also on hand to support Sanctuary for Families were Wil-
lie Geist, the co-host of NBC’s Today and MSNBC’s Morning
Joe; designer Rory Tahari; Dr. George Lazarus and his wife,
Shelly Lazarus, the chairman emeritus of Ogilvy & Mather
Worldwide; Ted Bunch, the co-founder and co-director of
A Call to Men; Chris Nordquist, the creator of Domestic
Daddy; and David Duplantis, the president of global market-
ing, digital and customer experience at Coach; Ellen Goos-
enberg; Jed Walentas; David Bloom; Michael Friedman;
and Michael Wlody, the CFO of Cushman & Wakefield. An
after-dinner dance party was hosted by rock and roll Hall of
Famer DJ Grandmaster Flash.
Sanctuary for Families is the leading nonprofit agency in
New York State dedicated exclusively to the safety, healing,
and self-determination of victims of domestic violence and
related forms of gender violence.
Coro New York Leadership Center Celebrates
30 Years of Visionary Leaders
Four hundred thirty New Yorkers gathered on April 22 in
the heart of Manhattan as Coro New York Leadership Cen-
ter, the city’s premier leadership training program, hosted its
annual fundraising gala in Manhattan’s Gotham Hall. This
year’s Coro Awards gala, 30 Years of Visionary Leaders, raised
$750,000 to support Coro’s leadership training programs, pro-
viding the city’s top talent with skills, knowledge, and a net-
work to influence meaningful change.
The honorees exemplify Coro’s belief that a single person
S O C I E T Y
Christine Geist, Willie Geist
John H. Alschuler, Suri Kasirer
Carlos Menchaca, Scott Millstein, Ritchie J. Torres, Helen Rosenthal
Peter Neger, Claire Goodman Pellegrini Cloud, Ricky Pellegrini, Leslie Goodman
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6. with sufficient drive and passion will make his or her com-
munity a better place for all. Coro is a community of 2,200
alumni across business, government, schools, and non-profits.
The 2015 Civic Builder Award was presented to Suri Kasirer,
the president of Kasirer Consulting, LLC, by MaryAnne
Gilmartin, the president and CEO of Forest City Ratner
Companies. The 2015 Lewis Rudin Award for Civic Leader-
ship was presented to John H. Alschuler, the chairman of
HR&A Advisors, by Carl Weisbrod, the chairman of the
New York City Planning Commission. The Honorable Don-
ald H. Gips, the former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa and
the senior counselor at Albright Stonebridge Group, was pre-
sented with the 2015 Alumni Impact Award by John Stern,
the president of Storm King Art Center. Gips is a member of
the first class of Coro Fellows in New York City (1985). The
2015 Alumni Award for Public Service was presented to the
Honorable Ritchie J. Torres, a New York City Council
Member and a 2004 graduate of Coro’s youth program Ex-
ploring Leadership.
Scott Millstein, the executive director of the Coro New
York Leadership Center, said, “In a city as big as New York,
overflowing with intelligent, driven, and creative individuals, it
can be difficult to have one’s voice rise above the crowd. But
tonight’s honorees have done just that. Thanks to them, 400
community leaders will come to Coro this year to learn how
New York City works so they can make it better.”
Past honorees include Bill Bratton, Diana Taylor, Jona-
than Tisch, Robert M. Morgenthau, Danny Meyer, Marcy
Syms, Wynton Marsalis, and Gael Greene.
Coro New York Leadership Center also recognized post-
humously the contributions to the City by Senator Roy M.
Goodman, and a $250,000 gift from the Committee for
Goodman. Coro will use the funds to establish the Senator
Roy M. Goodman Fund, which will support Coro’s renowned
Fellows Program in Public Affairs, a full-time program that
prepares young professionals for effective, bipartisan, and eth-
ical leadership in the public arena.
We fortify the possibility of the greater common good
when we consider how to best unleash the human spirit to
self actualize and shape a more positive, productive, and fair
society for all.
S O C I E T Y
Donald H. Gips, John Stern
Catherine Engelbert, Chet Wood, Debbie Wood
Hope Dworaczyk Smith, Robert F. Smith
Maria Cornejo, Thomas Tolan, Jessica Pliska
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