Chris Russell is an amazing friend and supporter to our Best Buddies community here in Virginia & DC! A radio host with Team 980, he's been giving us all the lowdown on Washington sports since 2009. Chris, along with his Mission Partner and son, Tyler, absolutely love Best Buddies and are sharing that love with everyone they meet! Tyler can often be seen out in the community wearing his Best Buddies gear and making friends wherever he goes.

Zane Landin works at the National Geographic Society as an Internal Communications Specialist. As someone incredibly involved and passionate about DEIA work, he is involved in all the inclusion networks. He serves as the Co-Chair for NGS' "The 15%+," the inclusion network advocating for apparent and non-apparent disabilities. Zane has also been a member of the Best Buddies Young Leaders Council since 2022.

Sumaira & Amar Malik have been actively involved in Best Buddies for the past 10 years. His sisters have founded inclusion programs in their junior high and high schools, and are huge supporters of Best Buddies. Amar is now an official ambassador for Best Buddies and he is excited to share the message of inclusion everywhere he goes. As his mother, Sumaira has seen Amar benefit from the positive impacts of inclusion from being engaged in Best Buddies.

Martha and Hannah Bourlakas are a Best Buddies mother-daughter duo for our Champion of the Year campaign! Hannah is a 4 pillar member in Best Buddies. She is actively involved in our Jobs, Citizen's, Ambassador and Living program. Martha is so proud of all that Hannah has accomplished so far- from getting a full time job, moving into the living program, and officially being named a 2023-2024 State Ambassador!

Suzanne is assistant general counsel with JPMorgan Chase and a longtime supporter of Best Buddies in Virginia & DC along with her son Connor! Connor has loved his time with the Best Buddies program - beginning in middle school at Kenmore, continuing in high school at Yorktown and PEP. Best Buddies Prom (now Homecoming) with his girlfriend, Sarah, is an annual highlight and we know this year will be no different.

Jhiya Cooper is a Best Buddies Jobs participant, Ambassador, and a Champion of the Year candidate! She loves her job at Marshalls where she gets to meet new people and work hard. Jhiya's attended events like the Friendship Walk and Best Buddies Leadership Conference as a state Ambassador where she's shared her story and the impact of Best Buddies. She is matched with Casey Craig, a Board member and our 2024 Friendship Walk Chair.

Rose and Dave Donovan have seen just how much Best Buddies has helped their son and Mission Partner, Reilly, to achieve his goals. Reilly is a recent graduate of the Best Buddies Jobs program and has gained independence through the Best Buddies Living program. He now works full time and has a community he enjoys. Rose & Dave are sure you'll agree - all of us want to lead successful and fulfilled lives. Best Buddies has helped Reilly with both and made a world of difference for them, too.

Chitra Inbarajan & Max Hershberger have worked together at Accenture Federal Services for 8 years! Chitra started her journey with Best Buddies a decade ago and now co-leads the Best Buddies program at Accenture Federal Services. She supports Best Buddies with the "Skills to Succeed Workshop" that's held in Spring and Fall. Together, Chitra & Max are continuing the legacy of Accenture Federal Services and showcasing the power of inclusion!

Cathy White has seen the impact Best Buddies has had in her son and Mission Partner Drew's life over the past three years. He needed job training when he started his job at a local grocery store. Best Buddies provided Drew with a job coach until he felt confident doing his job independently, helping to ensure his success. Best Buddies, along with his employer have provided Drew invaluable job independence, purpose and inclusion in our community. As a Champion of the Year candidate, Cathy is excited to work with Drew to spread the work of Best Buddies and create even more opportunities in our Virginia & DC community!

Your donation will go directly back into our programs - allowing us to create more friendship, jobs, and leadership opportunities for our community in Virginia & DC!

In 2021, Tiffany & Co. initiated a partnership with Best Buddies in Virginia & DC to launch an annual award for the Washington metropolitan area: The Diane Ray Brown Lifetime of Friendship Award to be presented at the Best Buddies in Virginia & DC Fall Gala.

During her lifetime, Diane was a significant supporter and volunteer for Best Buddies in the Capital Region, and Best Buddies is thrilled to have Tiffany & Co. remember and honor Diane's incredible and generous life and her enthusiastic passion for Best Buddies mission with this award.

Best Buddies in Virginia & DC considers The Diane Ray Brown Lifetime of Friendship Award to be the highest honor and sign of gratitude that our organization can bestow on a member of our local community. Honorees are recognized for their philanthropic spirit, generosity, and boundless dedication to Best Buddies mission of friendship and inclusion for everyone.

We are proud to announce that The Diane Ray Brown Lifetime of Friendship Awardee for 2023 is Shannen Coffin. As a Partner with the law firm Steptoe, he chairs the firm's Appeals and Advocacy practice. Shannen has significant experience as a former senior attorney in the federal government, including as a deputy assistant attorney general in the US Justice Department's Civil Division. He served as counsel to Vice President Cheney in the Office of the Vice President of the United States. There, he provided legal advice to the vice president and his staff on constitutional, regulatory, national security, and related policy issues.

Shannen has spent the last decade being an unwavering advocate and leader for Best Buddies in Virginia and DC. He began his involvement in 2013 with the Best Buddies Rides Challenge and has chaired Best Buddies annual Friendship Walk held on The National Mall since 2015. The DC Friendship Walk is the largest in the country, with nearly 2,000 participants each year walking for friendship and inclusion. For two consecutive years, Shannen received recognition as the Top Overall Friendship Walk Fundraiser in
the country. His passion for the belief that "everyone deserves a friend" was instrumental in raising half a million dollars for Best Buddies in the Capital Region. As a board member, Shannen's steady leadership and kindness were pivotal to the growth of Best Buddies locally, from a few dozen friendship chapters to now impacting more than 4,500 students each year. He created The Bishop's Cup award in 2021 - a friendship competition for Best Buddies chapters in local parochial schools that is supported by the
Archdiocese of Arlington.

Through his dedication, integrity, and kindness, Shannen has improved the lives of countless people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Capital Region.