THE GRAND KICKOFF FOR america’s 250th CULMINATING ON JULY 4, 2026 ON THE NATIONAL MALL

*NOTE: THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT, Select sponsorships remain, to be placed on the Wait List please contact events@nationalmall.org

2026 History, Heroes & Hope Honorees

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT, SELECT SPONSORSHIPS REMAIN.

For questions about AMERICA’S BALL for THE MALL, please email events@nationalmall.org.

HONORARY GALA CHAIR

MELANIA TRUMP
First Lady of the United States

THANK YOU TO OUR 2026 Sponsors

“STARS & STRIPES” RECEPTION Sponsor

Signature State Table Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Altria
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association - Federal Employee Program
The Boeing Company
BP America
The Business Council
Business Roundtable
Capital Group
Chick-fil-A
Clark Construction
Andrew Heinle & Jerry Penso
Hensel Phelps
Hilton
Korn Ferry
Debby and Dan McGinn
Merck & Co., Inc.
National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors
National Confectioners Association
Pinnacle Financial Partners
Puck
Purple Strategies
PwC
Shadow Search
The Whiting – Turner Contracting Company

Silver Sponsors

Elizabeth Reagan Bingham
BGR Group
Brunswick Group, LLC
Mary and Armeane Choksi
Consigli Construction
Deloitte
Kristin & Mark Damato
Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. and Responsibility.org
Elevance Health
GE Aerospace
Greater Washington Board of Trade
Kevin Kruse
Linder Global Events
LSG
Narrative Strategies
PCMA
PNC Bank
Southern Company
Stanley Black & Decker
TD Bank
Uber Technologies, Inc.
Volkswagen Group of America
VOX Global
Zirkelbach Strategies

BRONZE Sponsors

Betsy Jordan
Ed & Martie Samek
Tenenbaum Law Group PLLC
Vault Consulting LLC
Leslie Frazier Whaley

In-Kind Partners

Linder Global Events

Media Partners

HISTORY, HEROES & HOPE HONOREES

Elana Meyers Taylor - 2026 U.S. Gold Medalist in Bobsled, 6-Time Olympic Medalist

Elana Meyers Taylor’s Olympic journey is a story of resilience, reinvention, historic achievement, and a relentless pursuit of gold, nearly two decades in the making.

The daughter of a professional football player, Elana Meyers was born in Oceanside, California, and raised in Douglasville, Georgia. A naturally gifted athlete, she excelled in multiple sports growing up but found her greatest success on the softball field. By the age of nine, she had already declared her goal: she would become an Olympian.

Elana attended George Washington University on a softball scholarship and later played professionally for the Mid-Michigan Ice. After what she jokingly calls “the worst tryout ever in the history of tryouts” for the U.S. Olympic Softball Team, it appeared that her Olympic dream might be over. But her parents saw bobsledding on television and suggested she give it a try, advice that would change the course of her life.

In the summer of 2007, Elana traveled to Lake Placid, NY, home of the U.S. National Bobsled Team. She never left.

Elana quickly established herself as one of the most powerful brakemen in the sport, and less than three years later she stood on the Olympic podium in Vancouver as a Bronze Medalist. After the 2010 Games, she made the bold decision to transition from brakeman to driver, taking hold of the sled’s “D-rings.”. It proved to be another pivotal decision. She soon became a regular on World Cup podiums and returned to the Olympic stage in 2014 in Sochi, Russia, where she captured a Silver Medal, her first Olympic podium as a driver.

At the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, Elana sat in second place after three of four tension-filled monobob runs. Nineteen years in the making, everything came down to one final run, and when she needed it most, she delivered, winning by a mere 0.04 seconds, capturing the long-awaited Gold Medal, and earning the coveted title of Olympic Champion. Seconds after winning, she signed to her two young boys who were trackside with their father, “Mommy Won!”

Elana Meyers Taylor is now a five-time Olympian, six-time Olympic medalist, and widely considered the greatest bobsled pilot in Olympic history.

Gary Sinise Foundation - Honoring America's Defenders, Veterans, First Responders, and Families of Fallen Heroes

Gary Sinise is an award-winning actor and humanitarian, best known for his roles in CSI:NY, Apollo 13, and his Oscar-nominated performance in the film Forrest Gump as the wounded Vietnam veteran Lt. Dan Taylor. An advocate for our nation’s defenders since the 1980s, after 9/11 Sinise began a tireless crusade to support America’s military and first responders around the world with handshake tours and concerts with his band, the Lt. Dan Band. In 2011, he established the Gary Sinise Foundation as an extension of those efforts.

Today, the Foundation is building custom homes for severely wounded heroes, honoring and supporting the families of our fallen, providing essential equipment and training for first responders, improving the mental wellness of our defenders, and so much more.

For more information and to support, visit www.garysinisefoundation.org.

HONORARY GALA CHAIR

Melania Trump - First Lady of the United States

Melania Trump is the wife of the 45th and 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, and the mother to their son, Barron Trump.

She was born in Slovenia on April 26, 1970, and is the second First Lady born outside the United States. At a young age, she began what would soon become a highly successful modeling career, appearing in many high-profile ad campaigns and working with some of the best photographers in the fashion industry.

In 1996, Mrs. Trump moved to New York, and 10 years later, she proudly became a United States Citizen, making her the only First Lady to become a naturalized citizen. Mrs. Trump has always been an active member of her community. In 2005, she was the Honorary Chairwoman of the Martha Graham Dance Company. That same year, she was awarded Goodwill Ambassador by the American Red Cross—a role she served for 4 years. Mrs. Trump served 5 years as Honorary Chairwoman for the Boys’ Club of New York and was named Woman of the Year in 2006 by the Police Athletic League. In 2010, Mrs. Trump was the Chairwoman of the American Heart Association. In addition to her philanthropic work and modeling and fashion career, Mrs. Trump is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2010, she launched her own successful jewelry collection, Melania Trump Timepieces and Jewelry.

While Melania Trump became a household name, she is, first and foremost, a mother and wife, and in 2017, she made the White House and Washington home for her family.

In her role as First Lady from 2017 to 2021, Mrs. Trump focused on the many issues affecting children across the Nation. This passion led to the establishment of BE BEST in 2018; Mrs. Trump’s awareness campaign focused on the well-being of children and highlighted the people and programs dedicated to ensuring a better future for the next generation. Mrs. Trump promoted BE BEST throughout the country and internationally.

In addition to BE BEST, Mrs. Trump has a deep appreciation for the military and their families. She traveled to military bases domestically and overseas, including Iraq in 2018, and regularly incorporated military families in public engagements.

In her time away from the White House, Mrs. Trump established Fostering the Future, a BE BEST initiative, which provides college-level scholarships to those aging out of the foster care system. The scholarship funds are provided by a portion of the revenue generated from her Web 2 and Web 3 platforms. Her platforms utilize blockchain technology, marking her as a pioneer within the industry while empowering the next generation of young Americans with the resources needed to excel. Mrs. Trump consistently implements innovative approaches to advance her advocacy for children and the causes she supports, demonstrating a forward-thinking commitment to making a positive impact.

In 2024, Mrs. Trump released her memoir, MELANIA, which quickly became #1 on The New York Times best sellers list.

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Norah O’Donnell - AMERICA’S BALL for THE MALL MASTER OF CEREMONIES - CBS News Senior Correspondent

Norah O’Donnell is CBS News’ senior correspondent and a “60 MINUTES” contributing correspondent. O’Donnell previously served more than 12 years on the anchor desk, both as the managing editor and anchor of the “CBS Evening News” and a co-host of “CBS This Morning.”

She is a multiple Emmy Award-winning journalist and has interviewed every living president, including President Donald Trump for “60 Minutes.” In 2024, she secured a historic and exclusive sit-down with the late Pope Francis, which was recognized with a 2025 Emmy Award for Outstanding Edited Interview.

O’Donnell is set to publish her new book WE THE WOMEN in February 2026, which explores the hidden heroes who shaped America ahead of the United States’ 250th birthday celebration.

O’Donnell is a graduate of Georgetown University, where she received a degree in philosophy and a Masters degree.

O’Donnell grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and lived overseas while her family served in the U.S. Army. She is married to Geoff Tracy and is the mother of three children.

The Honorable Doug Burgum - U.S. Secretary of the Interior

Doug Burgum is the 55th Secretary the U.S. Department of the Interior. Raised in Arthur, North Dakota, Burgum worked as a chimney sweep to help pay his way through North Dakota State University before earning an MBA from Stanford University. In 1983, Doug literally “bet the farm” to provide seed capital for a software startup called Great Plains. Doug led Great Plains through a successful IPO and grew the company to over 2,000 employees before its acquisition by Microsoft. Burgum remained with Microsoft for six years as the Senior Vice President of Business Solutions. Doug later co-founded Arthur Ventures and served as chairman for international software companies including Atlassian, SuccessFactors, and as a board member for Avalara. In 2016, Burgum was elected to serve as North Dakota’s 33rd Governor.

David M. Rubenstein - Philanthropist, Co-Founder and Co-Chair, The Carlyle Group, Chairman and CEO of the Baltimore Orioles

David M. Rubenstein is Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of The Carlyle Group. He is a 1970 graduate of Duke University and a 1973 graduate of the University of Chicago Law School. Mr. Rubenstein is a Baltimore native and is the Chairman, CEO, and principal owner of Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles. Mr. Rubenstein is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Chairman of many educational and nonprofit boards. He is an original signer of The Giving Pledge and the host of The David Rubenstein Show, Bloomberg Wealth with David Rubenstein, and Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories with David Rubenstein.

SPECIAL MUSICAL PERFORMANCE BY

Kristin Chenoweth - Emmy and Tony Award Winning Actress and Singer

Emmy® and Tony® Award winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth’s career spans film, television, voice-over and stage. In 2015, Chenoweth received a coveted star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2009, she received an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in “Pushing Daisies.” In 1999, she won a Tony Award for “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” and she was nominated for her original role of Glinda the Good Witch in “Wicked” in 2004. Chenoweth has been nominated for two Emmy Awards and for a People’s Choice Award for her role on “Glee.” Chenoweth earned a Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award and Broadway.com Audience Choice Award for her lead role in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s “On the Twentieth Century.” She also earned nominations for a Tony Award and a Drama League Award for the role.

Chenoweth recently produced and starred in the Broadway production of “The Queen of Versailles” based on the award-winning 2012 documentary.

Chenoweth can be seen currently in the NBC comedy series "Stumble" in a recurring role. She also is set to star in, and executive produce a new comedy for NBC, written by Alissa Neubauer. The series follows a woman who must complete community service as the director of a local church choir, finding her path toward redemption through music and community.

Chenoweth has performed to sold-out audiences across the world, including performances at Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall. Chenoweth released “The Art of Elegance,” her album of American Songbook classics via Concord Records.  The album debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Current Jazz and Traditional Jazz charts, and #1 on Amazon’s Vocal Pop chart.

Chenoweth is a graduate of Oklahoma City University with a Master’s degree in Opera Performance. She is an inductee into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, as well as the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. 

Visit officialkristinchenoweth.com for additional details.

PAST BALL FOR THE MALL AND HISTORY, HEROES & HOPE AWARD HIGHLIGHTS

ABOUT THE HISTORY, HEROES & HOPE AWARD

The Trust for the National Mall created the History, Heroes & Hope Award in 2014 to honor the spirit and ideals that the National Mall represents for our country. The Award has recognized dedicated public servants, long-time volunteers, and patriotic donors.

The History, Heroes & Hope Award has traditionally been presented during the Trust’s annual fundraising gala and other events, with an audience of prominent business leaders, philanthropists, members of Congress and public officials.

Previous recipients of the History, Heroes & Hope Award have included:  

• 2025: Josh Harris, Managing Partner, Washington Commanders, Rosie Rios, Chair America250 U.S. Congressional Commission, Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Maryland First Lady Dawn Moore, and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin

• 2024: Mellon Foundation, accepted by President Elizabeth Alexander, Dave Grohl, 19-time Grammy-winning Musician, Author, Director, George C Wolfe, 3-time Tony-winning playwright, Director, Rustin film

• 2023: Sheila Johnson, Founder and CEO of Salamander Collection, and Her Excellency Emily Haber, German Ambassador to the United States

• 2022: Jon Batiste & Suleika Jaouad, Award-Winning Artists & Activists, and Sharon Percy Rockefeller, President and Chief Executive Officer of WETA-TV

• 2021: Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian, and José Andrés, Chef/Owner of ThinkFoodGroup and Founder of World Central Kitchen

• 2020: The Honorable Lamar Alexander, Senator (R-TN)

• 2019: The Honorable Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and the late Congressman John Dingell (D-MI)

• 2018: Donald Adam and Annemarie Emmet, Volunteers-in-Parks Program Volunteers 

• 2017: David M. Rubenstein, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman, The Carlyle Group

• 2016: Jonathan Jarvis, Former Director of the National Park Service 

• 2015: John E. “Chip” Akridge III, Founder and Chairman of the Board, Trust for the National Mall

For more details on previous History, Heroes & Hope Awardees, click here.