Decked out in outfits that combined dressy with denim, some 650 folks swarmed the Maryland Live! Casino to support the Ulman Foundation at its Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball. They enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and cocktails while browsing a silent auction, participating in card tricks courtesy of a roaming magician, getting their portrait done by a caricature artist, and catching up with friends before heading into the hall for a seated dinner and program.
Foundation president and CEO Brock Yetso marveled at the scene, recalling how the annual shindig began 14 years earlier.
“We’ve gone from having it in a public library where we were begging people to a sold-out event at Maryland Live,” he said, with a laugh.
The party pulled in about $900,000 for its programs and services for adolescents and young adults with cancer.
From left – John Cousler, Cousler Services owner, Erin Cousler, Havtech vice president of sales, and Zack Shariff, Allen + Shariff Engineering CEO, at the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball” (Sloane Brown)From left – Ulman Foundation co-founders: Lou Ulman, retired attorney, Jaki Ulman, Margrave Strategies COO, Ken Ulman, Margrave Strategies CEO, and Diana Ulman, artist, at the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball” (Sloane Brown)
From left – Tobi Owolabi, Novogene USA account manager, and Fausto Bonilla, Eventbrite software engineer/manager, at the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball” (Sloane Brown)Guests settle in for dinner and a program at the Ulman Foundation’s “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball.” (Sloane Brown)From left – Brock Yetso, Ulman Foundation president/CEO, Brooke Koeninger, Scale With Clarity founder, and Aaron Koeninger, Under Armour Team Sports general manager/incoming Ulman Foundation board member, at the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball” (Sloane Brown)
From left – Andrew Finkelstein, Bohler business development manager, Leora Davalos, Thrive Digital Health CEO, Kate Bryden, MRP Industrial senior vice president/Ulman Foundation board member, and Shawn Bryden, Baltimore City Public Schools teacher, at the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball” (Sloane Brown)From left – Isaiah Campbell, BGE overhead lineman, and Kayla Campbell, Constellation HR program manager, at the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball” (Sloane Brown)From left – Brad Zebra, BeOne Medicines division sales manager, Michele Zebra, community volunteer, and Sabrena Smith, BeOne Medicines pharmaceutical representative, at the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball” (Sloane Brown)
From left – Katie Garner, AAAS program coordinator, Emily Robins, student, Tami Matson, homemaker, and Rick Matson, Camson Construction president, at the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball” (Sloane Brown)After the cocktail hour, guests made their way into the Maryland Live! Hall for dinner. (Sloane Brown)As suggested by its title, outfits at the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball” ran the gamut from cocktail to casual. (Sloane Brown)
Activities available for guests during the cocktail hour included sitting for a caricature, at the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball.” (Sloane Brown)From left – Meghan Curtis, Edenwald director of care management, and Michelle Rosenheim, Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant executive director, at the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball” (Sloane Brown)From left – Louann Shariff, L’Image Studio interior designer, Kathy Roetering, community volunteer, Joe Roetering, Havtech CEO, and Evan Roetering, college student, at the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball” (Sloane Brown)
From left – John Lancaster, Surefire Cyber cybersecurity director, Trevor Garner, IdeaCrew COO/Ulman Foundation board chair, and Mike Hantke, Tensley Consulting president/CEO, at the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball” (Sloane Brown)A roaming magician performed card tricks for guests during the party’s cocktail hour. (Sloane Brown)Gerrard Sheppard, former Baltimore Raven, and Kristen Sheppard, IdeaCrew people operations manager, at the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball” (Sloane Brown)
Guests perused the silent auction during the “Blue Jeans + Bow Ties Ball” cocktail hour. (Sloane Brown)
Scene Ahead
Wednesday, April 23A Taste for Pro BonoBenefits Maryland Volunteer Lawyers ServiceBaltimore Museum of Industry, 1415 Key Highway6 p.m.-9 p.m.Tickets $100mvlslaw.org/mvls-events/a-taste-for-pro-bono-2025
Saturday, April 26XLIII Benefit BowlBenefits Believe in Tomorrow Children’s FoundationM&T Bank Stadium6 p.m. – 11 p.m.Tickets $200believeintomorrow.org/benefit
