Donors

For Yuko Uyesugi, The Huntington is more than a destination; it has been a home for reflection, learning, and connection. Each visit has renewed her commitment to share the beauty of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony and the tranquility of the gardens.

Each year the Art and Library Collectors’ Councils donate funds to help The Huntington acquire new objects to expand its collections. Alexandra Patsavas Rosenfeld, chair of the LCC, and Kirsten Hansen, chair of the ACC, are leading the way.

For many years the Sanchez family had two remarkable tiles that were gifts from noted California ceramist Doyle Lane, who experimented with glazes and glazing techniques. And now these stunning tiles are coming to The Huntington.

Susan Napier, a member of The Huntington’s Society of Fellows, describes how the institution’s mission aligns with her values, and shares her love of the gardens, collections, and programs. 

Lee and John Devereux joined 19 other donors to fund the purchase of a rare medical publication for The Huntington: a 1543 first edition of De humani corporis fabrica, which revolutionized the field of anatomy.

A moniker recently bestowed on an exceptional plant represents the sweet and serendipitous reunion of two beloved Huntington benefactors. Earlier this year, The Huntington named an orchid hybrid for Charlie Munger, whose wife Nancy was similarly honored after she passed away.

Lily Bu and Jan-Michael Medina don’t live far from The Huntington now, but when they were undergraduates at UCLA, they’d often make the drive from Westwood to visit. “The Huntington made such a positive impression on us back then,” Medina says.

Mitchell Barnhart and Amado Sierras lived in Pasadena for 35 years before moving north to Pebble Beach. Despite the distance, they remain loyal Members. “What makes The Huntington so special is its everyday accessibility,” Barnhart says.

Jack Flemming and Julia Heins became Sustaining Members in 2022. “In many ways, The Huntington has served as a backdrop to our relationship,” Flemming says. They spent the early months of their relationship at The Huntington, walking around and getting to know each other.

Early in 2024, Philip D. Nathanson endowed The Huntington’s curator of photography position. “I donated because The Huntington has enriched my life,” Nathanson says. “It was time to give back.” 

Bernie and Miyako Storch were wild about The Huntington’s Desert Collections. Avid horticulturists and rare fruit growers, the Santa Barbara couple planned their frequent visits to The Huntington around Los Angeles meetings of botanical interest groups in which they were members.

Over their 16 years of involvement with The Huntington, San Diego collectors Sandra and Bram Dijkstra have donated several key artworks that have greatly strengthened The Huntington’s American art holdings. 

Over the years, Ed and Carol Wong have worn many hats: executives, parents, grandparents, and benefactors. And now, they have proudly added another title to their résumé: docents. 

Libby Motika’s inspiration to create The Elizabeth B. Motika Fellowship in Architectural History was fueled by various factors: her extensive experience as a journalist writing about architecture, her time spent residing in the architecturally rich city of Chicago, and her familiarity with The Huntington’s architectural archives. 

Cherol Nellon, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, finds tranquility and beauty tucked away in The Huntington’s gardens. At the top of her “secret menu” list is the Pavilion of Washing Away Thoughts, which is nestled between the Chinese and Japanese gardens. “When you’re sitting in the pavilion, it is as if you have been transported into another time,” Nellon says. “The entire hustle-and-bustle world seems to fall away, and it just doesn’t get any better than that.” 

Mary and Chris Cole became Sustaining Members in 2013 and increased their Membership level to Contributor soon thereafter. Mary and Chris both grew up in the area and visited The Huntington many times as kids, so they wanted to carry on that tradition with their two children, Beatrice and Charlie. 

The Huntington’s numerous education programs interpret the collections and promote lifelong learning to a broad audience. Now, with the development of the Experiential and Teaching Gardens, The Huntington has vital new tools with which to cultivate increased understanding around themes of sustainability.

Moving a 320-year-old, 3,000-square-foot house some 6,000 miles is no small feat, but Yohko and Akira Yokoi entrusted the massive undertaking to The Huntington. Through the couple’s donation of their ancestral home, generations of visitors will have insights into Japanese culture and history, as well as traditional architectural, agricultural, and sustainability practices.

Jeane and Harlan Ward have been coming to The Huntington since the 1980s, and talk about some of their favorite historic and contemporary exhibitions.

June and Simon Li have been crucial participants in the development of the Chinese Garden and have remained active contributors at The Huntington.

Dr. Ashing, a long-time Member, shares the health benefits of visiting The Huntington with her multigenerational family.

Parent members find joy in seeing The Huntington gardens through their child’s eyes.

Scholarly couple, Patricia and Robert Smith, grew their love in the library and gave back with generosity in their legacy.

Former chair of the Huntington’s Botanical Gardens Committee helped develop a master plan to enhance the Desert Garden, one of the most notable and iconic landscapes at The Huntington.

A childhood visit has turned into 30 years of membership and a tradition for Lynne LaManna’s whole family.

Many of Los Angeles’ most iconic landmarks—from Memorial Coliseum and City Hall to Bullocks Wilshire and Union Station—were designed by visionary and self-taught architect John Parkinson. 

At The Huntington, objects that might be seen as purely functional can still be a source of inspiration and engagement.

Jacqueline Tran, a long-time member, found solace at The Huntington after the passing of her parents and acknowledges the gardens’ ability to heal.

Over 5,000 plant-lovers attended, raising $250,000 for our Botanical Division. We want to express our gratitude to all of the volunteers and shoppers who made this year’s Spring Plant Sale a huge success. More than 250 volunteers helped as porters, prepared the plants, and answered questions. We couldn’t have done it without their help!

From Kehinde Wiley’s A Portrait of a Young Gentleman to the “Borderlands” exhibition featuring works by Sandy Rodriguez and Enrique Martínez Celaya, The Huntington’s efforts to include living artists is far-reaching, putting its historic collection in conversation with contemporary art.

Denise Barnes considers The Huntington a gem. Her husband is partial to the Art Museum, while her son loves the Herb Garden. Daughter Caroline (pictured) has many favorites but is particularly fascinated with the waterfalls and bridges in the Japanese Garden and Chinese Garden.

“Members of the Society of Fellows are among the most devoted and engaged members of The Huntington community,” says Pamela Hearn, director of the Society of Fellows. This premier group of philanthropists generates essential support for maintaining the library, art, and botanical collections.

Jay T. Last was as committed to the arts and humanities as he was to science and technology. His dedication to the latter led him to become one of the fathers of Silicon Valley and the founder of the pioneering company Fairchild Semiconductor, which paved the way for the tech industry as we know it today.

Li Wei Yang, The Huntington’s curator of Pacific Rim collections, remembers being astounded by the historical materials amassed and organized by Leslee See Leong, who had invited him to her home to view her family’s papers. 

The Rose Garden Tea Room has a special place in the hearts of countless Huntington visitors, who relish memories of celebrations there or the simple joy of capping a visit to the grounds with the tradition of English tea service. The beloved destination—built in 1911 and which originally served as Henry E. Huntington’s billiard room and bowling alley—recently underwent a major renovation.

When Austin Kim, a Pomona College student studying linguistics, agreed to participate in The Huntington’s Fiber Arts Month, he was looking forward to meeting other fiber artists.

DeShawn Wynn has been an Affiliate Member since 2019. Amid her fast-paced and busy schedule as the founder and owner of her event management company, DeShawn finds much needed moments of Zen at The Huntington. 

Jasmin and Eric Levander discuss their love of The Huntington’s awe-inspiring gardens, collections, and programs, and how the institution’s mission aligns with their values. 

An award-winning Cymbidium Pauwelsiii ‘Kessander’ orchid spanning 7 feet in diameter and 8 feet in height when in bloom, now proudly sits in The Huntington’s orchid collections, thanks to a generous donation from Jerry Kessler and Susan Anderson.

For long-standing member Andrew Schmoller, the restoration of the grand Huntington flagpole was the perfect opportunity to show his support for The Huntington. 

Mercy and Howard Steenwyk visit The Huntington weekly with their 2-year-old granddaughter, Liberty. 

After more than four decades at The Huntington—first as a security officer and then, after retirement, as a volunteer—Ron Wardwell made the generous decision to include The Huntington in his estate plans. 

For Amanda, who was deeply engaged in Los Angeles’ response to the pandemic, visiting the gardens reminded her that life outside her work and the pandemic still existed.

Ron, who can be seen pruning roses on Thursdays in the Rose Garden, has been a Huntington volunteer for more than 12 years. Barbara often accompanies Ron in the mornings when he’s volunteering. 

Sisters Shirley and Juanda Scoggins have been Supporting Members since 2017 and share what they find special about The Huntington.

Huntington Member Carolyn Chu shares how she finds inspiration at The Huntington.

Claire and Brian Goldsmith share what they find special about The Huntington after they joined in 2021 as Patron Members.

Sarah and PJ Joshi have been Supporting Members since 2009 and share what they find special about The Huntington.

On May 20, 2021, Successor donors had an opportunity to view the newly updated Successors Donor Wall and stroll the gardens after hours.

Alma and Mark Banuelos discuss their love of the institution’s awe-inspiring collections, programs, and gardens and how The Huntington’s mission aligns with their values.

After 50 years of collecting, Dr. W. Bruce Fye has donated his cardiology library of more than 2,700 books and rich collection of scarce secondary literature on the history of cardiology to The Huntington.

Joy and Matthew Lin, longtime residents of San Marino, provided a gift of $3 million for the Flowery Brush Studio, a complex of two buildings for the display of Chinese art.

Local philanthropists and Huntington neighbors Terri and Jerry Kohl provide a generous gift of $2 million for the Rose Garden Tea Room renovation project.

Accommodations for nursing mothers and caregivers made possible by generous funding from Ricki and Joel Robinson, members of the Society of Fellows.

A new rose hybrid was given its name by donor Toshie Mosher, who purchased the naming rights through a generous donation to The Huntington’s “Sharing the Love” fundraising campaign.

Longtime member Tony Cookson tells of his unforgettable Huntington memories and what inspires him to donate.

For Barbara Motin, it was a guest pass that opened her eyes and heart to The Huntington.

Frank and Toshie Mosher create an endowment to enhance cultural programming in the Japanese Garden.

In December 2013, The Huntington acquired an extensive collection of rare books and manuscripts by Evelyn Waugh (1903–1966).

Sisters Sonia and Monica Narang both travel the world for their careers, but they consider The Huntington their “home away from home.”

A $2 million gift from June and Simon Li of Pasadena will make possible the Star Gazing Tower, a new pavilion perched atop a ridge along the southwest side of the garden.

Longtime member Todd Rugee recounts how his childhood visits to The Huntington with his “Grammy” fostered a lifelong love of the institution and even set him on his career path.

Longtime members Stan Shayer and Jeffrey Romano discuss their love of the institution’s awe-inspiring collections, programs, and gardens, and how their values align with the institution’s mission.

More than two decades ago, Mark Chen was introduced to Jim Folsom, the Marge and Sherm Telleen/Marion and Earle Jorgensen Director of the Botanical Gardens. Since that meeting, a friendship has bloomed—and a garden has been built.

This spring, The Huntington acquired the papers of Gilbert, Florence, and Leslee See Leong, members of two of the earliest and most prominent Chinese American families in Los Angeles: the Leong and See families.

Sherm and Marge Telleen honors Jim Folsom’s years of service and many accomplishments by providing a generous gift.

The Huntington formally dedicated the Frances Lasker Brody Botanical Center in October 2009.

Erika and Ken Riley share a special interest in medieval history.