Avenidas in the News

Contact Info:
Kari Martell
(650) 289-5427

Avenidas Celebrates Contributions of Nine Upstanding Citizens at Annual Event

(Palo Alto, CA, August 31, 2021)–Avenidas, a leading provider of senior programs and services on the Peninsula, today announced its 33rd Avenidas Lifetimes of Achievement event to honor its roster of community movers and shakers for their contributions. The annual event will be held online on Sunday, September 26, 2021, from 3-4:30 pm to honor Fran Codispoti, Betsy Gifford, Gay & Bill Krause, Eliane & Armand Neukermans, Alma & Jim Phillips, and Steve Player.

The event is open to the public, and tickets ($75) are available at avenidas.org. Gifts may also be made in honor of one or more of the honorees. Ticket holders may choose to have a box of savory snacks, a decadent dessert and a bottle of wine delivered to their home before the event. There will also be live guitar music, the chance to meet and welcome new Avenidas President and CEO Amy Yotopoulus, and then the opportunity to learn about the honorees’ contributions, as presented by Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian.

Fran Codispoti, Palo Alto

Twenty-one years ago, Fran joined the Board of Directors of Avenidas, where she co-chaired two capital campaigns. Other groups Fran currently works with are Stanford Cancer Council, Foundation for a College Education–as an advisory board member, Bay Area Cancer Connections, Emeritus Advisory committee, Human Rights Watch, HRW, Silicon Valley Executive Committee, Stanford Women’s Cancer Center, Gunn High School and Palo Alto Unified School District.

Betsy Gifford, Palo Alto

Betsy was part of a group who raised money for a new Y in East Palo Alto and she has also served for the past 30 years as part of Gamble Garden’s “Dirty Knees Brigade,” a group of weekly volunteers who work in the gardens. In addition, she has served on numerous boards, from the Music Guild at Stanford to the Palo Alto Community Fund.

Gay & Bill Krause, Los Altos Hills

Gay Krause has been executive director of the Krause Center for Innovation for 20 years and worked with over 21,000 educators during this period. Currently, Gay serves on six non-profit boards, including the YMCA of Silicon Valley, the FHDA Foundation, Children Now, The Mountain View/Los Altos/Los Altos Hills Challenge Team as chair/founder, the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Community Board chair, and the executive board of the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce. Bill Krause, who help start 3Com Corporation, serves on the boards of CommScope, Forward Networks, and Smart USA, along with being a Senior Advisor to The Carlyle Group and a Board Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. Bill has numerous honors and awards, including serving as the Chairman of the American Electronics Association, the Junior Achievement Silicon Valley Business Hall of Fame, and the Citadel’s “Alumnus of the Year.”

Eliane & Armand Neukermans, Portola Valley

Eliane Neukermans has been engaged with organizations such as Avenidas, the Palo Alto Community Fund, Foothill College, Environmental Volunteers, the Big Sur Environmental Institute, Human Rights Watch, Thomas Merton Center, St. Elisabeth Seton School, Portola Valley Ranch, Global Women Leadership Network, JaipurFoot and Amici Lovanienses. Armand Neukermans, who was nominated “Silicon Valley Inventor of the Year” in 2001, has been active in supporting and advising social entrepreneurial and environmental efforts. Armand has also led a group of retired volunteer engineers and scientists in technology research in support of innovative climate mitigation efforts to cool the earth.

Alma & Jim Phillips, Palo Alto 

Alma Phillips was a teacher, a tutor and a dedicated volunteer! Some of the organizations that she has volunteered for are Environmental Volunteers, Deer Hollow Farm, League of Women Voters and Mid-Peninsula Citizens for Fair Housing. Jim Phillips is an active community volunteer, serving as chair of Avenidas, the Palo Alto Family YMCA and Peninsula Habitat for Humanity, and on the boards of Avenidas, the YMCA of the Mid-Peninsula, Palo Alto Community Child Care, Foundation for a College Education, YWCA of the Mid-Peninsula Donor Advised Fund, One Dollar for Life, and the Kiwanis Club of Palo Alto, where he’s a past president.

Steve Player, Palo Alto

Steve Player has volunteered to assist many start-up non-profits, including the Stanford Mid-Peninsula Urban Coalition, Foundation for a College Education, Center for a New Generation and even Avenidas. He has a close association with Stanford as a volunteer where he has served on various boards over the years, including the Buck/Cardinal Club and the Stanford Historical Society. Steve has been the recipient of several community awards including the Tall Tree Award from the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce, Red Triangle Award from the YMCA, and Stanford Associates Award.

The Avenidas Lifetimes of Achievement Committee was co-chaired this year by Julie Lau and Margo Ogus, and on behalf of Avenidas, they would like to thank the following sponsors for their generous support:

Avenidas is a non-profit organization that runs two adult enrichment centers and an adult day health care center on the mid-Peninsula, and has been in operation since 1969. To learn more, visit avenidas.org or call (650) 289-5400.

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