Arena Stage to Honor Tonia Wellons with Beth Newburger Schwartz Award at 2026 Gala

Arena Stage has named Tonia Wellons, President & CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, as the 2026 recipient of its Beth Newburger Schwartz Award. The honor will be presented as part of the evening celebrating Arena Stage's 75th Anniversary—a milestone marking decades of groundbreaking artistic excellence and transformative community impact. The one-night-only event, held on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the Mead Center, will also feature a performance by Tony Award winner Adrienne Warren (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical) and an unforgettable tribute to Arena’s legacy.

Arena Stage will honor Wellons with the Beth Newburger Schwartz Award in recognition of her stellar leadership, civic impact, and outstanding commitment to economic justice. Named for its first recipient, the annual award celebrates a female leader who improves the community where she lives and works through her unique strengths and talents.

“Tonia Wellons exemplifies the very spirit of the Beth Newburger Schwartz Award,” said Arena Stage Artistic Director Hana S. Sharif. “Like Beth, she understands that leadership carries a responsibility to strengthen civic life and expand opportunity for others. Through visionary leadership and an unwavering commitment to economic justice, Tonia has strengthened the civic fabric of Greater Washington—ensuring that philanthropy is not only generous but also equitable, inclusive, and transformative. Her work aligns deeply with Arena Stage’s belief in the power of institutions—and of art—to illuminate shared humanity, elevate voices, and help transform the communities in which we live and work.”

The President & CEO of the largest public foundation in the Washington region, Wellons has transformed the Greater Washington Community Foundation into a driving force for equity and opportunity. Since taking the helm, the Community Foundation’s assets have grown from $331 million to $500 million. Under her leadership, it launched a transformative 10-year strategy to help close the region’s racial wealth gap by directing capital, strengthening civic and philanthropic infrastructure, and centering economic justice. A trusted convener and coalition builder—from instigating game-changing initiatives like Guaranteed Basic Income pilots to Children’s Savings Accounts—Wellons has deep connections to grassroots and grasstops communities that span more than 20 years. Prior to joining The Community Foundation, she served as a political appointee in the Obama Administration, serving as head of global partnerships at the Peace Corps. Recognized as one of Washington’s most powerful, Wellons is known for her unwavering commitment to bridging sectors and communities, leaving a lasting impact on the public she serves.

Past recipients of the Beth Newburger Schwartz Award include Arlene Kogod, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, Nina Totenberg, Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Arena Stage Artistic Director Emerita Molly Smith, the Honorable Marcia L. Fudge, and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton.

Celebrating Stories that Transform, Excellence that Endures, the dazzling event at the Mead Center for American Theater is spearheaded by Gala Chairs Anthony D. Coley; Catherine and Chris Guttman-McCabe; and Belle and Morgan O’Brien. The exclusive evening will include a cocktail reception with live entertainment, an elegant dinner, the presentation of the Beth Newburger Schwartz Award to Wellons, an unforgettable musical performance from Warren, an after-party with desserts and dancing, and some special surprises.