On March 8, the Northwest Arkansas community will gather for an unforgettable evening at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville for the Dancing with Our Stars Northwest Arkansas Gala. This inspiring event, a regional spin-off of Little Rock’s beloved dance competition launched in 2006, brings together community leaders, professional dancers and NF Heroes in a dazzling ballroom showcase. NF Heroes are those who have demonstrated remarkable courage and a positive spirit while living with NF.

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The Northwest Arkansas Stars vying for a chance to take home the coveted mirror ball trophy are: Tiffany Benitez, head of data governance at Compass Group USA, president and founder for Women+ in Technology of Northwest Arkansas; Lauren Blass, brokerage associate at Sage Partners; Dustin Doty, partner at Wright Lindsey Jennings; Jessica DuQuesne, international strategy and marketing brand manager at The Hershey Company; Kimberly McGee, senior manager in the Walmart Foundation; Kati Moore, cloud specialist with Google; and Luke O’Gary, CEO of Keet O’Gary Construction.

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“In December 2019, my 15-month-old daughter was diagnosed with leukemia,” Benitez said. “She presented with a tumor behind her eye that bumped up against her brain. She fought a hard fight but, at the end of her chemo journey, she relapsed and was given six weeks to six months to live. Thankfully, she beat the odds and is still here making change and impacting others.

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“In my journey walking through this with her, my commitment was to give back in any way that I could to help others,” she continued. “Being a chosen candidate for Dancing with Our Stars Northwest Arkansas to benefit the Children’s Tumor Foundation, it is for my daughter and all of the kids that battle childhood illness. They need us to stand up and help raise money for research, awareness and services, and I will continue to stand and fight for each and every one of them.”

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This year, CTF will also welcome to the stage honorary chair Greg Cathey, senior vice president of transformation and support at Walmart.

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“It has been my honor to serve as the honorary chair for the Dancing with Our Stars Northwest Arkansas Gala,” Cathey said. “As a longtime resident of Northwest Arkansas and as a father to four children, I am proud to help raise money to support NF research, the local NF clinic and the NF community in Arkansas. I’m proud to play a role in the lives of families impacted by NF through my involvement with the Children’s Tumor Foundation.”

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Larra Donaldson of Sam’s Furniture, Jon Williams of Radio Jon/Deek and Dr. Missy Clifton of Premier Dermatology will emcee the evening. The returning Dancing with Our Stars Northwest Arkansas Gala co-chairs are Courtney Backus Norton, Mimi Stewart and Malorie Marrs. 

 

For the fourth year, the dance competition fundraiser features a cocktail reception, seated dinner, silent auction and dancing. Last year, approximately $125,000 was raised, contributing to the more than $4 million dollars raised and invested in the Arkansas community in the last 28 years. Money raised at this year’s event will continue to support the Adult Neurofibromatosis Clinic at UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

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NF is a group of rare genetic disorders — neurofibromatosis and schwannomatosis — that cause tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. NF may lead to blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, disfigurement, learning disabilities, disabling pain and cancer. It affects millions of people worldwide regardless of gender, race or ethnic origin. While there is no cure yet, CTF is leading the charge in NF drug discovery and development, accelerating innovative therapies from the lab to the clinic. Every dollar raised at this creative fundraiser brings the organization closer to breakthroughs that change lives.