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2019 Gala for the Children

Each year, our Gala for the Children brings together APCH’s long-standing supporters as well as new friends to celebrate our youth and raise funds to support the organization’s critical work.

It is a fun and meaningful evening dedicated to understanding our mission, meeting our young people, enjoying APCH music and dance, and sharing the company of our Board of Directors and fellow investors in the lives of the youth and families we serve.

This year, we honored Johnny Lopez, Founding Partner of Platinum Equity, with the Debrah Constance Humanitarian Award, and Damon Wolf, President of Worldwide Marketing for Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, with the Children’s Inspiration Award.

November 19, 2019
Beverly Hilton Hotel
9876 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA

5:30 pm Gala Cocktail Reception and Silent Auction
7:00 pm Dinner, Awards, and Entertainment

2019 HONOREES

Johnny Lopez
Founding Partner, Platinum Equity
Debrah Constance Humanitarian Award

More about Mr. Lopez

Johnny Lopez is a founding partner of Platinum Equity and remains instrumental to the firm’s ongoing evolution. He helped to develop Platinum’s trademark M&A&O strategy and continues to work with Platinum’s M&A executives to ensure its successful execution. He is a member of Platinum’s Investment Committee and is involved in the firm’s global business efforts.

Mr. Lopez has led the teams on many of Platinum’s most notable transactions and has worked as one of Platinum’s ambassadors throughout the European continent since 2001.

In 2014, Mr. Lopez was responsible for the firm’s first Australian acquisition where he worked to acquire a 70% stake in Sensis. Headquartered in Melbourne, Sensis is Australia’s leading print and online directory and digital advertising services provider.

Since the firm’s founding, Johnny’s contributions to Platinum’s mission, principles, and culture have been important factors in the firm’s extraordinary teamwork, tenacity, work ethic and success.

He is most proud of his loving family. Together with his wife Lisa, they enthusiastically share in the raising of their four children, Isabella, Gianna, Sabrina and Augustin. They feel blessed to have been introduced to APCH through Marymount High School and Sister Patricia Connor, RSHM, who sits on the board of directors and has been involved with APCH for more than two decades.

Johnny and Lisa and their family have been part of the APCH family for several years as supporters and volunteers and we are pleased and proud to be honoring Johnny with the 2019 Debrah Constance Humanitarian Award.

Damon Wolf
President of Worldwide Marketing, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group
Children’s Inspiration Award

More about Mr. Wolf

Damon Wolf is President of Worldwide Marketing for the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, where he leads all aspects of motion picture marketing including worldwide creative advertising, research, paid and earned media, communications, global digital strategy, creative content, in-theater marketing, partnerships, promotions, and consumer products.

As a global content leader, Wolf has overseen campaigns for box office hits ranging from Tyler Perry’s A Madea’s Family Funeral to global sensation John Wick: Chapter 3: Parabellum, among others. He is currently leading worldwide campaigns for a diverse slate of films including Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo: Last Blood, Roland Emmerich’s epic WW2 action film Midway, Rian Johnson’s all-star ensemble Knives Out, Jay Roach’s Bombshell, written by Charles Randolph, starring Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie, and in 2020, the sequel to The Hitman’s Bodyguard, starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson and Salma Hayek, among others.

Wolf joined Lionsgate from TriStar Pictures and Screen Gems where he was Co-Head of Marketing working on successes including Baby Driver, Don’t Breathe, The Perfect Guy, Resident Evil, Underworld, All the Money in the World and Trainspotting 2, among other hits.

Throughout his career, Wolf has been an innovator and entrepreneur, successfully launching two marketing agencies, including Crew Creative Advertising and the fandom genomics strategy firm Fanthropology. He has worked on some of the biggest cultural events in film and television including The Harry Potter Franchise, The Matrix Trilogy, The Saw films, The Twilight Franchise, Tyler Perry’s branded films, as well as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Identity Thief, Meet the Fockers, Bridesmaids, and HBO’s The Sopranos, The Wire and Game of Thrones. In addition, Wolf oversaw marketing campaigns for MGM Grand Hotels Worldwide and Discovery Communications, and was a producer of the Broadway musical Legally Blonde.

Wolf resides in Los Angeles with his two sons Max and Sammy and at every opportunity enjoys weekend escapes to his New Orleans French Quarter home, bringing many Los Angeles friends to the great city he loves.

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

Amber Riley
Actress and singer

More about Ms. Riley

Actress and singer Amber Riley is best known for her role as ‘Mercedes Jones’ in the Golden Globe Award-winning musical comedy, “Glee.” She costarred in the film “Nobody’s Fool” alongside stars Tiffany Haddish, Tika Sumpter, Omari Hardwick, and Whoopi Goldberg. Riley spent a year playing the iconic role “Effie White” in the West End production of “Dreamgirls” in London. The production marked the UK premiere of the award-winning production. Riley won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance. In 2013, she won season 17 of ABC’s hit competition series “Dancing with the Stars” alongside her partner Derek Hough. She also starred amongst the likes of superstars like Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige and newcomer Shanice Williams as Addaperle, the Good Witch of the North, in NBC’s live production of “The Wiz.” In November 2012, she made her New York stage debut to rave reviews in New York City Center’s Duke Ellington’s Cotton Club Parade. Other theater credits include: Alice in WonderlandA Midsummer Night’s DreamInto the Woods and Mystery on the Docks with the Los Angeles Opera. She recently appeared on ABC’s “Little Mermaid Live” as a new character “Emcee”, which was created for her.

Ms. Riley is a longtime friend to APCH, a previous APCH GirlPower honoree, and has worked with our young musicians in the recording studio. We are so happy that she could join us!

The night began with a cocktail party and extensive silent auction that included fantastic, once in a lifetime experiences, trips, rare wines, sports tickets, artwork, jewelry, and more.

Once seated, guests were treated to stories from our APCH youth and families, dance and music from our youth, and heartfelt remarks from our Board Chair, Executive Director and honorees.

Another big thank you to our sponsors

ANGELS OF THE CHILDREN

Tom Gores Family Foundation

PATRONS OF THE CHILDREN

Aurora Vitar
Bob and Gail Israel
Centropolis
Damon Wolf
Delta Air Lines
Drissi Advertising
Hidden Empire Film Group
Howard and Stephanie Sherwood
Jan and Steve Winston
LA
LIONSGATE
Street Entertainment
Trailer Park

SPONSORS OF THE CHILDREN

AV Squad, LP
Barbara Glazer
BOND
Concept Arts Inc.
David Sameth
Heart Sleeve Creative
Katerndahl Family
Lithographix, Inc.
Media Rights Capital
MOCEAN
MOTIVE CREATIVE
Operam
Percival & Associates
Picturehead
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Susan Napier

SUPPORTERS OF THE CHILDREN

Big Picture Entertainment
Bluescape
Buddha Jones
Create Advertising
Credit Suisse
Debrah Constance
Facebook
Gareth and Jen Schweitzer
Gerber & Co. | RVW Wealth
Google
Ignition Creative
iSpot.tv
Johnny and Lisa Lopez
Leroy & Rose
Lewis Family
Louise Hamagami and Marc Shmuger
MarketCast
Marshall Wax
Maryellen Zarakas
Michael and Kathryn Converse
Michelle Raimo Kouyate
Mob Scene
Murphy Family
Open Road
OUTFRONT Media
Project X|AV
Reilly Family
Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary
Rita Tuzon
Screen Engine/ASI
Seismic Productions
Sid Lee
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Starcom
Tadin Herb and Tea Company
The Post Group
The Refinery
The Walt Disney Company
U.S. Bank
Variety the Children’s Charity of Southern California
Walt Disney Television/ ABC
Wild Card Media LLC
Workshop Creative

FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN

Adstream
Advanced Digital Services, Inc.
Allied Global Marketing
Cold Open
Creative Artists Agency
David J. Aroesty, MD
Eclipse
Elizabeth and Jim Burgess
Elzer & Associates
Gensler
Houlihan Lokey
Los Angeles Distribution & Broadcasting, Inc.
Mary Kutsenda
MediaQurator
Millennium Media
MOELIS & COMPANY
Pardis and Sherry Nasseri
Smitty and Gail Smith
Stroyke Properties
Susan Wolf and Marcus Ryle
Vision and Sound TV

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