About Us

The History of The Colleagues

The Colleagues, was founded in 1950, by Mrs. Homer Toberman. The Colleagues began with nine founding members, and by 1954 they had grown to fifty members. The group’s purpose was to lend financial and volunteer assistance to the Big Sister League, founded in 1917, with the mission of providing care and rehabilitation to young women in trouble with the law or who had trouble adjusting socially in the community.

In 1977, the Colleagues were incorporated and began to operate under their mission to support underserved women, children, and families in Los Angeles. The Big Sister League, renamed Children’s Institute, Inc. (CII), has helped thousands of children and families in Central and South Los Angeles who are affected by community and family violence, abuse, and other trauma. Since their founding in 1950, the Colleagues have contributed more than $40 million to CII, including necessary resources to create the Colleagues Infant Care Center in1975 at the historic mid-Wilshire campus; helping build CII’s second major facility, the Burton E. Green campus in Torrance in 1993; establishing the Colleagues Memorial Children’s Library at various sites in 1999; and contributing generously to CII‘s existing headquarters, the Otis Booth Campus. Additionally, the Colleagues helped fund CII‘s Frank Gehry-designed Watts Campus, opened in June 2022, and the building project was chaired by a Colleague.

In a move to diversify our giving the Colleagues have funded the United Peace Officers Against Crime (UPAC) summer camp and sent relief donations to the International Medical Corp to help children and families in Ukraine. Most recently, the Colleagues have made substantial contributions to the Los Angeles House of Ruth benefitting survivors of domestic violence, FosterAll recruiting foster families from faith-based communities, and Operation Progress LA supporting South LA school children. As well, we gave a large grant at our 2023 Luncheon to the Joyful Heart Foundation to support the healing of survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse.

The Colleagues is currently a non-profit corporation of 58 active and 34 sustaining members. Their mission is funded through sales from the Colleagues Room in Santa Monica, a resale boutique fully staffed by colleague volunteers and their annual Spring Luncheon and Fashion Show, a longstanding social event featuring the Champion of Children award given each year to a renowned honoree.

Guided by their philosophy of “philanthropy through fashion,” the Colleagues’ robust support of underserved women, children, and families in Los Angeles sustains their collective passion.

Board of Directors

  • Bridget Gless Keller

    PRESIDENT

  • Jany Davenport

    FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT

  • Erin Sweeney

    SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT

  • Mari McAllister

    RECORDING SECRETARY

  • Marcy Hammerstein

    CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

  • Leslie Drago

    TREASURER

Board Members

Bylaws
Paty Kouba

Donor & Memorial Liaisons
Marna Schnabel

Charity
Tawny Sanders

CHIPS
Becca Hartmeier

Marketing
Mary Ellen Eichler

Membership
Patty Brown

Nominating
Ginny Sydorick

Roster
Georgia Spogli

Special Events
Anne Johnson

Strategic Planning
Libby Doheny & Jaye Rogovin

S.T.A.R.
Lynn Booth, Lauren King, Carolyn Powers & Pat Ryan

Provisional Chairs
Kathleen Duncan & Stella Hall Fordyce

Committees

Special Events: Jane Ackerman, Lynn Booth, Jany Davenport, Libby Doheny, Anne Johnson, Jenny Jones, Suzanne Kayne, Bridget Gless Keller, Lauren King, Debbie Lanni, Mary Martin, Mari McAlister, Mary Milner, Wendy Morrissey, Carolyn Powers, Jaye Rogovin, Marna Schnabel, Stephanie Booth Shafran, Erin Sweeney, Ginny Sydorick, Barbera Thornhill

The Room Co-Chairs: Maggie Kuhns, Connie Lynch, Sabrina Schick

Room Committee: Maggie Kuhns, Connie Lynch, Sabrina Schick, Jany Davenport, Ginny Sydorick, March Wiseley

Room Sign Up Genius: Erin Sweeney

Room Captains: Leslie Drago, Jennier Fain, Shane Fermelia, Pam Halle, Marcy Hammerstein, Becca Hartmeier, Kathryn Howe, Maggie Kuhns, Connie Lynch, Mari McAlister, Jaye Rogovin, Sabrina Schick

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Past Presidents

Mrs. Bridget Gless Keller
Ms. Jenny Jones
Mrs. Joseph P. Esposito
Mrs. Barbera Thornhill
Mrs. Travis Kranz
Mrs. Alexandra Dwek
Ms. Patricia Brown
Mrs. Michael Dart
Mrs. David Sydorick
Mrs. J. Anthony Kouba
Mrs. Hugh Evans
Mrs. Stephen H. Ackerman
Mrs. Timothy Doheny
Mrs. Franklin R. Johnson
Mrs. Donald Petroni
Mrs. Jack Preston Foreman
Mrs. Marjory Miller
Mrs. Frank W. Clark, Jr.
Mrs. Henry Eversole, Jr.
Mrs. Henry Thompson
Mrs. Albert Zukas
Mrs. George A. Roberts
Mrs. William Hinckle
Mrs. Allan M. Cartter
Mrs. John MacAllister
Mrs. Jean Vreeland
Mrs. Henry Berger
Mrs. David D. Feldman

2022-
2020-2022
2017-2020
2015-2017
2013-2015
2011-2013
2010-2011
2008-2010
2006-2008
2005-2006
2003-2005
2001-2003
1998-2001
1995-1998
1993-1995
1992-1993
1988-1992
1986-1988
1985-1986
1983-1985
1982-1983
1981-1982
1979-1981
1977-1979
1976-1977
1976-1977
1974-1976
1974-1976

Mrs. Roger A. Converse
Mrs. Clark Gable
Mrs. Gwynn Robinson
Mrs. E. Griffin Dunne
Mrs. Samuel Colt
Mrs. Roberts Phillips
Mrs. Joseph F. Lynam
Mrs. Hugo Hauter
Mrs. Charles H. Hornburg, Jr.
Mrs. Mortimer Hall
Mrs. Horace E. Marton
Mrs. Chase Morsey
Mrs. Lewis T. Lohman
Mrs. Ray Milland
Mrs. A. Maxson Smith
Mrs. Reese L. Milner
Mrs. Harold W. Hoag
Mrs. Roger A. Converse
Mrs. Jean E. Halliburton
Mrs. Norman Sprague
Mrs. Voltaire Perkins
Mrs. Homer Toberman
Mrs. Edward Wormhoudt
Mrs. J. Holt McCracken
Mrs. Byron Vandegrift
Mrs. Edwin Green
Mrs. William M. Rains

1973
1972
1971
1970
1969
1969
1968
1967
1966
1966
1965
1964
1963
1963
1962
1961
1960
1959
1958
1957
1956
1956
1955
1954
1953
1952
1950-1952