GREAT CONVERSATIONS GALA

April 29, 2026 | Park Avenue Club

Event Details

Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Time: 6-9:30 PM
NEW Location: Park Avenue Club, 184 Park Avenue, Florham Park, NJ 07932

During this one-of-a-kind evening, experience the art of conversation with a fascinating individual, enjoy dinner and drinks, and connect with community members, all while supporting Morris Arts.

At dinner you’ll be seated with your choice of one of our 20 captivating conversationalists who will talk with you and your like-minded table guests about their expertise and experiences. Conversationalists are accomplished individuals contributing to the diverse character of our community including artists, top business leaders, media and communications professionals, culinary entrepreneurs, scientists, and many more.

Purchase Tickets

How it Works

1) Read up on our fascinating conversationalists (bios linked below)
2) Buy your tickets online and select 5 conversationalists you’re interested in sitting with at dinner.
3) Check in at Great Conversations and find out which of your 5 choices you will be seated with at dinner.
4) Enjoy appetizers, drinks from our open bar, and networking with conversationalists and other guests.
5) Dine with your conversationalist! They will lead a discussion with you and a small group of guests about their field of expertise. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and share your own experiences.

2026 Conversationalists

Click on the categories below to learn more about this year’s conversationalists.

Arts, Music, & Theatre

Chuck Burgi

Drummer in Billy Joel’s Band since 2006; NJ born and raised musician who also played and recorded with legendary artists such as Al Di Meola, Meat Loaf, Hall and Oates, Bon Jovi, Enrique Iglesias, Diana Ross, and Blue Öyster Cult; drummer for the Broadway Musical Movin’ Out; concert highlights include “The Last Play at Shea” final concert to close Shea Stadium and the 10 year residency at Madison Square Garden. Please note, Chuck Burgi and Amy Goff will host their Great Conversations table together.

Amy Goff

Lead vocalist and session singer for famed rock musician Meat Loaf and others; co-wrote and sang on TV and radio commercials for Ford, Coke, Pepsi, Chevrolet, etc.; performs with husband Chuck Burgi in the cover band One Chick with Dudes; founded Lunch Lady Foods specializing in locally sourced, organic prepared foods. Please note, Amy Goff and Chuck Burgi will host their Great Conversations table together.

Cheryl Dennis

General Manager of Broadway’s Circle in the Square Theatre; theatre industry leader who contributed to over 40 award-winning Broadway productions including Just in Time (with Jonathan Groff), American Buffalo, Oklahoma!, and Fun Home, with management credits ranging from Barefoot in the Park to True West; strong proponent of arts education.

Todd Doney

Fine artist, illustrator, and art educator; known for his large-scale paintings of NJ landscapes exhibited in solo shows in major NJ galleries; illustrator for advertising agencies, publishers, and sport teams; Professor of Art and Design at County College of Morris.

Michael Hollick

American actor and Broadway performer currently performing as Scar in Disney’s The Lion King in Las Vegas and the National Touring Companies; award-winning voice of Niko Bellic in Grand Theft Auto IV; television appearances include Law & Order, Sex and the City, and Guiding Light.
Authors & Journalists

Nat Cassidy

Bestselling and Bram Stoker award-nominated horror writer, actor, and playwright; acclaimed works include Mary (“One of the Best Horror Novels of All Time” – Audible) and When the Wolf Comes Home (“A classic” – Stephen King); described by Esquire as one “of the best horror writers of this generation”; upcoming book I Know A Place features an introduction by Stephen King; has guest starred on Law & Order, Blue Bloods, and FBI. Please note, Nat Cassidy and Kelley Rae O’Donnell will host their Great Conversations table together.

Kelley Rae O’Donnell

Award-winning actor, voiceover artist, producer and writer; film and TV credits include: No Hard Feelings with Jennifer Lawrence, The Irishman with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, Tommy (CBS), Invasion (APPLE TV), and The Blacklist (NBC); helped to plan the wedding of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones; married to Nat Cassidy, horror writer. Please note, Kelley Rae O’Donnell and Nat Cassidy will host their Great Conversations table together.

Emily Laber-Warren

Distinguished science journalist and editor; freelance writer for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Psychology Today, Scientific American, covering topics related to the human mind and body; previous senior editor at Popular Science, Women’s Health, and Scientific American Mind; heads the Health & Science Reporting Program at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.
Culinary Arts & Food Entrepreneurs

Yianni (John) Arvanites

Co-Founded & Co-Owns LOKL Café with close friend Panos Stogioglou who share a passion for sourcing exceptional coffee, building relationships with producers, and creating spaces where people can slow down and connect; just launched newest café in Soho, NYC; CPA and co-owner of Integrated Payroll Systems; former Mayor of Roseland; studied piano for many years and performs stand-up comedy. Please note, Yianni Arvanites and Panos Stogioglou will host their Great Conversations table together.

Panos Stogioglou

Co-Founder & Co-Owner of LOKL Café; travels to coffee farms across Latin America to source coffee directly and build relationships with producers; also owns a marketing and advertising agency; has degrees in Epidemiology and Public Health as well as Studio Art and Photography. Please note, Panos Stogioglou and Yianni Arvanites will host their Great Conversations table together.

Angela Liu

Owner and CEO of Crispy Green, a U.S. based snack company known for its freeze-dried fruit products sold nationwide; former biotech drug discovery scientist turned entrepreneur driven to address a gap in the market for convenient, minimally processed, nutritious snacks; avid traveler who has been to 60+ countries in all 7 continents from the Arctic to Antarctic; explores her creativity through glass and metal artwork.

Luck Sarabhayvanija

Founder and Chief Business Officer of Montclair Hospitality Group (MHG), a chef-driven global hospitality company reimagining how restaurant brands connect with culture, creativity, and community; behind such acclaimed culinary destinations as Ani Ramen House, pastaRAMEN, MM by Morimoto with world-renowned Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, whose second location will open at Vail Mansion in Morristown in late 2026.
Data Science & AI

Guy Gomis

SVP, Global Practice Leader – AI, Tech, Data & Analytics/Insights at BrainWorks, a leading executive search firm specializing in finding top talent for C-level, VP, and hard-to-find positions; 30+ year career in forging successful strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as Nike, GM, Walmart, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Starbucks; originally from Senegal, came to US on a basketball scholarship and succeeded as a four-year letterman at the University of Maine.
Environmental Science

Jeff Andrilenas, EVP, PG, LHG, LEG

VP and Environmental Lead at TBLS Environmental Advisory Services; an expert in PFAS, the “forever chemical” with extensive background in environmental and financial modeling; conducted environmental studies of 3,000+ sites in North America and overseas and consulted for some of the largest global industrial companies; loves Asian and Southwestern cuisines, wine collecting, and jazz, and has the most one of the most viewed profiles on LinkedIn.
Healthcare & Pharma

Sarah Alspach

EVP & Chief Communications Officer at Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), the largest trade association in the world representing the biotechnology industry; responsibilities include building support for policies that enable R&D in new medicines and vaccines; summited Mt. Kilimanjaro as part of an expedition that raised more than $2 million for sickle cell research; devoted Texas Longhorn football fan.

Nana Danso

VP, US Dermatology Marketing Lead at Pfizer; 25+ years of cross-industry experience including two decades in pharmaceuticals with key leadership roles in Dermatology and Rheumatology; award-winning speaker, magician, and author of Real Magic: Breaking Through the Illusion of Success.

Matthew Grossman, MD

Interventional Gastroenterologist at Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center; specializes in diagnosing and treating complex and precancerous conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, using minimally invasive, state-of-the-art techniques; recognized for expertise in advanced endoscopic procedures and is frequently consulted for the most challenging cases.

Kristen Johnson, PhD

Senior Scientific Leader at Johnson & Johnson; extensive drug discovery experience, specializing in the fields of inflammation and rare disease.
Law & Equity

Thomas Prol

NJ State Bar Association past President & Partner at Sills Cummis & Gross law firm; first openly gay state bar president in NJ history; vocal advocate on issues of equity and access to justice; co-drafted NJ’s “Marriage Equality” legislation signed into law by Governor Murphy in 2022; served two years as a volunteer for the U.S. Peace Corps in Nepal.
Revolutionary History – In Honor of America's 250

Ken Magos

Host, Series Creator, and Executive Producer of Drive By History, a PBS series which explores the fascinating stories hidden behind New Jersey’s roadside historical markers; master storyteller whose career includes performing as a professional opera singer and leading a corporate graphic design studio; adjunct professor of voice at Kean University.
Risk Management

Gary Lynch

CEO & Founder of The Risk Project, a risk analysis, research, and consulting firm focusing on Supply Chain and Strategic Risk Management, and Business Continuity & Crisis Management; has authored, lectured, and advised heads of state, C-suite executives, and Fortune 500 boards about how to turn uncertainty into competitive advantage; diverse background includes serving as a firefighter (earning a Silver Medal of Valor for his 9/11 crisis response), investigating multi-million-dollar cybercrimes, and playing guitar.
Wellness & Aging

Brian Lawrence

President & CEO of FellowshipLIFE, a nonprofit that offers life plan communities for aging adults; leads and oversees Healthcare, Medical and Wellness Services, Independent Living, Long Term Care, and Home and Community-Based Services; received the LeadingAge NJ President’s Award in recognition of his contributions to the aging services field.

Ron Weiss, MD

Dual board-certified physician in internal and lifestyle medicine at Ethos Primary Care; organic farmer and botanist who practices and lives on a 300 year old, 342 acre organic, regenerative working farm in Long Valley, NJ; offers an evidence-based, food-as-medicine approach to healing from chronic illness and optimizing wellness; featured in The New York Times, The Today Show, New Jersey Monthly, and the documentary, “Eating You Alive.”