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Hundreds of the San Diego region’s most giving and influential people and organizations joined together on the deck of the USS Midway Museum to support the National University Foundation. The event celebrated National University’s Humanitarians of the Year, Jeanne McAlister, the founder of the McAlister Institute, and community leader Rolf Benirschke and his wife Mary for their incredible contributions to the San Diego community. The gala is an initiative that raises funds to help traditionally underserved students get the higher education they need to improve their lives and make important contributions to their communities.
The evening also welcomed prominent community leaders and supporters, including Nancy Rohland, Pilar Rodriguez, Yvonne Huggins McLean, Ken Barnes, Maggie Watkins, Sidd Vivek, Kyra Seay, Phyllis Epstein, Brigadier General David Hyman, Doug Wright, Melissa Barton, Joe Sigurdson, Ruthann Heinrich, Sarah Booher, and Mark Milliron,, all of whom gathered to support educational access and opportunity in San Diego.
Gallery of National University Foundation Gala 2025
Alexandra Lopez and Pilar RodriguezAlvin McLean and Yvonne Huggins McLeanAngela and Ken BarnesBob and Maggie WatkinsBob Scheid Kyra Seay and Sidd VivekBob Scheid and Kyra SeayBrigadier General David Hyman and Karna HymanDana and Ed DudurichDan and Phyllis EpsteinDoug and Molly WrightEmily Hill Rick Loessberg and Betheny ReidEmma and Marisa VarondEmma Varond Jeanne McAlister and Marisa VarondJeanne McAlister and Chris GrahamJeff and Melissa BartonJohn Beach and Joe SigurdsonKaren Saiz Terri Jasper and Denise TibbitsLisa Hutton and Carey HilderbrandMaria and Garry RidgeMartin Scherr and Thomas TopuzesMary and Rolf BenirschkeMichelle Kuebitz and Sanya DeVorenational galaNisan Gabbay and Maria AnguianoPolice Chief Shelley Zimmerman Ret and Mark McCordPriscilla Hall and Joanne PastulaRyan Benirschke and Claire ShahaSarah Booher Michael Cunningham Commander William Burkland and Veronica ChavezSarah Booher and Michael CunninghamSarah Giguere Alexander Ramirez with Mark MillironSteve and Jan Pickering with Dan and Ruthann HeinrichSteve Miller Brianna Eltzroth and Chris ThorneZ and Navi
Esteban Villanueva was born in Washington D.C. and raised in La Jolla. He attended both Francis Parker and The Bishop’s School locally before going to Dartmouth College where he received his B.S. in Biology and Pepperdine School of Law where he received his J.D. focusing Entertainment Law. He worked in the Latin music industry where his projects went on to win 14 Grammy Awards for artists including Ricky Martin and Carlos Santana. After starting GB Magazine with Danitza Villanueva in 2007, he has gone on to win awards and recognition from the community for his support of helping raise millions of dollars for non-profit organizations. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for the San Diego Air & Space Museum and resides in East County in San Diego where he and his wife Danitza run DAESVI Publishing, home to GB Magazine, among several other publications.
