Join us!
Please join Dr. Robert Gervasi, president of Mount Saint Mary College in honoring Steven M. Neuhaus '96, Orange County Executive & Christina Bart Bilsky '85, MSMC Trustee with the Joseph A. Bonura Award for Leadership Excellence.
Friday, December 6, 2024 | 6:00 p.m.
Kaplan Family MST Atrium, Mount Saint Mary College campus
Individual Tickets: $250
RSVP by Friday, November 22
Congratulations to Our Honorees
Christina Bart Bilsky '85
MSMC Trustee
Christina Bart Bilsky was born and raised in the Bronx, N.Y. Her dedication to pursuing a career in nursing was influenced by her mother's protracted illness and untimely death from breast cancer during her childhood. To that end, she received her BSN from Mount Saint Mary College in 1985. This extraordinary education opened innumerable opportunities in her career, but her experience at the Mount provided so much more, including enduring friendships with fellow students and faculty. She developed leadership skills as president of the student body in her junior year, as well as a love of the outdoors and nature, replacing her fascination with concrete and car horns fostered in the Bronx.
From Mount Saint Mary College, Christina embarked on a 30-year career working at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). She held several positions at MSKCC, starting as a clinical in-patient nurse on the Gastric and Mixed Tumor Service. She ultimately worked as a Clinical Nurse IV in ambulatory care with Dr. Leslie Blumgart, who revolutionized hepatobiliary surgery pioneering segmental hepatic tumor resection. Christina wrote critically important educational material for this new field of medicine.
Christina is committed to philanthropy with much of her efforts dedicated to improving educational opportunities and life at Mount Saint May College. She established a scholarship fund at Mount Saint Mary College in 2016 and has hosted career nights for graduating students at her home in Manhattan. She has served on the Advisory Council of the Nursing School and is currently on the Board of Trustees. For her efforts, she was awarded the James McEnery Award for Service to Mount Saint Mary College in 2021. In addition, she is a board member of The Armory Foundation in Washington Heights, which provides college prep for underserved youth.
Christina is the glue and engine of her family. She is married to Mark Bilsky, an Attending Neurosurgeon and Chief of the Multi-disciplinary Spine Tumor Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Her daughter Ann Powers ran cross-country at Northwestern University and is completing her residency in Otolaryngology at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC which will be followed by a pediatric fellowship at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia next year. Her daughter-in-law Elyse Ausenbaugh is a Global Investment Strategist at JP Morgan and a frequent guest on CNBC, Yahoo, and Bloomberg News--and yes, she is on the JP Morgan commercial that aired during the US Open Tennis tournament this year.
Christina's other passions include endurance athletic events having completed 33 marathons with a best time of 3:04 and multiple top 10 age-group finishers in New York, Chicago and Boston as well as an age-group qualifier for the Olympic Distance Triathlon National Championships. She is currently on the Asphalt Green Masters Swim Team requiring a dedicated effort to get out of bed by 4:30 am to make practice three days/week. She is also an avid gardener and birder both of which were cultivated by the extraordinary natural beauty seen during her time in Newburgh.
Steven M. Neuhaus '96
Orange County Executive
Steve Neuhaus is Orange County's sixth County Executive since the office was established in 1970. As County Executive, Neuhaus has focused on revitalizing Orange County's economic development, enhancing public health and safety, improving infrastructure, lowering the tax rate, and stabilizing the budget.
A life-long Orange County resident, and the son of immigrants, Neuhaus was sworn into office on January 1, 2014, after having served as the Town of Chester's Supervisor for six years. He is currently serving as County Executive for a third four-year term, after running unopposed in 2021.
Neuhaus attended Monroe-Woodbury High School and took courses at SUNY Orange during his senior year. He went on to receive a bachelor's degree in History/Political Science from Mount Saint Mary College as well as a Master of Public Administration degree from Marist College. He is also a graduate of Orange County's Leadership Orange program.
Neuhaus was promoted to Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves in October 2022 and is currently assigned to the Office of the Naval Inspector General. He has earned two warfare designations: Seabee Combat Warfare (SCW) Officer and Navy Expeditionary Supply Corps Officer (NESCO) and holds certifications from the Naval War College and the Joint Special Operations University. Neuhaus served with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force on a six-month deployment to Iraq. Neuhaus has deployed to Iraq, Korea, Africa, and Japan, and served on active duty in Europe from mid-March through mid-May (2022) with the U.S. Navy's Sixth Fleet in response to the crisis in Ukraine.
Neuhaus currently serves on both the County Executives of America (CEA) and the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) Boards of Directors and is the President of the New York State County Executive's Association.
Neuhaus lives with his family in Chester.
Thank you to our sponsors
Christina Bart Bilsky '85 and Dr. Mark Bilsky
Dot & Stanley Bilsky
Greg DeBenedictus, D-Ben Security Systems, Inc.
Marilyn Ejercito MSN, BSN, RN '77 & Linda Dobias Dombroski RN BSN MSN MPS FNP '81
Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union
John Herbert Company
Mediacom Communications Corporation
Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union 373
Thomas, Drohan, Waxman, Petigrow & Mayle, LLC
Become a Sponsor
The Dominican Sisters of Hope Sponsor $25,000
- Acknowledgement on the inside cover of program, during the Gala remarks, event website, event communications, banner displayed at event, and name on entry sign.
- Ten (10) tickets with reserved seating.
- Includes $5,000 annual named scholarship (criteria to be discussed with donor).
- Press release issued by the college highlighting the sponsorship and scholarship (drafted by the College and approved by the sponsor).
- Branded item in the Gala Gift Bag. Item will be selected in collaboration with the sponsor and will be ordered and paid for by the college.
Signature Cocktail & Beverage Sponsor $15,000
- Acknowledgement in the program, during the Gala remarks, event website, event communications, banner displayed at event, and name on entry sign.
- Named cocktail, bar signage & napkins.
- Eight (8) tickets with reserved seating.
- Branded item in the Gala Gift Bag. Item will be selected in collaboration with the sponsor and will be ordered and paid for by the college.
Gold Sponsor $10,000
- Acknowledgement as a Gold Sponsor inside the Gala Gift Bag, during the Gala remarks, name on entry sign, on event website, and event communications.
- Five (5) tickets with reserved seating.
- Quarter page journal ad
- Branded item in the Gala Gift Bag provided by you. Item will be selected in collaboration with the college.
Silver Sponsor $5,000
- Four (4) tickets
- Quarter page journal ad
- Acknowledgement as a Silver Sponsor during Gala remarks, inside the Gala Gift Bag, on event website, and other communication pieces.
- Name on entryway sign
Hors d'oeuvres Sponsor $2,500
- Two (2) tickets
- Quarter Page journal ad
- Signage at the Hors d'oeuvres table
- Event website recognition
Dessert Sponsor $2,500
- Two (2) tickets
- Quarter Page journal ad
- Signage at the dessert and coffee table
- Event website recognition
Floral Sponsor $1,500
- Includes event website recognition
- Quarter Page journal ad
- Name on entry sign
- Signage near floral displays.
To Go Coffee and Treat Station Sponsor $1,000
- Includes event website recognition.
- Quarter Page journal ad.
- Signage on the station.
Sponsor a Sister $250
Sponsor a sister to attend this year's Gala.
Journal ads - Ad due by Nov. 17.
- Full Page Journal Ad: $1,000 (Size 4.5"w X 7.5"h, Color)
- Half Page Journal Ad: $750 (Size 4.5"w x 3.5"h, Color)
- Quarter Page Journal Ad: $500 (Size 2.15"w x 3.5"h, Color)