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Welcome to the 5th Annual

St. Jude Spirit of Hope

October 5, 2023 | New York, NY

Donate Now Contact Us

 
 

Join us for the Fifth Annual St. Jude Spirit of Hope, the commercial real estate industry's most lively networking and charity event in New York City. We look forward to seeing you on October 5, 2023 as we enjoy a memorable evening filled with samplings from New York City’s best cuisine, craft spirits, live music, and special St. Jude moments alongside fellow supporters to help further advance the mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children.® Everywhere.

All proceeds from this event benefit St. Jude.

Regardless of the duration or the cost of care, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food — so they can focus on helping their child live.

For additional questions on ticketing, sponsorships or volunteer opportunities, connect with Shautae Thompson at shautae.thompson@alsac.stjude.org.

 
 
 
 

We share the breakthroughs we make.

Every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children.

 

St. Jude patient Ivan with his dad

 
 

LOCATION

 
 

Guastavino's
409 E. 59th St.
New York, NY 10022

 

DATE AND TIME

 
 

October 05, 2023
6 – 10 p.m.

 

TICKETS

 
 

More information regarding tickets and sponsorships will be available soon.

 
 

 
 

Special thanks to our committee

Spirit of Hope committee smiles during the event.

Event Co-chairs
Jillian AurrichioJason Kats

Sandra Y. Betterson  •  Rob Braverman  •  Rob Cohen  •  Eric Collichio  •  E.N. Cutler  •  Rebecca Fielding  •  Brenden Donelan  •  Mike Gochman  •  Javier Lezamiz  •  Joshua Goldman  •  Jeff Lange  •  Cassie Homeyer  •  Ken Chang  •  Rob Healey  •  Peter Kesaris  •  Alex Lapidus  •  Andrew Lofredo  •  Helena Loman  •  Richard Miensky  •  Paula Turkowitz  •  Bryan Wachtel  •  Aby Youssef  

Founding Chair
Paul Walker

 
 

Thank you to our 2022 Sponsors

Danny's Dream Sponsors

Columbia Capital logo
 
Himan Brown logo
 
HUB logo
 
Marcum Foundation logo
 
 

  

Gift of Hope Sponsors

CoStar Group logo
 
Solo9W57 logo
 
 

  

Believe in Miracles Sponsors

Braverman Greenspun logo
 
Industrious logo
 
Bentall Green Oak logo
 
SL Green logo
 
Upgrade Services logo
 
wb Wood logo
 
 
 
 

Photos from St. Jude Spirit of Hope - 2022

 
 

Our global impact

Finding cures. Saving children.® Everywhere.

Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since it opened more than 60 years ago.

Despite that progress, four in five children with cancer in low- and middle-income countries will not survive.

The emphasis on the global impact of St. Jude is critical to saving children. We won't stop until no child dies from cancer, no matter where they live.

Flags of St. Jude researchers and doctors hang in a walkway.

Guests walk under flags that represent the countries of St. Jude doctors and researchers.

 
 

Every dollar makes a difference*

 
  1. Platelet count for a St. Jude patient

    Platelet counts are among the tests that doctors use to monitor patient health during treatment.

    Donate $50

  2. One red wagon

    Wagons are the preferred mode of travel through the halls of the hospital and around campus for our younger patients.

    Donate $100

  3. One red blood cell transfusion

    Children undergoing treatment for cancer and other life-threatening diseases often need transfusions.

    Donate $250

  4. One hour of physical therapy

    Physical therapy is provided to patients because children with life-threatening diseases like cancer may develop developmental, cognitive or physical impairments as a result of their illnesses and their treatments.

    Donate $500

  5. Parent necessities for 20 patient families

    Parents who bring their children to St. Jude often leave home in a hurry and forget to pack day-to-day necessities such as shampoos, razors, deodorant, toothbrushes and lotion. At Tri Delta Place, our short-term housing facility, parents can obtain these essentials free of charge.

    Donate $1,000

  6. An ultrasound study for a St. Jude patient

    An ultrasound study is among the diagnostic imaging tests that doctors use to diagnose and monitor disease and treatment.

    Donate $2,500

  7. Daily room rate of the ICU

    The Intensive Care Unit at St. Jude has twice been recognized with the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence given by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. In 2009, the St. Jude ICU became Tennessee’s first ICU to win the honor

    Donate $5,000

  8. Support St. Jude patients and their families

    Your donation will be used to provide breakthrough research, treatment and cures as you join St. Jude in its livesaving mission: Finding cures. Saving children.®

    Donate Any Amount

 

* Your donation will be used to provide breakthrough research, treatment and cures. Items listed here are representative of services and supplies that are part of the treatment and care of children at St. Jude. The cost of each item or service is an approximation, and will vary based on actual costs incurred and individual patient needs. Your donation will be used for the general operating needs of St. Jude, where no family ever receives a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food.

 
 

Get connected

 
 

Contact us directly to get involved and find ways to connect. You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to stay up-to-date about the exciting events in the Tri-State area.

New York, New York (Tri-State area)
220 East 42nd St.
Suite 435
New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 379-1600 | (800) 526-9542

Email your St. Jude New York Team

 
 
 
 
 

Other ways you can get involved:

Jillian Aurrichio

Jillian has been on the St. Jude Spirit of Hope Committee since 2020. She is excited to be taking over this year as a 2023 co-chair. Having had cancer in her immediate and extended family, she is committed to raising funds that allow St. Jude to do what they do best – providing resources and support needed during such a difficult time. She hopes that this will be a banner fundraising year.

During the work week, Jillian is an Account Executive at Innovant. With over 12 years of experience in the contract furniture industry - 9 of which are at Innovant - Jillian’s knowledge of the industry alongside her ability to work with speed and efficiency make her an asset to any team. Jillian works closely with designers, project managers and dealer partners to ensure that Innovant’s solutions offer a seamless integration with existing furniture portfolios, and ultimately facilitate exceptional installations and absolute client satisfaction.

Outside of work, Jillian enjoys traveling the world. She is fluent in Italian and loves experiencing European countries as much as possible. She is also an avid soul cycler and loves to work out in competitive environments. When she finds herself with some free time, she loves to spend time with friends and her cat, Harper Blue.

Jason Kats

Jason is a builder with over 15 years of experience in the real estate industry. After graduating from college in Upstate New York, Jason moved straight to Manhattan to get to work learning the ins and outs of the business. He specializes in the production of multifamily and mixed-use buildings in the New York metro area as well as the construction of residential and nonprofit buildings in the New England countryside north of the city. Hobbies include reading, writing, traveling, and attending Burning Man annually; this summer will be his tenth time in the desert! He can oftentimes be seen sitting behind the plate at Yankees home games in the Bronx. Jason is a founding member of the St. Jude Spirit of Hope committee; this will be his fifth consecutive year on the team.

Mike Gochman

Mike is a 30-year commercial real estate professional with broad industry relationships and deep market knowledge, exclusively representing quality landlords and tenants across multiple industries. In addition, he is a successful flex office industry entrepreneur and is currently working on an exciting new project. You are likely to find him in one of New York City’s many popular music & entertainment venues. This is Mike’s 4th year supporting this event for St. Jude Hospital

Rebecca Fielding

Born and raised in Washington DC, Rebecca pursued her interest in the built environment at the University of Pittsburgh and holds degrees in Urban Studies and English Literature. After moving to New York City, she initially became a workplace strategist. However, she has found her true calling on the business development team, where she excels at building powerful networks and pursuing exciting construction projects. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys traveling, reading, and trying out different workout classes, with a current obsession with Orange Theory.

Peter Kesaris

With more than 8 years of experience in the commercial furniture industry, Peter is a self-proclaimed furniture-nerd. He specializes in corporate office fit outs and has worked with many clients in the creative and tech industry. Outside of work you can find Peter enjoying some of the city's best food or just hanging at home with his two cats.

Ron Cohen

Ron oversees the investment sales team, and is responsible for revenue, business development, and talent management. He joined Besen Partners in 2003 as an Investment Sales Associate. In 2008, Ron added the role of Chief Marketing Officer and was also charged with working with the sales team to grow the number of exclusive assignments. In 2016, he was appointed Chief Sales Officer to fully focus on growing revenue and leading the sales team.

As a broker, Ron has sold multifamily, mixed use and development properties throughout various neighborhoods of Manhattan, Brooklyn and The Bronx. Prior to entering commercial real estate, Ron spent a decade as an account management professional in the advertising business. His last role in the industry was Vice President/Group Account Director at D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles (DMB&B). Ron is an active member of the New York real estate community in a number of leadership roles. He is a member of the Real Estate Executives division of UJA (REX), Israel Bonds Real Estate Builders & Allied Industries division, and a former Chairman of the Young Mortgage Bankers Association (YMBA).

In addition to participation on the St. Jude Spirit of Hope Committee, Ron is a supporter of charitable causes including Food Bank of New York, Feed The Children, UNICEF and Covenant House. He graduated from the State University of New York at Oneonta, and also holds an MBA in Marketing/International Business from Fordham University Graduate School of Business.

Andrew Lofredo

Andrew Lofredo is the founder and CEO of CRE Vertical Advisors, which provides comprehensive commercial real estate asset management and advisory services to family offices and private investors. As a born and raised New Yorker with nearly three decades of real estate experience, Andrew is proud to be part of this event and the New York Real Estate Community that has so generously supported the lifesaving mission of St Jude. Outside of work, Andrew will be in one of three places, with his family, in his garage gym, or at the park with his mutts.

Alex Lapidus

Alex Lapidus has nearly 10 years of experience in real estate finance, joining Cushman & Wakefield’s Equity, Debt & Structured Finance team in 2013. Alex has always been passionate about giving back to her community – from charity lemonade stands as a young kid to team captain for The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in college.

In addition to her commitment to St. Jude, she currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Junior Board of Spark Youth, a charitable organization that funds and supports emerging programs for New York City’s underprivileged youth. Alex also serves on the Advisory Council of Lehigh University’s Goodman Center for Real Estate and has served numerous years as team captain for Cycle for Survival, on behalf of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Alex is a huge fan of music, all things food, and most importantly her four-legged son Jackson (oh and her husband Evan, too).

Bryan Wachtel

Bryan Wachtel serves as an Account Executive of Strategic Accounts for Milrose Consultants, a national leader in the field of building code consulting and municipal permitting. While managing the portfolio of the firm’s national accounts, he is the key point of contact for projects and enjoys pushing for the ultimate client experience. Prior to St. Jude’s, Bryan has dedicated time to other charitable organizations such as Special Olympics, March of Dimes, JDRF, and St. Francis Food Pantries.

Outside the office, he finds a few extra hours to coach baseball locally on Long Island and plays a few rounds of golf throughout the year. Additionally, if you ever need a new pizza spot, he enjoys keeping a running list of his favorite restaurants throughout the city.

Paula Turkowitz

Paula Turkowitz is an optimistic and enthusiastic sales professional with over 25 years of experience in sales. She is skilled at developing the right action plan for each of her client's unique needs and committed to helping them choose the best products. Throughout her career, Paula has earned the trust of several national companies and maintained strong client relationships that generate repeat business. She attributes her success to her ability to listen to customers and put their needs first. Outside of work, Paula enjoys spending time with her family and traveling to her hometown of Medellin, Colombia.

Joshua Goldman

Josh is a 40-year veteran of the commercial real estate industry. He is a graduate of Ithaca College. He's worked at Lansco, George Comfort & Sons, Loeb Partners Realty, Cushman & Wakefield, and Avison Young (Senior Director ). Josh is also a supporter of Hudson River Community Sailing and St. Jude.

Robert Braverman

Robert Braverman is a Principal and Managing Partner at Braverman Greenspun, a boutique law firm and industry leader representing New York City co-ops and condominiums. Since becoming the firm’s managing partner in 1995, the firm has grown from a father-son practice, started by Rob’s father, Ed, to a firm of over 20 talented and energetic attorneys with a culture that promotes the highest standards of teamwork, collaboration, and an extraordinary level of responsiveness to clients. Rob is an author and frequent speaker on issues involving cooperative and condominium law and is regularly quoted in both cooperative and condominium trade publications and the mainstream press.

In addition to being a four-year member of the St. Jude Spirit of Hope Planning Committee, Rob is also an Honorary Board member of STRIDE Adaptive Sports. This nonprofit organization provides over 8,000 adaptive sport and recreation lessons each year to individuals with disabilities, focusing on youth and Wounded Warriors. Rob is an avid skier and sailor.

Sandra Betterson

Sandra Betterson is committed and passionate about her efforts to engage with and enhance the lives of others. The values ingrained in her she credits to her parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents growing up first in the Low Country of South Carolina and then the High Hills of The Bronx, New York. Her years of experience in Human Resources and as General Manager with a multi-million dollar portfolio; globally diverse accessories company and now in her role as a Risk Manager/Financial Consultant allow her to continue in her quest to make a positive and sustainable impact when engaging with individuals, families, businesses, and the community at large. She is humbled, honored and grateful for the opportunity to be a member of the St. Jude Spirit of Hope Committee.

A Syracuse University Alum (Go Orange!) college basketball is a favorite; raised just a stone’s throw from the “Ballpark in the Bronx,” the NY Yankees are a must and the Fugues of Bach are her touchstone.

Richard Miensky

Richard specializes in residential and commercial real estate sales & leasing. He is intimately knowledgeable about the New York City landscape and has an extensive awareness of product availabilities. With his pulse on market dynamics and trends he brings tremendous value to his clientele. As one of the committee’s youngest members, Richard hopes to make an enduring impact for the event and in turn St. Jude Hospital. On his days off from work, he enjoys working.

Cassie Homey

Cassie is originally from St. Louis and has lived in NYC for 7 years. She is a Business Development manager at Highland Associates and is passionate about helping great organizations such as St. Jude through her network and client relationships in the real estate industry. In her free time she enjoys walking her two French Bulldogs with her husband around their neighborhood in Battery Park and watching St. Louis Cardinals baseball games.

Eric Collichio

Eric Collichio has served as an active member of the telecommunications community for over fifteen years. He has enjoyed the opportunity to lend his expertise on some of the largest construction projects in Manhattan and across the US. Meeting new people and experiencing different cultures and ideas is something Eric thoroughly enjoys. His hobbies include basketball, baseball, writing, and traveling.

Rob helps leading designers achieve their design intent with exciting new architectural materials. He has collaborated on numerous notable and many award-winning projects. Rob has been an active member on the ST. Jude Spirit of Hope Committee since 2020.

Aby Youssef

Aby (or Abe) is a project superintendent who builds commercial fit-outs throughout Manhattan. Originally from Boston and now residing in SoHo for the past 6 years, you can always find him out and about with friends and colleagues every other night. He fills his time currently receiving a Masters in Real Estate at Fordham University, training for the Boston Marathon, taking spontaneous weekend getaways to the Caribbean islands, sipping specials on the beach, and hanging out with his beloved family between Cape Cod and the Mediterranean Sea.

If you want to spend time with this guy, you will need to call and schedule as he can be a last-minute change-up… just kidding… Anyways, he loves being part of the St Judes Committee, meeting people and serving the community!

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