Kudos | April 2018

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April 2018 View more

Symphony for all
A violinist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic recently gave an hour-long concert in Aurora, but the concert-goers were not typical. As part of a tour sponsored by Naperville’s ARTSpeaks, 30-year-old Vijay Gupta (shown) performed for residents of Hesed House, a local homeless shelter. His nonprofit Street Symphony supports engagement and dialogue between world-class musicians and people disenfranchised by homelessness, incarceration or poverty. “Every person has the right to a creative and expressive life,” Gupta says. “As artists, we show the rest of the world what it means to be a human being.”

Hospital helpers
The Edward Foundation has awarded $20,000 in scholarships to area high school students who greet visitors, deliver flowers, transport patients and assist behind the scenes at Edward Hospital. Shown (in print only) are (front, from left) hospital president and CEO Bill Kottmann, Amy Chang (NNHS), Erin Schiemann (NCHS), Nawal Mohammedamin (WVHS), Lauren Aucoin (WVHS), executive director Meghan Moreno, (middle, from left) Anisha Gondesi (MVHS), Sydney Love Cush (NNHS), board chairman Dr. Scott Berger, (back, from left) Rahul Reddy (NVHS), Adit Padgaonkar (NCHS), Joseph Lim (Benet Academy) and Rithvik Marri (MVHS).

On board
The DuPage Children’s Museum recently elected Cara DeGraff and Brian Greiner as new members of its board of directors. DeGraff is vice president of product development at Vistex in Hoffman Estates, and Greiner is operations controller at Pepper Construction. Both reside in Naperville.

Martinez appointed
Naperville resident Kamala Martinez is the incoming chief executive office and executive director of KidsMatter, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering children. Martinez will succeed IdaLynn Wenhold, who is retiring this month after 17 years with the organization.