Evening Beyond Celiac is our annual gala to honor outstanding individuals or organizations that have made significant strides for the celiac disease community.
Join us in Philadelphia on May 15 as we honor J.C. Henry with the 2025 Samuel Gee Award and recognize Zack Boger and Valerie Cohn for their exceptional commitment to the celiac disease community!
WHEN: May 15, 2025, at 6 PM ET
WHERE: Arts Ballroom, 1324 Locust St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
WHO: You!
Dress code is cocktail attire, and all food and drink are completely gluten-free.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit our Evening Beyond Celiac website.
Evening Beyond Celiac is our annual gala to honor outstanding individuals or organizations that have made significant strides for the celiac disease community.
J.C. Henry has partnered with Alice Bast and the Beyond Celiac team for more than two-and-a-half decades to advance the organization’s mission as a former member of the Board of Directors, as an ongoing member of the Business Advisory Council, and as an unfailing friend to the organization. Diagnosed with celiac disease nearly 30 years ago, when he was one of just a few patients with celiac disease in Dr. Anthony J. Di Marino’s practice at Thomas Jefferson University, J.C. has experienced first-hand the vast changes in the celiac landscape. He will be “forever grateful” to Alice and Beyond Celiac for all they have accomplished to improve the quality of life for those living with celiac disease. In turn, Beyond Celiac is deeply grateful to J.C. for his dedication to the cause and his help with expanding our network on both coasts. J.C. is the former CEO of EP Henry, the oldest family-owned manufacturer of hardscape and masonry products since 1903, until its recent acquisition. In his free time, he enjoys spending his time between Santa Barbara, CA, and the Big Island, HI.
Zack became involved with Beyond Celiac in 2021 after his wife, Arielle, was diagnosed with celiac disease. In just a few years, he has quickly become an invaluable champion of the organization, generously sharing his time and considerable expertise on the Board Communications Committee and beyond. After studying film and philosophy at Wesleyan University, Zack moved to New York, where he worked as a documentary editor, cutting non-scripted television, and then as a narrative film editor. His award-winning feature-length and short films have screened commercially and in film festivals all over the world. He has been extremely effective in directing these skills as a creative collaborator with the Beyond Celiac team to build compassion and connection, most notably through his hands-on involvement in the production of the impactful How to be an Ally to Someone With Celiac Disease video, which premiered last May on NBC’s TODAY. Zack is based in Brooklyn, NY, where he lives with Arielle and their infant son, Asa.
Valerie became a passionate advocate for celiac disease awareness after the older of her two sons was diagnosed at age 9. Since that time, she has worked to educate others, promote early diagnosis, and support the pursuit of treatments and a cure. As a Beyond Celiac Board Communications Committee member and now as a Board of Directors member, Valerie brings this commitment to move our mission forward. The Beyond Celiac Resource Library, a multimedia collection of tools designed to help people with celiac disease and their families navigate life, is now one of the most sought-after offerings on our website, thanks to her vision and support. Working with fellow committee member Zack Boger and the Beyond Celiac team, Valerie was key to the creation of the How to be an Ally to Someone With Celiac Disease video. With degrees in finance and economics, Valerie has held various roles in the financial services industry, including controller for a boutique financial planning firm, WealthMD. She has served as a board member and volunteer for several other community organizations. Valerie lives in Atlanta with her husband, Seth, and sons, Aaron and Jacob.
Beyond Celiac unites with patients and partners to drive diagnosis, advance research and accelerate the discovery of new treatments and a cure. Want to support our work? View our sponsorship packet or contact Valerie Kraft at [email protected] to learn more about Evening Beyond Celiac partnerships.
Our work would not be possible without our generous sponsors. Thank you for your support!
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