A Bacara Bash

To the Ritz-Carlton Bacara for the American Cancer Society’s annual Riviera Gala “Where Hope Grows,” which hosted 150 guests and raised around $200,000.

The bustling bash was emceed by David Moorman, with a welcome from Greater Los Angeles board member Adam Lopez, and 2024 corporate chair Karina Kulangara – a scientist with Agilent Technologies, who holds a degree in Immunology and Pathology from Geneva University, Switzerland. 

Dr. Meghan Morrissey, an assistant professor at UCSB, was recipient of the American Cancer Society’s prestigious Trailblazer Award, recognizing her research in using a quantitative understanding of macrophage cell biology to inform cancer immunotherapy.

Her creative approach fuses cell and synthetic biology to uncover basic principles of macrophage signaling with an eye to designing new therapeutics.

Veronica Corona – a member of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce and a Greater L.A. board member – was honorary speaker, while auctioneer Chuck Dukas sold off lots including an escape to Trailhead Lodge in Colorado, a Fiji vacation, and tickets for next year’s French Open tennis at Roland Garros in Paris.

At the conclusion of the fun fête guests danced the night away to Area 51.

Among the supporters were Mayor Randy Rowse, Gretchen Lieff, Fred Kass, Janet Garufis, Oscar Gutierrez, Stephanie Petlow, Tim Martinez, Joe Garcia, Claudia Lash, Edgar Gascon, Kieran Shah, and Kristen Miller.