GLOBAL’s AcceptAbility Gala
About the AcceptAbility Gala
GLOBAL’s annual AcceptAbility Gala brings together policymakers from both sides of the aisle, key scientists from NIH, and our Down syndrome community. Together, our advocacy efforts have increased the NIH Down syndrome research and medical care budget by $258 million over the last five years! The AcceptAbility Gala is an opportunity to celebrate our success, especially major new federal research funding increases after years of being one of the least funded genetic conditions. We honor our Ambassador family, two Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Awardees, and the Rosa DeLauro and Tom Cole GLOBAL Advancement Awardees.
Thank You to Our Supporters
2024 HONORARY CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE | ||||
Rep. Pete Aguilar Rep. Don Bacon Rep. Troy Balderson Rep. Nanette Barragán Rep. Stephanie Bice Rep. Gus Bilirakis Senator Marsha Blackburn Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester Senator Katie Britt Senator Sherrod Brown Rep. Shontel Brown Rep. Julia Brownley Rep. Larry Bucshon Rep. Kat Cammack Senator Shelley Capito Senator Ben Cardin Rep. Buddy Carter Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer Rep. Emanuel Cleaver Rep. James Clyburn Rep. Gerry Connolly Rep. Jason Crow Rep. Diana DeGette Rep. Jenniffer González-Colón Rep. Mark DeSaulnier |
Rep. Debbie Dingell Rep. Neal Dunn Rep. Lois Frankel Rep. Virginia Foxx Rep. John Garamendi Rep. Andrew Garbarino Rep. Robert Garcia Rep. Sylvia Garcia Rep. Jimmy Gomez Rep. Michael Guest Rep. Brett Guthrie Rep. Jahana Hayes Senator Maggie Hassan Senator Chris Van Hollen Rep. Richard Hudson Rep. Glenn Ivey Rep. Hank Johnson Rep. John Joyce Rep. Jen Kiggans Senator Amy Klobuchar Rep. Young Kim Rep. Rick Larsen Rep. Susie Lee Rep. Mike Levin Rep. Ted Lieu |
Rep. Morgan Luttrell Senator Joe Manchin Senator Ed Markey Senator Roger Marshall Rep. Thomas Massie Rep. Doris Matsui Rep. Lucy McBath Rep. Gregory Meeks Rep. Grace Meng Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks Rep. Marc Molinaro Rep. Jared Moskowitz Rep. Seth Moulton Senator Markwayne Mullin Senator Lisa Murkowski Senator Chris Murphy Senator Patty Murray Rep. Jay Obernolte Rep. Bill Pascrell Rep. Scott Peters Rep. Brittany Pettersen Rep. Katie Porter Rep. Amata Radewagen Rep. Delia Ramirez Rep. Jamie Raskin |
Rep. Mike Rogers Rep. John Rutherford House Majority Leader Steve Scalise Rep. Bradley Schneider Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer Senator Kyrsten Sinema Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith Rep. Abigail Spanberger Rep. Dale Strong Rep. Dina Titus Rep. Jill Tokuda Rep. Paul Tonko Rep. Norma J. Torres Rep. David Trone Rep. Juan Vargas Rep. Marc Veasey Senator Mark Warner Senator Elizabeth Warren Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz Rep. Maxine Waters Senator Roger Wicker |
2024 GALA CHAIRS | ||
Julie Riccio Director, Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy, PwC |
Amy Best Weiss Executive VP, Global Government Affairs, American Express |
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2024 GALA COMMITTEE | ||
Jan Adams Founder & CEO, JMA Solutions |
Natalie Farr Harrison SVP Government Relations, Avoq |
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Cory Alexander Strategic Advisor, UnitedHealth Group |
Erin Book Mullen Principal, Williams & Jensen, PLLC |
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John Ashbrook Founding Partner, Cavalry LLC |
Matthew Perin Head of Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs, Kroger |
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Kevin Brennan Principal, Bluebird Strategies |
Cliff Riccio Senior Vice President & Chief, Government Relations, NCTA |
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Emilie Eager Communications Consultant |
Frank Stephens Author, Actor, and Advocate |
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David Egan Author, Advocate, & Speaker |
Salo Zelermyer Vice President for Federal Affairs and Counsel, Valero |
2024 TABLE SPONSORS | |||
PLATINUM
The Mullen Family GOLD American Express |
SILVER
Anna & John J. Sie Foundation
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TOP BILLBOARD
AdvaMed |
Koch Industries Mastercard Merck Natalie & Guy Harrison Narrative Strategies Targeted Victory Valero Visa The Whitten Family |
2024 LIVE AUCTION DONORS | ||
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP Carlo Tamburro |
Jan Adams Elite Island Resorts |
Robin & Josh Shultz The Whitten Family |
About Global Down Syndrome Foundation
The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. GLOBAL has donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute supporting over 400 scientists and over 2,200 patients with Down syndrome from 33 states and 10 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, GLOBAL is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and medical care. GLOBAL has a membership of over 120 Down syndrome organizations worldwide and is part of a network of Affiliates – the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center – all on the Anschutz Medical Campus.
GLOBAL’s widely circulated medical publications include GLOBAL Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome, Prenatal Testing and Information about Down Syndrome, and the award-winning Down Syndrome WorldTM magazine. GLOBAL also organizes the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world. Visit globaldownsyndrome.org and follow us on social media (Facebook & Twitter: @GDSFoundation, Instagram: @globaldownsyndrome).
By registering, attending, or viewing at any time the Global Down Syndrome Foundation’s (the “Foundation”) AcceptAbility Gala event, or any reproductions, derivate works, or related content thereof (the “Event”), you agree to be bound by the following terms. You agree that the Event may contain copyrighted, trademarked or proprietary information or content protected by intellectual property or other laws. You agree to not instigate, maintain, or authorize any action, claim, or lawsuit against the Foundation, or any other person, on the grounds that the Event infringes any intellectual property rights or related laws. The Foundation does not make any express or implied warranties, endorsements, or representations whatsoever as to the Event or its content. You agree that the Foundation shall in no event be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or exemplary damages arising directly or indirectly from the Event. You hereby grant the Fountain the right to record, film, live stream, photograph, or capture your likeness in any media in connection with the Event and to distribute, broadcast, or use such media without any further approval by or compensation to you. You agree to not record, rebroadcast, repost, retransmit, or reproduce the Event, any of its content, or any portion thereof without the express written permission of the Foundation. Any public sharing, redistribution, or reproduction of the Event or any portion thereof in any form is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the Foundation. The Foundation intends to pursue any and all remedies available to it under law or equity in response to any breach of these terms.
2025 GALA
ROSA DELAURO AND TOM COLE GLOBAL ADVANCEMENT AWARDS
2024 HIGHLIGHTS
2024 HONOREES
2024 CONGRESSIONAL HOSTS
EXCLUSIVE ENTERTAINMENT
ACCEPTABILITY GALA MEDIA
Press Contact:
Shawn Flaherty
Email: shawn_flaherty@creativestratpr.com
Cell: 703-554-3609
Anca Elena Call
Email: acall@globaldownsyndrome.org
Cell: 720-320-3832
CELEBS AND CONGRESS STEP UP FOR PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME IN DC!