Los Angeles County Board Supervisor Kathryn Berger, Honoree Gale Kohl, Armory Center for the Arts Executive Director Leslie Ito, and Vice President, External Relations Andrew Gould at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Ricardo Fernandez, Armory Center for the Arts Board Chair Jill Sumyasu, and Amber Hawkins at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Armory Center for the Arts Executive Director Leslie Ito and Pasadena City Councilmember Felicia Williams at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Los Angeles County Board Supervisor Kathryn Berger and Master of Ceremonies Jaime Jarrín at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Armory Center for the Arts Executive Director Leslie Ito, California State Senator Anthony Portantino, and Sherri Bonner at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Natalya Romo-Jones and Pasadena City Councilmember Justin Jones at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Brandi Mack, Aldonia Bailey, Ruzanna Hanesyan, and Heather Hilliard Bonds at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Jennifer and Matt Devoll at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Pasadena City Councilmember Justin Jones, Tonita Fernandez, and Pasadena City Councilmember Tyron Hampton at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Timothy Thomas II and Amy Jiang at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Sarah Schorr and Mary Gumport at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Catherine Arias, Bert Voorhees, Salim Moore, and Theresa Traber at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Jeffrey and Joan Palmer at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Wayne Hunt, Kathy Mangum, Lisa Kong, Stan Kong, Donna Vaccarino, and Miller Fong at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin and Pasadena City Councilmember Felicia Williams at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Angela Chan and Rosa Yan at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Will, Isabel and Joanne Fernandez at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Susan Kranwinkle and Sandra Augustin at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Maria and Larry Jones at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Faith Childs-Davis and Max Brennan at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Mark Greenfield and Felicia Filer at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Ronna Ballister and Julienne Fusello at the Armory Center for the Arts heARTful Heroes Gala honoring Gale Kohl [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
On May 18, the Pasadena Convention Center’s historic 1931 exhibit hall buzzed with energy as the Armory Center for the Arts hosted its annual gala. This year’s event marked a special occasion as the organization honored long-time board member and community leader Gale Kohl for her significant contributions and unwavering support since 2008.
Kohl, owner of Gale’s Restaurant in Pasadena, has been a pivotal figure in the nonprofit art center, providing invaluable leadership and support. The evening was hosted by Dodgers broadcaster Jorge Jarrín, a close friend of Kohl, adding a personal touch to the celebration. This gala was notable as the Armory’s first sit-down table gala held outside its Old Pasadena campus in over two decades.
Guests enjoyed a night filled with live entertainment, an open bar, and multi-course meals. The festivities included heartfelt tributes to Kohl, highlighting her dedication to the arts and the community. A wine raffle and after-dinner dancing added to the evening’s enjoyment. The gala aimed to raise funds to support the Armory’s art education and exhibition programs, ensuring continued access to art for all community members.
The proceeds from the event will directly benefit the organization’s mission to nurture creativity, learning, and social justice through art. Since its founding in 1947, the Armory Center for the Arts has been dedicated to showcasing innovative contemporary artists and promoting the idea that artists are educators. The organization is committed to advancing equity and social justice by tailoring learning opportunities to the evolving needs of the community. For more information on the Armory and its programs visit www.armoryarts.org.
