Gala Celebration 2026
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Highlights!
Check back soon for photos and other highlights from the celebration.
Event Details
Too young. Too many. Time to act.
Join us in celebrating breakthroughs, bold ideas, and the leaders bringing cutting-edge prevention science to life. Together, we’ll shine a light on the rise in early-onset cancers disproportionately impacting young women—and the urgent need to understand what’s driving this trend. More than a call to action, this evening is a commitment to changing the trajectory of cancer risk and protecting future generations.
Thursday, October 1, 2026
Museum of Science, Boston
The Program
6:30 p.m. Cocktail Reception, The Blue Wing
8:00 p.m. Seated Dinner, Program, and Call to Action, The Blue Wing
Celebratory cocktail attire
Honoring:
- Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, President of the National Academy of Medicine, 2026 Rachel Carson Advocacy Award
- Tatiana Schlossberg (in memory of), Environmental Journalist and Author, 2026 Susan S. Bailis Champion Award
- Her family will accept the award and offer remarks.
Featuring:
- Musical guest, Manuela Sánchez-Goubert
- Dr. Mary Beth Terry, Executive Director, Silent Spring Institute
- Dynamic host, Katie Martell
Rachel Carson Advocacy Award
Dr. Monica Bertagnolli
Monica Bertagnolli, MD, is a surgical oncologist with a distinguished career in cancer research, clinical care, and national health leadership. She was elected president of the National Academy of Medicine, a position she assumed in July 2026, becoming its first woman leader. She served as director of the National Institutes of Health from 2023–2025. Prior to this, she was the director of the National Cancer Institute and Chief of Surgical Oncology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Throughout her career, Dr. Bertagnolli has been at the forefront of the field of translational oncology. Her research has clarified how genetics and inflammation contribute to cancer, improving prevention and treatment. She has also advanced nationwide data-sharing efforts to improve patient care. A former president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, she has also served on the boards of the American Cancer Society and the Prevent Cancer Foundation. She is the Richard E. Wilson Professor of Surgery Emerita at Harvard Medical School.
Susan S. Bailis Champion Award
In memory of Tatiana Schlossberg
Tatiana Schlossberg was a journalist who brought clarity to complex environmental issues through her writing in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, and The Boston Globe, among other publications. Her book, Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don’t Know You Have, unveiled how the choices we make every day impact our planet. It won the Rachel Carson Environment Book Award in 2020. In the fall of 2025, Tatiana offered a deeply personal account of her experience with leukemia in the essay, “A Battle with My Blood,” published in The New Yorker.
In recognition of Tatiana’s courage and commitment to making the world better, Silent Spring honors her memory with the Susan S. Bailis Champion Award. Susan Bailis was a passionate advocate for research on the environmental causes of breast cancer and a dedicated champion of Silent Spring’s mission. Learn more about Tatiana's life and legacy.
Featuring
Dr. Mary Beth Terry, Executive Director, Silent Spring Institute
Dr. Mary Beth Terry is an internationally recognized cancer epidemiologist with over 25 years of experience leading studies on breast cancer risk factors. Her many contributions to the field include groundbreaking work on how environmental exposures increase breast cancer risk in women with a family history or genetic predisposition. She leads an international study investigating drivers of early-onset cancer and the influence of environmental exposures during key windows of susceptibility. Author of over 450 scientific publications, Dr. Terry has served on numerous prestigious committees for the National Cancer Institute and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. In August 2026 she was named an ACS Professor, the American Cancer Society's highest award, for her leadership in accelerating progress against cancer. She is also Professor of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health and Associate Director at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University.
Katie Martell, Host
Katie Martell has appeared on stages across the U.S. and internationally as an emcee, host, and speaker. She is the creator and host of "Rabble & Rouse," a late-night talk show that shines a spotlight on ordinary people with extraordinary lived experiences. She also works as an auctioneer, helping mission-driven organizations engage audiences and raise critical funds, and serves on the board of the National Women’s Hall of Fame. With more than 100K followers and subscribers, Katie partners with brands to create original content and experiences that amplify stories of transformation and explore emerging trends in business, media, and technology.
Musical Guest
Banda Raíces
Banda Raíces is a Latin American ensemble that brings together musicians from across the region around a shared exploration of folklore, migration, and contemporary Latin American identity. Their performances combine complex rhythms, improvisation, and a deep respect for the traditions they draw from, creating a distinctive live experience.
Host Committee
Andrea Ferrara† and Annie Madden, Co-Chairs
Lisa Carey Moore and Justin Moore, Co-Chairs
Larry Bailis† and Susan Shevitz
Kathryn Bailis Phillips and Josh Phillips
Jill‡ and Michael Balmuth
Lisa Goodwin Robbins† and Andrew Robbins
Kristin* and Tom Knox
Katie and Martine Martell
Cynthia McKeown†
Norma Ofsthun‡
Angela Pacheco and Aaron Benchoff
Robin‡ and Bruce Polishook
Daniela Rochez†
Kathryn Rodgers‡
Cindy Shulak-Rome† and Dan Rome
†Board of Directors
‡Leadership Council
Individual Sponsors
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
The Bailis Family:
David and Annie Bailis
Kathryn Bailis Phillips and Joshua Phillips
Lawrence Bailis† and Susan Shevitz
Jill‡ and Michael Balmuth
Cynthia Barakatt‡ and Richard Bizzozero
Randi Biren and Elsie Levin, MD, Boston Breast Diagnostic Center
Julia* and Dan Brody
Nancy and Ken Carpenter
Judith Chasin‡
Cathy and Harvey Cotton
Lisa Erban and family
Stephen Erban and Catherine Phillips
Andrea Ferrara† and Annie Madden
Kathie Florsheim‡
Carolyn Fine Friedman‡
Betsy Goldman and Bruce Sanders
Lisa Goodwin Robbins† and Andrew Robbins
Bruce and Rechelle Gordon
Ellen and Harvey Hirsch
Polly Hoppin and Bob Thomas
Kristin* and Thomas Knox
Adrienne Kols and John Boronow
Margaret Kripke†
Cynthia McKeown† and Terry Kitchen
Lisa Carey Moore and Justin Moore
In loving memory of Cheryl Arena Muise
Norma Ofsthun, PhD ‡
Robin‡ and Bruce Polishook
Cathie Ragovin† and Derek Polonsky
Mary Ann Rodrigue
Bob and Gabriela Romanow
Andrew and Petra Sansom
Marilyn‡ and Jay Sarles
Amanda and Lou Shipley
Cindy Shulak-Rome† and Dan Rome
Chula Sims and Dick Lavine
Patti Stoll‡ and Mike Gladstone
Margaret Suby
Mary Beth Terry* and Christopher Turner
Lew and Barbara (Erban) Weinstein
Wendy Weldon
Beth Whelan† and Larry Holt
†Board of Directors
‡Leadership Council
*Staff
Corporate Sponsors
Silent Auction Sponsors
About Silent Spring Institute
Silent Spring Institute is the nation’s leading authority on chemicals in our everyday environment and women’s health, with a particular focus on breast cancer. Through research, policy, and education, we work to reduce harmful exposures and advance cancer prevention. For more than 30 years, our science has strengthened chemical safety policies and helped make prevention a national research priority.
