On Saturday, April 25, 2026, Lake Forest Academy hosted its annual Gala on campus. Conducted by the LFA’s Advancement team, the Gala has raised money for a multitude of causes over the past years. Parents of students and alumni, teachers, trustees and donors gather as a community to support a different cause each year. Held in the Cressey Center for the Arts and Reid Hall this year, the gala commenced with a cocktail hour, followed by a paddle-raise auction and then a dinner. This year, the Gala’s initiative was to support new faculty housing. 

Dean of Advancement at LFA, Elizabeth Sullivan, organized, planned and carried out the event along with the Advancement team. Sullivan detailed the goal for the event: “Gala 2026 will support the development of new on-campus faculty housing at LFA. The goal is to increase the number of faculty living on campus so they can better mentor, support and engage with students. The plan is to build 3 houses (two duplexes and one triplex) with 7 units.” Bringing a fresh perspective and goal to this year’s gala, Sullivan explained, “This year’s gala is unique because it focuses on a long-term, community-shaping investment for LFA rather than a programmatic initiative. Gala 2026 centers on faculty housing, which will have sweeping effects over daily campus life—enhancing relationships, mentorship and the residential experience in a lasting way.” 

LFA’s 2026 Gala parent co-chairs, Sara & Brian Lewis P’28 and Diana Qiu & David Huang P’28, contributed to promoting and encouraging participation in the event. In a letter to fellow parents, Gala parent co-chairs said, “What makes LFA so special is the close-knit community with faculty at the heart of it all. From classrooms to dorms to the sidelines, they show up every day for our students with care, consistency and purpose, creating an environment where our [their] children feel known, supported and inspired to grow.” 

With a plethora of support from the parent community at LFA, the Gala grew into a success with an impressive turnout. However, due to the grandeur of the event, some obstacles arose in organizing the gala. Sullivan said, “When planning a Gala at LFA, there are a few challenges we face. One is sharing the vision and impact of the project in a way that aligns the community and fosters excitement for the project. Another is making sure to balance the event experience with fundraising goals, ensuring that the Gala is both meaningful for our guests as well as financially successful for the project.” Another concern Sullivan addressed was the actuality of the effect the Gala would have on LFA students and questions of how it would benefit them. Sullivan repudiated these concerns by noting, “The tagline for this year’s Gala is ‘The Heart of Campus’, which was conceptualized from the idea that the faculty are at the very ‘heart’ of what makes LFA such an excellent institution. They serve as not only teachers but also coaches, mentors, role models and sometimes even a family away from home for LFA students. To maintain those benefits to students, continued and expanded accessibility to faculty is key. Furthermore, the new housing opportunities for faculty mean LFA can continue to attract and retain exceptional teachers, which directly improves the student experience.”

To bring a touch of Caxy spirit to the Gala, every year students perform as part of the program. This year, orchestra, choir and COAX members united to perform an LFA spin on the song “Our House” by Madness. Some students were also invited to share their testimonials, which were used to promote the event and were showcased during the gala. Sullivan said, “Student voices are especially powerful in demonstrating why faculty presence matters.” 

Although it was only her first year at LFA as Dean of Advancement, Sullivan planned and executed an unforgettable Gala. Her enthusiasm and dedication to the community shone through. Sullivan explained her favorite part of the Gala as “seeing the community come together around a shared purpose—when trustees, parents, alumni and faculty all rally behind something that will shape LFA’s future, it is really exciting. There’s a moment when the mission becomes real, and you can feel the collective commitment to strengthening the school and that can be incredibly energizing.”