Seven individuals and one service organization are celebrated for contributions to food access, community building, education, philanthropy, and international advocacy
Palo Alto, CA (February 6, 2026) — Avenidas, a leader in serving and
connecting older adults across the San Francisco Bay Area Mid-Peninsula,
will be honoring two couples and four individuals selected for the 2026
Lifetimes of Achievement Awards. This group of seven has dedicated their
lives to community building, education, philanthropy, and international
advocacy. This year’s honorees are:
- Michael Chang, Ph.D.
- Kathleen Foley-Hughes & Tony Hughes
- Sue Krumbein
- Nancy Ginsburg Stern & Rick Stern
- Kathy Torgersen
In addition to honoring these special individuals, Avenidas is presenting a Lifetimes of Service Award for the second time. This year’s service organization is Downtown Palo Alto Farmers’ Market, for their steadfast support of Avenidas for more than 40 years, while bringing fresh food to our community.
Since 1989, Avenidas has recognized an exceptional group of communitydriven adults over 65, with this year’s honorees formally announced and celebrated at a private reception on February 3 at Avenidas in downtown Palo Alto.
“When I think about the lasting impact of this year’s honorees, I am struck by their lifetime of service, leadership, and care for others,” said Kristina Lugo, President and CEO of Avenidas. “They have shaped this community in lasting ways — their work and willingness to step forward again and again have made us stronger, more compassionate, and connected.”
The 2026 Lifetimes of Achievement Honorees are: Michael Chang, Ph.D., is a pioneer in promoting civic, social, and political engagement among Asian Americans. As the first Asian American to be Mayor of Cupertino, he is a well recognized Silicon Valley civic leader and has served almost 20 years in elected office.
Dr. Chang immigrated from Hong Kong in the late 1970s and earned his Ph.D. in Education from Stanford University. He is a De Anza College emeritus professor of civic leadership and retired chairman of the Asian and Asian American Studies Department.
Among his many honors, Dr. Chang has received the De Anza College President’s Award, World Journal Daily Community Hero Award, and been named Stanford University AAPI Alumni of the Year, California State Assembly Educator of the Year, and one of World Journal’s Bay Area’s 21 Most Outstanding Chinese Immigrants.
Since founding the Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute in 1997 with the support of Chinese American tech leaders, Dr. Chang has grown the organization to a nationally recognized nonpartisan nonprofit with an educational mission to develop Asian American civic leaders.
Kathleen Foley-Hughes & Tony Hughes are the kind of people who quietly make a community better, not through grand gestures, but through decades of steady, heartfelt action. Parents of four children — Peter, Charlie, Frances, and Henry — they have devoted their lives to strengthening the people and institutions that help Palo Alto thrive.
Tony Hughes’s impact is woven throughout Palo Alto youth life. For over two decades, he coached local sports and guided young people through Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts as Cubmaster and later Assistant Scoutmaster of Pack 57. He also co-founded the Walter Hays “Wildcats” Dads’ Band, which raised nearly one million dollars for Palo Alto schools while building school spirit. Behind the scenes, Tony played a key role in relocating the Girls Middle School from Mountain View to Palo Alto, helping secure its long-term future.
Kathleen Foley Hughes’s leadership runs just as deep. She founded two vocational food service programs within the Palo Alto Unified School District, creating meaningful pathways for students with special needs. She helped co-found the districtwide education foundation that evolved into Palo Alto Partners in Education and has been a dedicated PTA leader at multiple Palo Alto schools, as well as Castilleja and Keys School. For over 20 years, Kathleen has also served as a Neighborhood Preparedness Coordinator alongside Esther Nigenda and John Mori, helping neighbors build readiness and resilience.
But what truly defines Tony and Kathleen is Ada’s Cafe. Founded in 2014, the Cafe creates meaningful employment and training opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities, neurodivergent individuals, and others facing barriers to work, while fostering connection and inclusion. More than a workplace, Ada’s Cafe is a place where employees and customers alike gain a deeper understanding of inclusion in everyday life.
Sue Krumbein is a lifelong community leader, strengthening the organizations and people of Palo Alto and beyond through her vision, service, gift for teaching, and collaborative spirit.
Sue Krumbein devoted her professional life to supporting local students as a middle school librarian and was honored with the Menlo Park PTA Pillars of the Community Award. As a docent and tour leader for Palo Alto Stanford Heritage, Palo Alto Historical Association, Filoli, SF City Guides, and Gamble Garden, she continued to educate the public with warmth, humor, and enthusiasm.
Sue has dedicated her retirement to enriching such diverse organizations as TheatreWorks, Museum of American Heritage, East Palo Alto Academy, Canopy, Gamble Garden, and Palo Alto Woman’s Club.
Whether leading board committees, recruiting new members, or championing new programs, Sue is known for connecting people and organizations alike to share resources and support one another — ultimately creating a stronger, more vibrant community.
Nancy Ginsburg Stern and Rick Stern have givengenerously to the Palo Alto community for years in both their professional and personal lives.
Rick Stern’s firm, Stern Mortgage Company, was given the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce’s Tall Tree Award for its “community-minded business ethic that serves to enhance the richness of Palo Alto.” He has been an active volunteer and generous contributor to multiple service groups, including Avenidas, the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce, and the Palo Alto YMCA.
As a 40-year member of the Kiwanis Club of Palo Alto (KCPA), Rick is part of a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time. With Rick’s support, KCPA has grown significantly, allowing them to provide thousands of volunteer hours and donate tens of thousands of dollars to local charities every year.
Nancy Ginsburg Stern has touched thousands of lives as a teacher at PreSchool Family, and through her psychology practice, working with children, adolescents, adults, and couples. She was instrumental in raising funds for the Roy A. Ginsburg Memorial Stage (known informally as the Magic Castle) for the Palo Alto Children’s Theatre. And as part of the TheatreWorks’s Board, she has contributed to its growth into the Peninsula’s leading nonprofit theater, honored with the Regional Theatre Tony Award.
Kathy Torgersen, a Palo Alto resident for more than 40 years, has used her vision, leadership, and fundraising prowess to benefit many local organizations and political candidates, including Anna Eshoo, Betsy Bechtel, Liz Kniss, and Rich Gordon.
Kathy Torgersen’s fundraising and event planning expertise have been instrumental in growing such organizations as the Palo Alto Community Fund, Foothill-De Anza Foundation, and Foundation for a College Education.
Most recently, Kathy has devoted her time to supporting Ukraine. Not only has she produced fundraising events that have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for humanitarian relief, but she has also personally driven urgently needed vehicles and medical supplies over the border to Ukrainian soldiers with Assist Ukraine.
In addition to her inspiring volunteer service, Kathy is a world-class athlete, having completed the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon at the age of 62, and competed as a member of the USA Triathlon Team at five World Championships.
With incredible commitment, courage, and creativity, Kathy fosters community — gathering neighbors, friends, and colleagues on behalf of important causes that improve lives not just here in Palo Alto, but around the world.
Downtown Palo Alto Farmers’ Market was founded in 1981 to address a critical need for fresh, local food after the last local grocery store moved out. A group of community members, many of them affiliated with Avenidas, came together to develop a solution.
With a $1,500 loan from Avenidas, and supported by an all-volunteer board, the Market was launched featuring 11 vendors. Over the years, it has grown and evolved to meet the changing needs of downtown Palo Alto. In 1982, it made its first annual charitable donation to Avenidas; in 1986, it spun out as an independent nonprofit.
Today, the Market features more than 40 vendors — some of whom have been there since the very beginning — and has donated more than $650,000 to Avenidas, helping support our programs and services.
The Lifetimes of Achievement Awards Garden Party to formally celebrate this year’s honorees, will be held on Sunday, May 17, from 3 to 5 pm. The event is open to the public, and all are welcome to join us in celebrating the remarkable contributions of these honorees. To purchase tickets, go to www.avenidas.org/lifetimes2026 or contact Donor Engagement & Event Manager Frances Freyberg English at 650-289-5472 or mailto:ffreybergenglish@avenidas.org.
Proceeds from the garden party benefit Avenidas, a 501(c)(3) organization.
About Avenidas
Since 1969, Avenidas services and programs have been helping older adults in the San Francisco Bay Area Mid-Peninsula area be as active, engaged, and healthy as possible. Annually, Avenidas serves more than 4,300 older adults through over 62,000 encounters in two adult enrichment centers in Palo Alto and one adult day care center located in Mountain View. Whether older adults require rides to a doctor’s office, counseling sessions, technology assistance, or if they want to develop a new interest, take an exercise class, or make new friends, Avenidas is here for them.
High resolution images are available for use by the media. Please contact Michelle T. Shinseki, Vice President of Marketing & Communications, at mshinseki@avenidas.org.
Contact:
Michelle T. Shinseki
650-475-6500
mshinseki@avenidas.org
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