The Event

Join us for the hospital’s biennial gala at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on October 8, 2022. The Gala pays tribute to our courageous children and the exceptional physicians, researchers, and caregivers who change lives through the spark of discovery and the healing power of compassion.

Transforming the remarkable setting of Barker Hangar into an exciting atmosphere with premier entertainment and delicious cuisine, the night is a tribute worthy of one of the best children’s hospitals in the nation.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles creates hope and builds healthier futures for children and families all over Southern California and beyond. At our hospital, every aspect of the health care experience is kid-focused, and families heal together while bravely facing the challenges of illness and injury. Your support allows us to provide the critical treatments that help save young lives today while we work with breakthrough therapies that will save and improve the lives of children tomorrow.

Courage to Care Award Honorees

At each CHLA Gala, we present our Courage to Care Award to those who are champions of children and children-related causes and are recognized for their outstanding humanitarian efforts. Coming from varied backgrounds and industries, they share a common bond through their participation in philanthropy, volunteerism, and advocacy to improve the welfare of children worldwide.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is honored to present the 2022 Courage to Care Award to Panda Express and Kristin and Jeffrey Worthe.

Founded by co-CEOs Andrew and Peggy Cherng in 1983, Panda Express is the largest Asian dining concept in the U.S. and the largest American Chinese concept in the world, with more than 50,000 associates and over 2,400 locations in over 12 countries. On a mission to inspire better lives, Panda Express is more than a pioneer in American Chinese cuisine; it is a people-development company that embraces family values and focuses on professional and personal growth of its associates, as well as the well-being of its extended family in the larger community.
From the iconic Original Orange Chicken® recipe to the health-forward Wok Smart™ selections, Panda Express’ American Chinese cuisine offers exciting dishes rooted in authentic Chinese flavor origins, married with American ingredients and sensibility. Committed to operational excellence and quality from kitchen to chopstick, Panda Express runs on endless passion, original thinking and innate grit. The associates at Panda Express say, ‘WOK ON.’

The Panda Express that guests know and love today was built over the years with support and partnership from the communities it serves. Dedicated to paying it forward, Panda associates foster the spirit of giving in stores with every donation bell rung and in our communities with every volunteer event held. Powered by a global family of associates, the company’s philanthropic arm, Panda Cares, has contributed more than $282 million and countless volunteer hours to various charitable organizations since 1999. Panda Cares’ focus on supporting the health and education of youth—touching the lives of more than 13 million to date—as well as the company’s Los Angeles roots have made Panda an invaluable partner to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles for more than two decades. More than $21 million has been raised for the hospital through Panda Cares, and in 2020, the foundation pledged another $20 million to create the Panda Cares Center of Hope at CHLA to support services that provide compassionate, healing care to patients and families. In addition, Panda Express is a top fundraiser for the hospital’s annual Make March Matter campaign, which aims to raise $1 million with the help of local businesses and community members.

In 2021, Panda Express established the Panda CommUnity Fund — a five-year $10 million community investment and response program that supports immediate and sustainable solutions from national and local organizations to uplift diverse groups, including people of color and other marginalized communities.

 
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Kristin and Jeffrey Worthe

Kristin and Jeff Worthe are longstanding supporters of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. They were instrumental in the Living Proof campaign to support the hospital’s expansion and were founding members of the Children’s Fund 100. They both served on the hospital’s former Heart Institute campaign committee.

Jeff’s involvement with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles spans more than 18 years as a Board leader and includes chairing the Construction Planning Committee for the state-of-the-art Marion and John E. Anderson Pavilion, which opened in 2011; advocating for federal and state reimbursement strategies; chairing the Finance and Audit Committees; and playing an instrumental role in real estate planning and development for the hospital. He currently serves on the CHLA Foundation Board of Trustees. Most recently, Jeff served as Chair of the Board of Directors, a role he assumed at a pivotal time for the institution.

Kristin is the founder of The Prism Way, a non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of justice-impacted persons both during and after release from prison. Jeff is Founder and President of Worthe Real Estate Group, a Santa Monica-based commercial real estate company.

Kristin and Jeff are active with a wide variety of charities in Los Angeles and abroad.

 
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Gala Tickets

To purchase tables or tickets, please contact Michael Sandler at 323.361.1744 or msandler@chla.usc.edu.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is committed to maintaining a healthy and safe environment for our events and prioritizes the well-being of the community. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and follow the guidance of government entities. The format and admission requirements may change based on the latest health recommendations and will be communicated to you prior to the event. Thank you for your support of CHLA.

Become a Sponsor

For details on sponsorship opportunities contact Michael Sandler at 323.240.4935 or msandler@chla.usc.edu.

Mission Ambassadors

Leo Mascarenhas, MD, MS

Leo Mascarenhas, MD, MS is the Deputy Director of the Cancer and Blood Disease Institute and the Section Head of Oncology within the Division of Hematology-Oncology at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). Dr. Mascarenhas is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California and an attending oncologist in the Division of Hematology-Oncology at CHLA where he holds the Associate’s Sarcoma Program Endowed Chair and is the Director of the Sarcoma and Solid Tumor Program.

Dr. Mascarenhas is an internationally recognized expert in pediatric bone and soft tissue tumors. His research focus is on clinical trials for sarcomas in pediatrics, adolescents and young adults, as well as developmental therapeutics for pediatric solid tumors and he is considered a thought leader in the field. He is the Principal Investigator of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) funded Children’s Oncology Group (COG) and successfully competed for the NCI’s Pediatric Early Phase Clinical Trials Network bringing CHLA into the consortium. He is the Elected Chair of the Voting Body of COG and also serves as a member of the Bone Sarcoma and Soft Tissue Sarcoma Scientific Steering Committees of COG.

Dr. Mascarenhas is committed to education and has mentored several residents, fellows and junior faculty both at CHLA and other institutions. He has been recognized by the CHLA general pediatric residents with the Philip E. Rothman Award for outstanding teaching, guidance and inspiration and by the hematology/oncology fellows with the inaugural Walter Laug Award for inspirational teaching and guidance. He has lectured at the Biannual Board Review Course of the American Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (ASPHO) and recently completed his second term on the Board of Directors of ASPHO. Dr. Mascarenhas is an invited speaker at several national and international scientific meetings and has over 95 peer reviewed publications. He serves as a medical consultant on the Pediatric Subcommittee of the Oncology Drug Advisory Committee of the FDA.

Dr. Mascarenhas is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in General Pediatrics and Hematology/Oncology. He has received several teaching and mentoring awards and has been continuously recognized by Best Doctors in America ®, Pasadena and Los Angeles Top Doctors, Southern California Super Doctors and Marquis Who’s Who. Dr. Mascarenhas joined Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in 1995 for his fellowship and has been on the USC faculty since 2001. Dr. Mascarenhas received a bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph’s College of Arts and Science and a medical degree from St. John’s Medical College, both in Bangalore, India. He received his master’s degree in clinical and biomedical investigations from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California.

 
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James Eric Stein, MD, MSc, FACS, FAAP

James Eric Stein, MD, MSc, FACS, FAAP, is Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, a role he assumed 2017. Prior to this in 2011, Dr. Stein assumed the role of Chief Medical Quality Officer, with enterprise-wide oversight of quality improvement and safety and added the role of Associate Chief of Surgery. In these roles he had oversight of the ambulatory surgery center, integration of ambulatory surgical clinics, and surgical performance improvement. Dr. Stein sits on the Safety, Quality, and Service Committee for the Board of Trustees at CHLA.

Dr. Stein has years of demonstrated leadership and dedicated service to CHLA, excelling as a clinician, teacher, and leader. He joined the Division of Pediatric Surgery at CHLA and the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in 1996 where he currently serves as a Professor of Clinical Surgery. From July 2004 until January 2005, he served as the interim Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery at CHLA. He then served as Associate Chief of the Department of Surgery and Associate Director of the Pediatric Surgery Residency Program. Dr. Stein has had oversight of numerous projects, including; integration of the EMR in surgical areas, Econsent, inpatient redesign to optimize patient experience and high quality value-based care, the hospital quality strategic plan, faculty engagement, leadership development program, and USNWR reporting and continued recognition as a top 5 children’s hospital. Clinically he focuses on pediatric surgical oncology, complex neonatal conditions, chest wall deformities, and has achieved national and international notoriety for his successful separation of conjoined twins multiple times at CHLA.

Dr. Stein received a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and a medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. He completed an internship and residency in the Department of Surgery at Tufts-New England Medical Center and was chief surgical resident at Tufts. He has completed three fellowships: a research fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital, a pediatric surgery fellowship at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, and a pediatric surgery fellowship at Babies and Children’s Hospital in New York. Most recently, he completed his masters in Health Care Management at the Harvard School of Public Health.

 
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Hosts

Chris Pine

Actor, director, executive producer – Chris Pine is one of Hollywood’s most sought after talents with a resume as extensive as it is versatile. He has starred in a number of feature films including Wonder Woman, Star Trek, Into the Woods, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, This Means War, People Like Us, Hell or High Water, Horrible Bosses 2, Unstoppable, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, All the Old Knives, and The Contractor.

Chris will next be seen starring in the psychological thriller from director Olivia Wilde, Don’t Worry Darling opposite Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, and Gemma Chan; as well as Paramount’s upcoming Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves movie.

Chris founded production company Barry Linen Motion Pictures with producing partner Ian Gotler, with the goal of producing resonant, timely material that is designed to entertain and enlighten audiences while championing both emerging storytellers and established filmmakers alike. The result is a diverse slate of projects, including films such as My Heroes Were Cowboys, All the Old Knives, Doula, and the upcoming feature, Poolman, in which Chris will make his directorial debut. He also co-wrote, executive produces, and stars in the film.

His stage credits include “The Lieutenant of Inishmore,” “Fat Pig,” The Athiest,” and “Farragut North” for which he received a 2009 Ovation Award Nomination.

In 2013, he received the prestigious “Male Star of the Year” award at the annual CinemaCon Awards.

Pine graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. His parents are actors Gwynne Gilford & Robert Pine and his late grandmother, Anne Gwynne, was a film actress of the ‘30s and ‘40s.

Robert Pine

Robert Pine is celebrating his 57th year in front of the camera. His first appearance was on NBC’s Kraft Suspense Theatre in 1964 and has since appeared in over 400 movies and TV shows including Magnum, PI, 911 – Lone Star, NCIS, Angie Tribeca, Veep, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Grey’s Anatomy, Mother’s Day, and Frozen.

In 1977, Pine joined hit TV series CHiPs where he played the iconic Sgt. Joe Getraer, appearing in all 140 episodes over its successful 6 year run on NBC.

His latest offering for TV is playing Dr. Horace Baltz in the Apple TV+ drama Five Days at Memorial about Hurricane Katrina.

His love for acting started in high school on the stage and he still tries to fit in a play when his schedule permits. His theatrical home is The Antaeus Theatre Company where he has appeared in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Liar, Noel Coward’s Tonight at 8:30, Cousin Bette and King Lear, which won the LA Outer Critics Circle award for Best Production.

Robert has served on both the Local and National Boards of the former SAG and AFTRA performers unions and recently retired from the SAG-AFTRA National Board.

He and his wife, Gwynne, a psycho-therapist, will celebrate their 52nd wedding anniversary this year. They are the very proud parents of Katie, also a psycho-therapist, and Chris, an actor, who is a joy to watch distinguishing himself in our business.

Featured Performance

Justin Timberlake

Multi-talented actor and musician Justin Timberlake has sold more than 32 million albums worldwide, sold-out arenas across the globe, received numerous awards and nominations and has become one of the most highly respected entertainers in the business. He released the four-times platinum-selling song “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” from the film Trolls, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was ultimately the best-selling U.S. single in 2016. The single marked Timberlake’s 10th Grammy and garnered a nomination for an Academy and Golden Globe Award. In February 2018, Timberlake released his fourth solo album, Man of The Woods, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, and sold-out his world tour in support of the project. A gifted actor, he has appeared in a diverse slate of films including Alpha Dog, Bad Teacher, and Palmer. He also earned strong reviews for his performance in the Academy Award-nominated The Social Network. Named “one of the 100 most influential people in the world” by Time in 2007 and 2013, Timberlake is a four-time Emmy Award winner for his appearances on Saturday Night Live, and recently added author to his resume with the autobiographical book Hindsight & All the Things I Can’t See in Front of Me.

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For more information, contact CHLA Foundation Special Events at chlaspecialevents@chla.usc.edu or 323-361-5972. ©2020 Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is a 501(c)(3) organization Terms of Use Online Privacy