About Us
The History of The Colleagues
The Colleagues was founded in 1950 by Mrs. Homer (Lucy) Toberman with nine charter members. In four years the group had grown to 50 members. Inspired by and working with Minnie Barton, Los Angeles’ first female probation officer and the Big Sister League, The Colleagues’ vision was to give financial, practical, and emotional help to young women who were impoverished, pregnant, victims of abuse, unhoused, or recently released from prison. At a time when such women were ignored or shunned by society at large, the Colleagues’ priority was assistance and compassion.
In 1956, The Colleagues, raised funds by the membership opening their vast closets and selling gently-used designer clothing. The Colleagues’ glamour sale, held originally in Mrs. Arnold (Carlotta) Kirkeby’s ballroom and later at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, quickly became a marquee event throughout Southern California, attracting thousands of women from as far away as New Mexico who happily began standing in line as early as three AM hoping to be amongst the first shoppers through the door.
In 1980, when the Big Sisters League became Children’s Institute International, Colleagues members comprised the majority of CII’s officers and board members. The Colleagues opened The Colleagues Infant Center. In 1987, we restated our articles of incorporation to reflect the work of this Infant Center and The Colleagues new mission of providing care, diagnostic and other assistance to needy, battered, sexually abused and molested infants and children.
Over the next four decades, The Colleagues supported various CII capital and operating campaigns, including campuses in Echo Park, Mid-Wilshire, Torrance, Watts, and its largest campus and headquarters, The Otis Booth Campus. As The Colleagues’ philanthropic goals expanded, the group began to diversify its giving. Since its inception, we awarded grants of more than $45 million to a variety of non-profits working to improve the lives of underserved women, children and families. In addition to CII, we have also supported The Reagan Library (in memory of President Ronald Reagan whose wife, First Lady Nancy Reagan, was a member), United Peace Officers Against Crime, and International Medical Corp. benefitting Ukraine. In the past two years we made grants to the following public non-profits: Los Angeles Police Foundation, Joyful Heart Foundation, LA House of Ruth, Operation Progress LA, Margaret’s Place (Joe Torre’s Safe at Home), The Painted Turtle, The Teen Project, United Friends of the Children, FosterAll, United Peace Officers Against Crime (UPAC), Vision to Learn, The C.H.I.P.S., Good+, and Firework Foundation.
Proving philanthropy never goes out of style, The Colleagues’ charitable focus is still funded through sales from the Colleagues Room, now located in Santa Monica and staffed by its active member volunteers, and through its Annual Spring Luncheon and Fashion Show, a legacy in Los Angeles since 1989. At the Luncheon, The Colleagues present their Champion of Children Award to icons of entertainment, politics, philanthropy and royalty.
Board of Directors
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Jaye Rogovin
PRESIDENT
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Becca Hartmeier
FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT
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Mary Ellen Eichler
SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT
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Kate Galbraith Hult
RECORDING SECRETARY
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Charmaine Bailey
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
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Leslie Drago
TREASURER
Board Members
Annual Spring Luncheon
Anne Johnson
Bylaws
Margaret Preissman
Donor & Memorial
Marna Schnabel
Charity
Mari McAlister
CHIPS
Mary Ellen Eichler
Marketing
Lauren King
Membership
Erin Sweeney
Provisional Chairs
Shane Fermelia, Georgia Spogli & March Wiseley
Nominating
Barbera Thornhill
Roster
Patty Brown
Special Events
Anne Johnson
Strategic Planning
Tawny Sanders
S.T.A.R.
Lynn Booth & Barbera Thornhill
The Room
Maggie Kuhns & Connie Lynch
The Room Fashion Show
Ginny Sydorick & Jany Davenport
Committees
Annual Spring Luncheon Committee: Lynn Booth, Jany Davenport, Kelly Day, 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, Ginny Sydorick, Barbera Thornhill
Strategic Planning Committee: Libby Doheny, Jenny Fain, Becca Hartmeier, Carolyn Powers, Pat Ryan, Tawny Sanders, Barbera Thornhill
The Room Committee: Maggie Kuhns, Connie Lynch, Sabrina Schick, Jany Davenport, Ginny Sydorick, March Wiseley
The Room Captains: Leslie Drago, Patty Elias, Jennifer Fain, Shane Fermelia, Marcy Hammerstein, Becca Hartmeier, Kathryn Howe, Kate Galbraith Hult, Maggie Kuhns, Connie Lynch, Mari McAlister, Sabrina Schick
The Room Sign Up Genius: Erin Sweeney
Non-Officer Position
Past President
Bridget Gless Keller
Presidents
Mrs. Jaye Rogovin
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
2024-
2022-2024
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
Mrs. David D. Feldman
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
1974-1976
1973
1972
1971
1970
1969
1969
1968
1967
1966
1966
1965
1964
1963
1963
1962
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1950-1952
