✨ Your Presence Powers Possibility ✨

Raise a glass, raise a paddle, and support more than 250 Breakthrough Scholars and Teaching Fellows. Funds raised from the Soirée help Breakthrough provide free, year-round academic enrichment for 5th–12th graders attending Philadelphia public, charter, and parochial schools, and meaningful stipends for college students exploring careers in education.

🏆2026 Award Honorees
State Senator Vincent Hughes

State Senator Vincent Hughes represents Pennsylvania’s 7th Senatorial District, serving parts of Philadelphia and Montgomery County. A leading Democratic voice in the Commonwealth, he has championed education equity, affordable housing, healthcare access, gun violence prevention, mental health, and voting rights throughout his career.

In 2010, Senator Hughes was elected Democratic Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, overseeing Pennsylvania’s $47 billion state budget. He is widely recognized as the legislative leader behind Pennsylvania’s constitutionally adequate K–12 education funding formula, the PA Promise initiative for affordable college, and the Read 2 Succeed literacy program.

He and his family founded the James Hughes Memorial Scholarship Fund, awarding over $1 million in college scholarships. He is supported by his wife, actress and activist Sheryl Lee Ralph, and their blended family of four children.

Dr. Elana McDonald, MD
Twin Sister Docs Foundation

Dr. Elana McDonald is a board-certified pediatrician and proud Strawberry Mansion native. A graduate of Central High School and Temple University (magna cum laude), she earned her MD from Penn State College of Medicine and completed her pediatric residency at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children.

She is founder and chief medical officer of Memphis Street Pediatrics, Pizzica Pediatrics, and Castor Pediatrics, and serves as a medical advisor to school nurses at area charter schools. Dr. McDonald co-founded Twin Sister Docs Foundation with her identical twin, Dr. Delana Wardlaw, advancing healthcare advocacy and addressing disparities through community outreach, media, and their podcast.

Dr. Delana Wardlaw, MD, FAAFP
Twin Sister Docs Foundation

Dr. Delana Wardlaw is a board-certified family medicine physician from Strawberry Mansion and a graduate of Central High School, Temple University, and Penn State College of Medicine. She completed her residency at Montgomery Hospital, where she served as chief resident.

Named the 2020 Pennsylvania Family Physician of the Year, Dr. Wardlaw has dedicated her career to building trust across generations and closing healthcare gaps. She serves on the Nicetown Community Development Corporation board and previously served on Mayor Cherelle Parker’s transition team. Twin Sister Docs Foundation has been featured on Good Morning America, The Drew Barrymore Show, Essence, and People.

Darren Spielman

Darren Spielman is a nonprofit and social justice leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing education, environmental advocacy, and public policy. Most recently, he led the Pennsylvania Resources Council, a statewide environmental organization.

Previously, Darren served as executive director of Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Education Fund, and executive director of the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers University. A longtime Breakthrough board and advisory board member, he also served on United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey’s Regional Policy Committee. He holds a BA from Wesleyan University and a PhD in psychology from UMass Amherst.

🎫 Tickets and Tables

Early Bird Pricing

Available through March 1, 2026

Early Bird Individual Ticket: $200
Young Supporter Ticket: $125
Early Bird Table (10 seats): $2,500

Early bird pricing is our way of saying thank you to those who commit early. All proceeds support Breakthrough’s year-round work with Scholars and Teaching Fellows.

Regular Pricing

Beginning March 2, 2026

General Admission: $250
Young Supporter Ticket: $125
Table (10 seats): $3,000

💳 Giving and Payment Details

Credit cards accepted (standard processing fees apply)
Optional Givebutter tip supports Givebutter only (not Breakthrough) and may be adjusted or removed
Checks welcome (no processing fees)
Donor-advised funds accepted for non-ticket donations only
For larger gifts, donors may combine payment methods

📬 Stay in Touch

Event Questions
Kanchan Rai, Events & Development Associate
krai@breakthroughphilly.org

Sponsorship Inquiries
Jessica Richardson, Director of Donor Engagement
jrichardson@breakthroughphilly.org

📣 Share the Evening

Help spread the word and invite friends to join us:
#BreakthroughPhillySoiree

Breakthrough Spring Soirée 2026

Your Presence Powers Possibility