Khanh Russo (President of Pasadena Community Foundation), Gale Kohl (Chair, Building & Technology), and Leslie Ito (Armory Executive Director and President) at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
Gale Kohl (Chair, Building & Technology) and Rene Chila at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
Armory Arts team members including Danielle Hill (Exhibition Coordinator) (center left) and Amber Hawkins (Development Manager) (center right) at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
Zyanya Garcia (Volunteer), Ruzanna Hanesyan (Armory Teaching Artist), and Tia Acosta (Volunteer) with a fabric arts activity at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
Karen Satzman (Vice President of Programs) (right) and other team members at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
John Paszkiewicz (Volunteer) and a guest at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
Dr. Shannon Malone (Board Member) and Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Blanco (Pasadena Unified School District) at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
Andrew Gould (Vice President of External Relations)(left) and Linda Burrow (Board Member)(right) with Mrs. Burrow's guest at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
Representatives from East West Bank Pasadena, a sponsor of the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
Victoria Stratman (Board Member) and Maria Khader Karp (Board Member) at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
Councilmember Jason Lyon (center left) with team members Chico Feinstein, Vinita Khilnani, Jennifer Thibault, and Tim Hartley at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
Susan Hall-Hardwick (Board Member) (right) and a guest at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026.
Ro Wyldelflower Contreras DJing at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
Luis Grane (Board Member) (center right), Yunhee Min, and Peter Tolkin at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
Guest-Donors at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
Guests at the Armory Arts Spring Benefit on March 28, 2026 [Shirley Huang/Pasadena Now].
The Armory Center for the Arts held its spring benefit in the Gale Kohl Center, for an evening, art, community, and a little friendly competition. Guests wandered among works from the exhibition “Material Prophecy,” a celebration of craft and imagination, as they hovered near the silent auction, which offered a distinctly Southern California mix: Guns N’ Roses tickets at the Rose Bowl, Dodgers seats with a private visit to Orel Hershiser’s broadcast booth, LA Chargers tickets, and more.
Executive Director Leslie Ito, fresh from a four-month sabbatical, welcomed the crowd with a mix of gratitude and purpose. “Tonight is about raising funds so we can continue our work in the San Gabriel Valley,” she said. Ito highlighted the Armory’s free and accessible programs for students and families, from classes for displaced children to public exhibitions that foster connection in a region still recovering from the Eaton Fires.
Former Dodgers announcer Jorge Jarrín kept the evening moving with an easy humor, guiding guests through the auction and the program. Longtime supporter Gail Kohl (whose name is on the building) added momentum by quickly matching $10,000 in donations, inspiring a flurry of bids with style and determination
Dinner came from food trucks parked right out front—chicken taquitos, Pad Thai, and Handel’s ice cream sandwiches —and guests returned frequently to the silent auction, adding their bets and chatting in small groups.
The evening struck a balance between celebration and purpose. It was an artful reminder that the Armory is more than a gallery or studio—it is a community lifeline, keeping creativity and connection alive for the San Gabriel Valley. By the night’s end, it was clear the center’s work would continue, funded by supporters who came for art, stayed for the community, and left with a sense of shared investment in both.
