The BALL for THE MALL Returns featuring the Trust for the National Mall’s History, Heroes & Hope Awards

The Trust for the National Mall was honored to host our signature BALL for THE MALL on October 4, 2022, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and Old Post Office Clock Tower overlooking the National Mall with 400+ guests for a monumental evening celebrating our work with the National Park Service on the National Mall.

The BALL featured the Trust for the National Mall’s 2022 History, Heroes & Hope Awards honoring award-winning artists and activists Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad and President and CEO of WETA-TV Sharon Percy Rockefeller.

Trust partners and key supporters gathered in the Lincoln Library for the Chairman’s Reception, where Trust Board Member Georgette “Gigi” Dixon and Trust Founder and Chairman, John “Chip” Akridge III shared welcome remarks from the podium, and guests toured the Old Post Office Clock Tower to enjoy views overlooking the National Mall. The tours were led by National Mall volunteers provided by the National Park Service and Trust for the National Mall Volunteer-in-Parks Program. The volunteer-docents shared engaging background and facts about the historic Clock Tower — the second-highest building in Washington, D.C. — as guests overlooked sweeping vistas of the city and the National Mall at twilight.

CNN Anchor Abby Phillip served as Emcee and shared some fond memories of the National Mall as one of the formative places that taught her the value of civics and our “duty to each other as citizens.” Catherine Townsend, President and CEO of the Trust, welcomed guests and talked about some of the exciting developments as well as the great progress the Trust has made with the National Park Service this year and as we gear up for the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026, sure to be a momentous occasion.

“Our partnership with the National Park Service began over 15 years ago and in that time we achieved so much together. Thanks to the support of all of you here this evening, we are ensuring that the National Mall continues to be a place that is vibrant, sustainable, inclusive and engaging for current and future generations. Thank you.” — Catherine Townsend, President & CEO Trust for the National Mall

National Mall & Memorial Parks Superintendent Jeffrey Reinbold addressed the crowd, sharing gratitude for the Trust for the National Mall and its supporters and partners that help restore, preserve and enrich the National Mall. The Superintendent also shared excitement for the road ahead to the 250th anniversary of the U.S., noting that the National Mall is the place where “we become US.”

“The National Mall is where the nation comes together to celebrate, to learn and to remember. The National Mall connects us to our history, but also to each other and to future generations. Where we become US. And nowhere will that be on display more than the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026. We have big plans to prepare the National Mall to be center stage as the country comes together. Thank you to all who make that work possible.” — Jeffrey Reinbold, Superintendent National Mall and Memorial Parks

Trust for the National Mall CEO Catherine Townsend was joined by Katie Couric, via video address, to announce that Humana Inc. and the Humana Foundation have joined the Trust as champions and partners in support of the National Mall and to help prepare the iconic space for the grand celebration of American independence in 2026. President & CEO of Humana Bruce Broussard highlighted Humana’s support and his personal commitment to restoring and preserving the health of the National Mall as a symbol of the greatness of our nation.

“As champions for the National Mall, Humana and the Humana Foundation are partnering with the Trust for the National Mall to preserve a place where everyone has the opportunity to connect, be active, and live their healthiest lives. The National Mall is open and accessible to all with no barriers to entry, and Humana is focused on removing barriers to good health for all Americans by addressing food insecurity, nutrition and social isolation.” - Bruce Broussard, President & CEO Humana Inc, Trust Board Member

CNN’s Abby Phillip introduced our History, Heroes & Hope Awards —individuals who embody the ideals of the National Mall in their dedication to unity, equality, community engagement, the arts and activism. Sharon Percy Rockefeller, longtime advocate for the arts and public policy and President & CEO of WETA-TV, received a History, Heroes & Hope award from former Trust honoree and Premier Partner David M. Rubenstein. Mrs. Rockefeller spoke about the unique quality of the National Mall — sharing that she believes the National Mall stands as a “visual symbol of what we idealize as a country.”

Celebrated composer and artist Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad, New York Times best-selling author and columnist, received a History, Heroes & Hope award in recognition of their activism and work to do good and promote equality and unity. In accepting the award via video, the couple emphasized the importance of the National Mall and “spaces in our national milieu that are about gathering and togetherness.” Longtime Trust supporter and member of the Trust Leadership Council and friend of the couple Dan McGinn accepted the award on their behalf and shared their personal thanks with the audience.

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos by Tony Powell

2022 History, Heroes & Hope Honorees

JON BATISTE & SULEIKA JAOUAD

Award-Winning Artists & Activists

Accepting via video message

Jon Batiste is one of the most prolific and versatile musicians of any generation. He has spent his career bringing music back to where it started — with the people. Jon was born in New Orleans into the legendary Batiste family, and later studied at the world-renowned Juilliard School in New York City. Batiste's skills as a pianist, composer and bandleader quickly made him one of the country's most sought-out collaborators and performers, with appearances that include the Grammys, Kennedy Center Honors, the US Open and the NBA All-Star Game.

In 2015, Jon was named bandleader and musical director of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on CBS. In 2020, Jon won an Academy Award for Best Original Score for the Disney/Pixar film Soul — an honor he shared with fellow composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross — becoming the second black composer in history, after legendary jazz musician Herbie Hancock, to win an Academy Award for composition. Jon's latest studio album, WE ARE, was released in March 2021 to overwhelming critical acclaim and received the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2022.

Batiste's virtuoso composing skills will soon be showcased in his large-scale, genre-melding symphonic work "American Symphony," set to premiere at Carnegie Hall this year.

Suleika Jaouad is the author of the instant New York Times bestselling memoir, Between Two Kingdoms. She wrote the Emmy Award-winning New York Times column “Life, Interrupted” and her reported features and essays have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Vogue, and NPR, among other publications.

Born in New York City to a Tunisian father and a Swiss mother, Suleika attended The Juilliard School's pre-college program for the double bass, and earned her BA with highest honors from Princeton University and an MFA in writing and literature from Bennington College.

Suleika’s career aspirations as a foreign correspondent were cut short when, at age 22, she was diagnosed with leukemia. She began writing her New York Times column “Life, Interrupted” from her hospital room at Sloan-Kettering, and has since become a fierce advocate for those living with illness and enduring life’s many other interruptions. She served on Barack Obama's Presidential Cancer Panel, the national advisory board of Family Reach and the Bone Marrow and Cancer Foundation, and the Brooklyn Public Library’s Arts & Letters Committee. She was awarded the Red Door Advocacy & Community Service Award, and has been an artist in residence at Ucross, ArtYard, and the Kerouac Project.

SHARON PERCY ROCKEFELLER

President and Chief Executive Officer, WETA-TV

Sharon Percy Rockefeller has served the public media community for more than 40 years as a leader and policymaker. She has been president and chief executive officer of WETA, Washington, D.C.’s flagship public media station, since 1989. Rockefeller, a 2019 National Medal of Arts recipient for her extraordinary leadership and advocacy in the arts and public media, continues to guide WETA to outstanding accomplishments in broadcasting, production, digital education resources, and civic engagement — all in support of the mission to promote lifelong learning. Before assuming the top post at WETA, she served on the WETA Board of Trustees for seven years, including three years as chair; and was a member of the board of directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for 12 years, including four years as chair. She was also a member of the board of directors of PBS for 19 years.

A graduate of Stanford University, Rockefeller is active in a number of areas including the arts, education, government, and women’s issues. She serves on the board of trustees of The Museum of Modern Art and is president of the museum’s International Council. She is a member of the Rockefeller Foundation Board and is a trustee emeritus of the Johns Hopkins Medicine Board. Rockefeller is a member of the National Academy of Medicine President’s Advisory Council and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is a member of The Economic Club of Washington, The Dean’s Council of the Washington National Cathedral, a member and former chairman of the Stanford-in-Washington Council, and a member of The James Madison Council of The Library of Congress. She is the 2021 recipient of the Annenberg Award from Foundation for Art & Preservation in Embassies (FAPE). In 2022, she was named a member of the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Woman of Leadership Award Nominating Committee and became a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Rockefeller is a Trustee Emeritus of the National Gallery of Art; she is a former board member of Sibley Memorial Hospital; and PepsiCo, Inc. She previously served as a member of the board of directors of the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Rockefeller Family Office; and she was chair of the Rockefeller Cousins Association. She was a member of the board of trustees of The Phillips Collection, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Stanford University, the University of Chicago and The George Washington University; and she previously served as a member of the board of directors of Sotheby’s. Formerly, Rockefeller served as a member of the Kennedy Center Community & Friends Board, The Federal City Council, the Commission of the Smithsonian National Museum of American Art, the Harvard Art Museum’s Collections Committee, Smithsonian Associates, and the Smithsonian American Art Commission. She is married to retired West Virginia Senator John D. “Jay” Rockefeller IV. They have four children and eight grandchildren.

fall BALL for THE MALL

October 4, 2022, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and Old Post Office Clock Tower

The October 4 fall BALL for THE MALL at the Waldorf Astoria included:

5:30 PM | Special Reception for key partners and top supporters
Guided tours to the top of the Old Post Office Clock Tower to experience a unique view of the National Mall
6:30 PM | Welcome Reception for all guests
7:00 PM | Awards program featuring CNN Anchor Abby Phillip and David M. Rubenstein and a celebration of our 2022 History, Heroes & Hope Awards – awardee names to be announced soon!
Seated dinner with a dessert and champagne reception

Cocktail attire

Featured Speakers

Abby phillip

**CNN Anchor and Emcee for the 2022 *fall* BALL *for* THE MALL**
Abby Phillip is CNN's senior political correspondent and anchor of Inside Politics Sunday, an hour-long in-depth conversation on the week's most important political storylines, with a diverse set of analysts and news-making interviews. She joined the network in 2017 to cover the Trump Administration and served as White House Correspondent through 2019. In January 2020, she moderated CNN's Democratic Presidential Debate in Iowa. She also anchored special coverage of Election Night in America surrounding the 2020 election, which lasted several days until CNN was the first news outlet to project Joe Biden as the winner. In January 2021, she anchored the CNN Special Report: Kamala Harris: Making History about the Vice President's barrier-breaking career and the childhood experiences that helped shape her.
Phillip joined CNN from The Washington Post where she served as a national political reporter, covering the White House. Before joining the Washington Post, Phillip was a digital reporter for politics at ABC News. She has also covered the Obama White House for POLITICO as well as campaign finance and lobbying.
Phillip was named to the Time 100 Next list in 2021 and she was the recipient of the National Urban League's Women of Power award.
Phillip was raised in Bowie, Md. and is a graduate of Harvard University with a degree in Government. She currently lives in Washington with her husband, daughter and their pup Booker T.

bruce broussard

**CEO, Humana, and Trust Board Member**
Bruce Broussard, President and CEO, joined Humana in 2011. Under his leadership, Humana has created an integrated care delivery model centered on improving health outcomes, driving lower costs, enhancing quality, and providing a simple and personalized member experience. With its holistic, human care approach, Humana is dedicated to improving the health of the communities it serves by making it easier for people to achieve their best health.

Bruce brings to Humana a wide range of executive leadership experience in publicly traded and private organizations within a variety of healthcare sectors, including oncology, pharmaceuticals, assisted living/senior housing, home care, physician practice management, surgical centers and dental networks.
Prior to joining Humana, Bruce was Chief Executive Officer of McKesson Specialty/US Oncology, Inc. US Oncology was purchased by McKesson in December 2010. At US Oncology, Bruce served in a number of senior executive roles, including Chief Financial Officer, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board.

Bruce plays a leadership role in key business advocacy organizations such as the Business Roundtable, the Business Council, and the American Heart Association CEO Roundtable. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Hewlett Packard, and a member of the Board of Directors of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).

Jeff Reinbold

**Superintendent, National Mall and Memorial Parks, National Park Service**
Jeffrey P. Reinbold is a national park manager with 28 years’ experience and expertise in public-private partnerships, has served as Superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks since March 2019. He manages the iconic monuments and memorials of the nation’s capital, and cares for treasured neighborhood green space with a budget of approximately $35 million and alongside a staff of nearly 300 and more than 6,000 volunteers. Reinbold also manages the National Mall’s infrastructure improvement projects, ensuring the enjoyment of future park visitors.
Reinbold previously served as the National Park Service’s assistant director for partnerships and civic engagement, where he was responsible for partnerships, philanthropy, national trails, and wild and scenic rivers. In more than 28 years with the National Park Service, Reinbold has led planning and partnership projects around the country: protecting historic sites and Civil War battlefields, developing new ways for national parks to work with their neighboring communities, and exploring ways to connect people to the national parks. He served at the National Park Service’s central planning, design, and construction center in Denver, and as the superintendent of the five National Parks in Western Pennsylvania, including Flight 93 National Memorial, where he also oversaw the international design competition for the Memorial. He started his National Park Service career as a seasonal ranger in 1990 at the Johnstown Flood National Memorial.

david M. Rubenstein

**Co-Founder and Co-Chairman, The Carlyle Group, and 2017 History, Heroes & Hope Awardee**
David M. Rubenstein is Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of The Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest and most successful private investment firms. Established in 1987, Carlyle now manages $276 billion from 27 offices around the world.
Mr. Rubenstein is Chairman of the Boards of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Economic Club of Washington; a Fellow of the Harvard Corporation; a Trustee of the National Gallery of Art, the University of Chicago, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Medicine, the Institute for Advanced Study, the National Constitution Center, the Brookings Institution, and the World Economic Forum; and a Director of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Mr. Rubenstein is a member of the American Philosophical Society, Business Council, Harvard Global Advisory Council (Chairman), Madison Council of the Library of Congress (Chairman), Board of Dean’s Advisors of the Business School at Harvard, Advisory Board of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University (former Chairman), and Board of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community.
Mr. Rubenstein has served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Duke University and the Smithsonian Institution, and Co-Chairman of the Board of the Brookings Institution. Mr. Rubenstein is an original signer of The Giving Pledge, a significant donor to all of the above-mentioned non-profit organizations, and a recipient of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, and the MoMA’s David Rockefeller Award, among other philanthropic awards.

Katie couric

*Presenting via video message*
Katie Couric is an award-winning journalist and #1 New York Times best-selling author of her memoir, *Going There*, which was published in October 2021. She is also a co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C). Since its launch in 2008, Stand Up To Cancer has raised more than $700 million to support cutting-edge collaborative science and its research has contributed to nine new FDA-approved therapies.
In 2017, she founded Katie Couric Media (KCM), which has developed a number of media projects, including a daily newsletter, a podcast, digital video series, and several documentaries. KCM works with purpose-driven brands to create premium content that addresses important social issues like gender equality, environmental sustainability, and mental health.
Couric was the first woman to solo anchor a network evening newscast, serving as anchor and managing editor of the *CBS Evening News* from 2006 to 2011 following 15 years as co-anchor of NBC’s *Today* show. She also hosted a syndicated show and served as the Yahoo Global News Anchor until 2017.
She has won a duPont-Columbia, a Peabody, two Edward R. Murrows, a Walter Cronkite Award, and multiple Emmys. She was twice named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people and was a Glamour Magazine woman of the year three times. She has also received numerous awards for her cancer advocacy work; honored by both the Harvard and Columbia schools of public health, the American Cancer Society, and The American Association of Cancer Researchers.

catherine townsend

**President and CEO, Trust for the National Mall**
Leading the organization’s vision and strategy, Catherine works to bring innovative ideas and solutions to fulfill the Trust’s mission and partnership with the National Park Service. Utilizing over 30 years of experience in fundraising, relationship and organizational management, strategic partnerships, marketing and brand development, Catherine is developing ambitious plans to advance new initiatives and strategic philanthropy to meet the Trust’s vision by the year 2026, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and a celebration that will showcase the National Mall.
Prior to joining the Trust, Catherine developed her own consulting practice, providing coaching and resource support to non-profit leaders until she was recruited to join the Trust in 2016. She served as the President and Executive Director of the DC Public Education Fund from 2012 to 2014, the independent non-profit that advances initiatives to improve student outcomes in DC Public Schools, helping implement the IMPACT program with funding from major foundations, as well as help grow its annual *Standing Ovation*, a star-studded awards ceremony honoring the achievements of top teachers, leaders, and school communities. She has also served as Senior Advisor at Townsend Public Affairs (a family-owned business) and launched their Federal office in Washington, DC in 2008.

Honorary Host Committee

John E. “Chip” Akridge III*, Founder and Chair, Akridge, Trust Founder and Chair of the Board, and Sally Akridge

The Honorable Lamar Alexander*, Senator (R-TN)

Chef José Andrés*, Founder of World Central Kitchen

Bruce Broussard, CEO, Humana, Trust Board Member, and Janine Broussard

Katie Couric, Katie Couric Media

The Honorable Debbie Dingell (D-MI)

Georgette “Gigi” Dixon, Head of External Affairs, Wells Fargo, Trust Board Member

Sheila Johnson, Founder and CEO, Salamander Hotels & Resorts, and Vice Chair, Trust Board of Directors

The Honorable Lisa Murkowski* (R-AK)

Chris Nassetta, President & CEO, Hilton

Nels Olson, Vice Chairman, Korn Ferry, Trust Board Member and Kristen Olson

David M. Rubenstein*, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman, The Carlyle Group

* denotes previous History, Heroes & Hope Awardee

Partners

Premier Partners

David M. Rubenstein

Trust National Partners

Trust Investor Partners

Trust Partners

Akridge

Alpha Corporation

BCW

Chevron

CCS Fundraising

Edrington

Ernst and Young

ExxonMobil

Guest Services Inc.

Jacobs

L.F. Jennings

PNC Bank

MEDIA PARTNERs

POLITICO
Washingtonian

CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION

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

A Monumental Evening: History, Heroes & Hope 2021

March On: History, Heroes & Hope 2020

BALL for THE MALL 2019

BALL for THE MALL 2018

ABOUT THE HISTORY, HEROES & HOPE AWARDS

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 Awards have traditionally been presented during the Trust’s annual spring fundraising gala, with an audience of over 700 prominent business leaders, philanthropists, members of Congress and public officials. The global pandemic shifted the Award presentation to a virtual tribute in 2020, but we were able to host an intimate, in-person awards event in 2021 for invited guests and sponsors.

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

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.