The People's Gala

Yvonne Stennett has dedicated her life to community development in Upper Manhattan, beginning her career at CLOTH in 1979 and becoming Executive Director in 1994. Under her leadership, CLOTH has grown into a multi-service organization serving over 100,000 people annually in housing, employment, education, and health. She has led the rehabilitation and development of over 3,200 affordable housing units, including supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals living with mental illness and youth aging out of foster care, while overseeing CLOTH’s extensive housing portfolio.

Ms. Stennett played a key role in developing The Eliza, a transformative project featuring a public library, deeply affordable housing, and community spaces. In 2024, CLOTH and its partners won the RFP for Isabella Rising, a major housing project adding 660 units, including senior housing.

In health and wellness, she has expanded CLOTH’s food pantry to feed over 70,000 New Yorkers annually, securing major grants to enhance its capacity. During COVID-19, it served over 166,000 food packages. She also champions small business support and is leading efforts to establish a Business Improvement District along Broadway from 155th to 178th Street. Her fundraising expertise has secured millions in grants, including a $1 million Yield Giving Grant from MacKenzie Scott.

Recognized widely for her leadership, Ms. Stennett has received numerous honors, including awards from the NYC Council, U.S. Congress, and Enterprise Community Partners. In 2024, she was named a Woman of Distinction by the NY State Senate. She serves on multiple boards, including NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s Leadership Council. A Lincoln University graduate, she completed leadership programs at Columbia Business School and Harvard’s Kennedy School. She is the proud mother of four and grandmother of fourteen.

Charles R. Bendit is a co-Founder and co-Chief Executive Officer of Taconic Partners. A recognized leader and innovator in the real estate industry, Charlie and his business partner Paul Pariser seek out investment opportunities for the company and its equity partners, and lead all capital market relationships. Prior to co-founding Taconic in 1997, Charlie founded CBC Properties, Inc., where he acquired, repositioned and managed more than one million square feet of office properties in New York and Washington, D.C., and several hundred residential units in metro New York. Prior to forming CBC, Charlie was a managing director at Jones Lang Wootton, where he established the firm’s regional offices and business platforms in both Washington, D.C. and Toronto, and was responsible for property acquisitions, sales, and financing for the firm’s international clientele.

Charlie is actively involved in the educational community and serves on the George Washington University Board of Trustees, and has served as a Regent of the New York State Board of Education and as a board member and Principal for a Day for PENCIL. Charlie also serves as a member of the Board of Governors of the Real Estate Board of New York. Bachelor’s of Business Administration, George Washington University.

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In his 15 years at Taconic, George Tsapelas has bridged asset management, development and construction projects such as 837 Washington Street, 401 West 14th Street, and the BankNote. He now focuses on commercial redevelopment projects with a significant asset management and lease-up component, such as 730 Third Avenue and 817 Broadway. Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Fordham University.

Sergio Trujillo is an internationally renowned Colombian theater choreographer and director who made history in 2019 as the first Latinx recipient of the Tony Award for Best Choreography for Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations. His accolades also include the Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer for Memphis in 2015. Over his 25-year career, Sergio has achieved global acclaim, with more than 15 productions running simultaneously worldwide at the height of his career.

Sergio’s Broadway journey began in 1999 as a dancer in Jerome Robbins’ Broadway. He also performed in iconic productions such as Guys and Dolls, Victor/Victoria, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and Fosse. He transitioned to choreography in 2005 with All Shook Up, quickly gaining recognition for his work on Jersey Boys, a global phenomenon. To date, he has choreographed over twelve Broadway productions. In 2011, Sergio had an unprecedented four productions running concurrently on Broadway: Next to Normal (Pulitzer Prize, 2010), The Addams Family, Memphis (Olivier Award, NAACP Award, Drama Desk nomination), and Jersey Boys (Greenroom Award, Olivier and Drama Desk nominations). His additional Broadway credits include Days of Wine and Roses, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
(Chita Rivera Award, NAACP nomination), A Bronx Tale (Chita Rivera nomination), On Your Feet!, and Leap of Faith. A two-time Emmy Award nominee, Sergio choreographed Christmas in Rockefeller Center and Annie Live! for NBC, as well as the 2021 Tony Awards and the Kennedy Center Honors. In film, he collaborated with Clint Eastwood on the adaptation of Jersey Boys. Most recently, he choreographed the musical film adaptation of Kiss of the Spider Woman, starring Jennifer Lopez and Diego Luna, which will premiere at Sundance in 2025. Sergio is currently in pre-production for several Latinx musicals celebrating Hispanic culture in America, including Real Women Have Curves, set to premiere on Broadway in April 2025, Cuba Libre, Casa de Las Flores (in collaboration with Netflix), and Like Water for Chocolate, written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, with music by Grammy-winning group La Santa Cecilia. His directing credits include Arrabal (The ART), The Harder They Come (The Public), Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour, Flashdance the Musical (North American tour), and ¡Viva Broadway! Hear Our Voices. Off-Broadway, he has worked on Invisible Thread (Second Stage), Romeo & Juliet (The Public: Shakespeare in the Park), and numerous productions at New York City Center Encores! Opera credits include The Marriage of Figaro (Los Angeles Opera) and Salome (The Metropolitan Opera). Sergio is the first choreographer to serve on the American Theatre Wing’s Advisory Committee for the Tony Awards. He also serves on the advisory boards of Ballet Hispánico, R.Evolución Latina, and New York Theatre Barn. He resides in New York City with his partner, Jack Noseworthy, and their son, Lucas Alejandro Truworthy.

Meet the Honorees