Partner Content
Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation’s Aspire Gala
March 16, 2024
5–11 p.m.
Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel
Talk about a fan base. Some 750 folks—outfitted in the event’s requested black-and-white semiformal attire—turned out for the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation’s annual Aspire Gala.
Not only were they there to celebrate the shindig’s 20th year, but to mingle with around 60 sports celebrities. Chief among them was the evening’s honoree, MLB Hall of Famer Derek Jeter. In fact, a line of guests snaked down a long hallway (and partially through the hotel’s mezzanine) to get a photo with Jeter alongside the foundation’s two co-founders—and always the major draws—fellow Hall of Famer, Cal Ripken, Jr. and his brother, former MLB player, Bill Ripken.
After the cocktail hour, attendees filtered into the hotel ballroom for further festivities, dinner, and a performance by The Pointer Sisters. The gala garnered about $2.3 million for the nonprofit, which helps some 1.4 million underserved youth and communities across the U.S.
Left to right: Trina Gallman, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) public and community engagement consultant; Shauna Anderson, Eli Lilly senior business director; Jeannette Mills, Ripken Foundation board member/TVA executive vice president and chief external relations officer; Althea Jones, VA senior manager for public community engagement; Jacqueline Colkley, Maryland Higher Education Commission associate director
Left to right: Brina Massi Eades, DLA Piper staff attorney; Kevin Eades, Snyder Kearney attorney; Tollie Miller, retired T. Rowe Price director of organization development; Bradie Barr, Ripken Foundation board member/retired Transamerica Stable Value Solutions president
Left to right: Bruce Laird, former Baltimore Colt/event VIP; Mary Laird, Coldwell Banker realtor
Left to right: Tiffany Bohatec, stay-at-home mom; John Maroon, Maroon PR owner; Laurie Ward, Hood College vice president of marketing
Some guests came armed with photo albums, asking some of the evening’s VIPs—like Andre Dawson, Hall of Fame Major League Baseball player—to add their autographs.
Left to right: Helen Hnarakis, FAA program analyst; Doug Creek, retired MLB player/event VIP; Tony Saunders, former MLB player/event VIP; Christine Saunders, Compass realtor
Left to right: PJ Mitchell, retired IBM vice president; Tony Nicotra, Truist Bank vice president; Betsy Robinson, Betsy Robinson’s Bridal Collection former owner
Left to right: Tracy Bacon, Wellpoint provider experience manager; Jonathon Mills, Bob Lucido Team real estate agent; Alan Bacon, Keller Williams Bob Lucido Team real estate operations manager; Jan Stenerud, Hall of Fame former National Football League player/event VIP
Left to right: Joseph Zajdel, First National Bank business banking team leader; Lisa Zajdel, HWK Law Group/Lawyers Express Title director of operations
Left to right: Thomas Brasuell, Roberto Clemente Foundation president; Monica Garay, U.S. Congress legislative director
Left to right: Cal Ripken, Jr., Ripken Foundation co-founder; Derek Jeter, event honoree; Bill Ripkin, Ripken Foundation co-founder
Left to right: Kim Davis, stay-at-home mom; Madhvi Shukla, Weller Development commercial real estate developer
The party’s requested attire was “semi-formal, black and white only.” With most guests clad in the former, Davis and Shukla stood out in their all-white outfits in the sea of black.
This was the first time in three years that Davis had worn her wedding rehearsal dinner white jumpsuit. To keep with the color scheme, Shukla paid a visit to Anthropologie to find her white boho frock. The reason behind the color choice? “When else am I ever going to wear an all-white outfit?” said Davis.
