Champions for Children - Legal Services for Children

Thank you for joining us!

It was such a pleasure to celebrate our wonderful community of pro bono attorneys and youth advocates, as well as our clients, on this special evening.

LSC board member Josh Meltzer holding a microphone and addressing event attendees

Three 2026 Excellence in Pro Bono awardees with their award, standing in front of an LSC banner

Three LSC Excellence in Pro Bono awardees standing with their award alongside former LSC volunteer Trinidad Madrigal, in front of an LSC banner

Four LSC Excellence in Pro Bono awardees, including LSC board member Scott Karchmer, standing in front of an LSC banner

LSC Excellence in Service to Youth awardee Perryn Reis standing with LSC social worker Fernando Antunez and LSC Associate Legal Director Stephany Arzaga in front of an LSC banner

An LSC awardee standing with LSC Clinical Director Ron Gutierrez in front of an LSC banner

Photo of LSC's 2026 Certificate in Child Advocacy awardees holding their certificates with our Executive Director in front of an LSC banner. From left: LSC Executive Director Cathy Sakimura, awardee Kristen Sibbald, awardee Frida Garcia Morales, and awardee Alana Gans

LSC 2026 annual event performer Anika Mangla, poet with YouthSpeaks, standing smiling and looking to her right next to an LSC banner

Crystal award plaques and framed Certificates in Child Advocacy displayed on a table with a patterned tablecloth

Three people smiling and chatting in front of some indoor trees. From left, Excellence in Service to Youth awardee Perryn Reis, LSC Executive Director Cathy Sakimura, and LSC Senior Staff Attorney Jen Daly

A crowd of event attendees stand around tables smiling and chatting in front of a stone wall lined with indoor trees

LSC Excellence in Service to Youth awardee Perryn Reis receives applause as her award is announced. She stands next to LSC board member Josh Meltzer and LSC Development Director Joyce Lupack, alongside the event's sign language interpreter

A group of event attendees stand together chatting and laughing

LSC Development Associate Kristine Ortega smiling and greeting an event guest

A crowd of event attendees stand smiling and clapping in front of a wall lined with indoor trees

Two people hugging in an open foyer area with other people entering the space in the background

A group of LSC staff gathered in front of an LSC banner and wood walls lined with indoor trees

2026 Excellence in Pro Bono Honorees

On June 4, 2026, we were thrilled to recognize our 2026 Excellence in Pro Bono Honorees:

We sincerely thank these outstanding volunteers for their service and commitment to young people. Each honoree has collaborated with an LSC social worker and young client to secure legal guardianship, educational rights, or immigration relief.

Special Thanks To Our 2026 Event Sponsors

Emerald

Susan & David Tunnell

Pacesetters

Benefactors

Sue Stuckwisch

Ellen M. Semonoff

Leaders

Charles & Nel Ellwein

Advocates

Kim Thompson & John Bliss

Ann Alpers

Mitchell & Susan Cohen

Robert Holgate

Scott Mosher & Christine Laing

Allies

Ashley Crawford

Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood

Hanson Bridgett LLP

Guardians

Katherine S. Ritchey

AILA NorCal

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Cathy Sakimura

Wine generously donated by Neyers Vineyards

The Difference Legal Services for Children Makes

In honor of LSC’s 50th anniversary in 2025, talented volunteers Puppet Mills (member of LSC’s Board of Directors) and Cassandra Dreher, in collaboration with some of LSC’s former clients and current staff, created this video to convey the difference LSC’s work makes in the lives of our young clients. We are honored to have been a part of each of our clients’ healing journeys and paths to stable and empowered futures.