Three Rivers Youth

Three Rivers Youth’s 2026 Nellie Leadership Awards Gala (May 8, 2026)… Race of the Roses was a trifecta experience…. From the welcome signature drink “Midori at the Races”… to poses with the statuesque derby horse… the roar of the nearly 400 guests… The board member processional… the Guests Hat Fashion Parade, the moving testimonial of foster child Zane… the impressive honorees, the President & CEO’s message… the lively auction…dancing and exciting horse racing all the way to the final guest exit… a time was had.

Three Rivers Youth is proud to announce Janis Burley as one of our 2026 Nellie Leadership Award Honorees.

For more than two decades, Ms. Burley has been a visionary arts leader in the Pittsburgh region and beyond. In July 2017, she was appointed President & CEO and Artistic Director of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. Under her leadership, the center has grown to become the second-largest Black multidisciplinary performing arts center in the nation. Under her leadership, the center has experienced a renaissance.

Ms. Burley is also the founder of the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, launched in 2011, which has become a premier celebration of jazz and culture. She has lent her expertise to numerous organizations, including Deutscher Jazzpreis, Association of Performing Arts Professionals, Jazz Philadelphia, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and Jazz Congress. She is also an active member of The Links Incorporated, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Northeasterners, and the International Women’s Network.

Three Rivers Youth is honored to celebrate Janis Burley’s transformative leadership and lasting impact at the 2026 Nellie Leadership Awards Gala on May 8, 2026, at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh downtown. For tickets & sponsorship opportunities please visit: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-nellie-leadership-awards-gala

Three Rivers Youth is pleased to announce that Derrick Wilson and Howard Russell will serve as co-chairs for the 2026 Nellie Leadership Awards Gala to be held May 8, 2026 at the downtown Wyndham Grand Hotel. Themed “Race of the Roses: A Kentucky Derby Affair”, the event will feature fine dining, a live auction, live entertainment, live horse racing with payouts for winners, and fabulous Kentucky
Derby couture.

Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased by contacting Tara E. Beichner at (412) 441-5020 ext. 214 or by visiting our event site: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-nellie-leadership-awards-gala

Join us for an elegant evening of fine dining, celebration, live entertainment, and a live auction - culminating in vibrant horse racing and spirited frivolity. Dress in your fanciest derby couture!

Please RSVP by Friday, April 24, 2026 by using this link https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-nellie-leadership-awards-gala (link also in the bio) or by calling our office at 412-441-5020 to reach Tara Beichner, Director of Development (ext. 214) or Pauline Criswell, Director of Administrative Services (ext. 220).