Michael Capponi, Donna Karan, & Charles Forbin

New York, NY – May 4, 2012 – Michael Capponi, hospitality entrepreneur and humanitarian, celebrated his birthday in a big way by hosting a birthday party fundraiser which raised $120,000 directly benefiting the non-profit he founded, Haiti Empowerment Mission. This year’s Carnaval themed celebration showcased the progress and development Capponi’s team has made in providing quality education, diverse vocational training and job creation to the community members of Jacmel; an area which was directly affected by the 2010 earthquake.

Host committee members Donna Karan, Maria Bello, Lord Edward Spencer-Churchill, Dayssi and Paul Kanavos, Seth Greenberg, and Jason Binn joined the evening which began with a silent auction at the VIP reception and exhibition by Peter Tunney and Philippe Dodard. Later in the evening, guests savored the taste of authentic Haitian cuisine while enjoying special performances by Haitian musicians Melky Jean and DJ JusSke. The evening’s atmosphere was built on the captivating aesthetic of the Jacmel masks, and guests dressed in festive attire. In lieu of gifts, guests made donations to the foundation. The event was sponsored by Ludus, Marquis Vodka, Capponi Construction Group and Capitale; all proceeds from funds raised benefitted Haiti Empowerment Mission, a 501(c) non-profit organization.

Donna Karan

Donna Karan & Fern Mallis

Michael Capponi, Donna Karan, & Phillipe Dodard

Michael Capponi, Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos, & Charles Forbin

Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos

Donna Karan & Charles Forbin

Michael Capponi, Donna Karan, & Charles Forbin

Fern Mallis, Donna Karan, & Jill Martin

Phillippe Dodard

Fabrizio Brienza

Jill Martin, Fabrizio Brienza, & Melissa Katz

Jill Martin, Danoushka Capponi, Melissa Katz, & Fabrizio Brienza

John Mason, David Rosenberg, & Jason Pomeranc

Marina Theiss, Unik Ernest, & Bjabi Rebeschini

Schuyler Grant, David Kennedy, & Jeff Krasno

Pamela Jones, Beata Bohman, & Gwen Alyssa

Mallory Richards, Amanda Hill, Marissa Lind Holm, Michael Capponi, Tori Ellis, Pamela Virgos, & Ara Ballerz

Carter Pottash & Lisa Hollman

Tayo Otiti & Stephanie Davis

Fabrice Tardieu & Patrick Tardieu

Jus Ske

Britt Bolton

Genevieve Morton & Jordan Nystrom

Melky Jean

Melky Jean

Melky Jean & Donna Karan

Charles Forbin, Melky Jean, & Donna Karan

Melky Jean & Charles Forbin

Philippe Dodard, Unik, Charles Forbin, & Michele Frisch

Unik, Philippe Dodard, Charles Forbin, & Michele Frisch

Donna Karan

Michael Capponi

Seth Greenberg & Michael Capponi

Michael Capponi, Peter Tunney, Donna Karan, & Mark Baker

Ashley Agin,  Michael Capponi, Peter Nygard, & Iona McCoy

Patrick Tardieu, Jeff Feldman, Fabrice Tardieu, Michel-ange Berret, & Unik Ernest

Dr. Murali & Fern Mallis

Ronnie Madra & Jill Martin

Jill Martin, Patrick McMullan, & Melissa Katz

Susan, Jordan, John, & Ashley Turchin

James Ferraro, Antonio Misuraca, Valentina Sarria, James Ferraro, & Brittnay Redmon

Peter Tunney & Tony Cho

Tony Cho

Lydia Binford & Marki Desimone

Rachael Pringle & Britt Bolton

Ricky Campbell & Tatjana Gellerc

Lauren LaPuma & Brooke Marraccini

Jessica Lorenzo & Dina Goldentayer

Genevieve Lake, Jessica Lorenzo, & Dina Goldentayer

Michael Capponi & Genevieve Lake

Carter Pottash, Lisa Hollman, & Cat Roman

Roee Nahmani, Stephan Seguin, & Robert Montwaid

Tony Cho, Pauldine France, Christian Lewis, & Cherese Evans

Donal Blanco, Felicia Marquez, & Andrew Alessandrini

Tatiana Titova, Stephan Conci, & Katya Duranc

Cisely Saldana, Tyler Burrow, & Taylor Greenwood

Jill Martin, Antonio Misuraca, & Melissa Katz

Jordan & Ashley Turchin

Ray Sosa & Dirk Van Stockum

Valmira Mavraj & Jeton Berdynash

AJ & Sarah Bromley

John Turchin & Fabrizio Brienza

Paul Weinberg & Seth Greenberg

Erica Saiger & Mark Gonzalez

Melissa Katz, Vikram Chatwal, & Jill Martin

Melissa Katz, Erica Saiger, & Jill Martin

Ashley Sherrill, Derek Peterson, & Alice Alickova

Ashley Turchin, Peter Tunney, Sarah Bromley, & Tony Cho

Genevieve Morton, Michael Capponi, & Jordan Nystrom

Michael Capponi, Jus Ske, & Karim Analtuah

Fabrizio Brienza

Sarah Bromley

Tayo Otiti

Lydia Binford & Tayo Otiti

Jus Ske

Jus Ske

Sasha Martynenko & Seth Greenberg