Alumni and Community Youth Leadership Awards Also Presented

Washington, DC – On October 9, 2025, the Hungarian American Coalition (Coalition) held its 20th annual Gala Dinner at the historic Meridian International Center, honoring Julius Várallyay, András Ábrahám, and Minnesota Hungarians for their extraordinary contributions to the Hungarian American community. The evening also celebrated two youth honorees: Anna Smith Lacey, recipient of the John N. Lauer Leadership Training Program (LTP) Alumni Award, and Réka Veres Lenox, recipient of the Community Youth Leadership Award.

Nash Whitney Schott, Anikó Gaál Schott accepting the award on behalf of honoree Julius Várallyay; and President Andrea Lauer Rice 

The event opened with a cocktail reception featuring pianist Michael Lenox, setting the tone for networking among leaders from across the Hungarian American and American communities. Guests enjoyed musical performances by Andrea Ábel (flute), Noémi Sallai (clarinet), and Dávid Ádám Nagy (bassoon). These performances were made possible through the courtesy of the Liszt Institute, Hungarian Cultural Center, New York.

The Honorable Dr. Charles Simonyi served as Honorary Chairman, with gala co-chairs Governor George Pataki, Edith K. Lauer, Ambassador György Habsburg, and Anikó Gaál Schott. Coalition President Andrea Lauer Rice introduced the evening by spotlighting key Coalition initiatives, including the rapid growth and national impact of the HYPE Network, empowering a new generation of Hungarian American leaders. She also shared exciting news about the Coalition’s upcoming America 250 Gala on April 27, 2026, organized at the Library of Congress, with partner organizations: Tulipán Foundation and the American Hungarian Foundation, highlighting major plans to celebrate Hungary’s impact as part of the U.S. semiquincentennial. She proudly announced that this year saw a record number of applicants for both the Dr. Elemér and Éva Kiss Scholarship and the Bognár Family Scholarship, demonstrating the growing reach and impact of the Coalition’s educational programs.

This year, Julius Várallyay was honored for his lifelong commitment to preserving the legacy of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and his decades of counsel, diplomatic expertise, and generous support for Hungarian students and organizations. Due to health concerns, Mr. Várallyay was unable to attend; his award was accepted on his behalf by Anikó Gaál Schott and Nash Whitney Schott who provided brief remarks on Várallyay’s life achievements and his many contributions to the community over the past 70 years. A video showed his accomplishments during the award ceremony.

Treasurer Zsolt Szekeres, Audrey Zuck accepting the award on behalf of honoree András Ábrahám, and President Andrea Lauer Rice

Dr. András Ábrahám was recognized for his lifelong devotion to Hungarian community and culture and his generous support of the Reformed College of Kolozsvár and young Hungarians in the Carpathian basin through the John N. Lauer Leadership Program. Dr. Ábrahám, now 97, was unable to travel from Hungary to Washington; his daughter, Audrey Zuck, accepted the award in his name. A video showed his accomplishments during the award ceremony.

Minnesota Hungarians, celebrating 133 years of fostering Hungarian culture in the U.S., were honored for decades of community leadership, heritage education, and philanthropic outreach. President Gabriella Sinka Heath, Csilla Grauzer and Ágnes and László Fülöp were all recognized for advancing Hungarian causes in Minnesota and beyond. The award was presented by Ágnes Virga, Vice President of the Coalition and a video was presented on their work. 

Minnesota Hungarians accepting award: Mike LaFleur, Vice President Ágnes Virga, Csilla Grauzer, Gabriella Sinka, President Andrea Lauer Rice and Michael Koalska 

Andrea presented the LTP Alumni Award to Anna Smith Lacey, a 2006 LTP alumna who distinguished herself as Executive Director of the Hungary Foundation. Lacey’s career in transatlantic relations and her contributions to U.S.-Hungary partnerships were applauded by the community.

LTP Alumni Award: Ambassador April Foley, Anna Smith Lacey and President Andrea Lauer Rice

The Community Youth Leadership Award was presented by last year’s honoree, Ádám Béres, to Réka Veres Lenox, who has played a vital role in the Coalition’s endowment campaign and co-founded the HYPE initiative. She has been a dedicated volunteer, mentor, and event coordinator, and her ongoing work to strengthen ties among young Hungarian professionals was recognized and celebrated at the Gala.

Community Youth Leadership Award: Treasurer Zsolt Szekeres, President Andrea Lauer Rice, Réka Veres Lenox, Ádám Béres and Luca Mórocz

The dinner drew esteemed guests from around the country and Hungary, including members of the diplomatic corps, nonprofit and business leaders, longtime and new supporters of the Coalition. The evening concluded with toasts by Governor Pataki, Susan Hutchison, and Ambassador Szabolcs Takács, underlining the Coalition’s continued impact and commitment to the Hungarian American community.

Gala guests included: Governor George Pataki; Ambassador Szabolcs Takács, Ambassador of Hungary to the United States and Emese Gaál; Ambassador April Foley, Former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary; The Honorable Ed Royce, Former Chair, House Foreign Affairs Committee; The Honorable Marie Royce, Former Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, State Department; The Honorable James Rosebush, Former Deputy Assistant to President Ronald Reagan and Chief of Staff to First Lady Nancy Reagan; Matthew Boyse, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary, State Department; Colonel Andrew Hutchison, U.S. Navy, Executive Officer; J.C. Lintzenich, National Security Advisor, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis; Renata and William S. Kilroy, and David Doll, Trustees of the Kilroy Foundation; Thomas Krisztinicz, Former President of the Hungarian Medical Association of America and the Hungarian American Piarist Organization.

Distinguished community members attended, including Ágnes Virga, Melissa Katkó Pepin, Zsolt and János Szekeres, Peter de Gajary, Leslie L. Megyeri. Many HYPE representatives were also in attendance: – Ádám Béres, Évi Lukonits, Luca Mórocz, Attila Nás, Salah Czapáry, Dóra Szegedy, Dávid Klinger, Erzsébet Ábrám.

Founded 34 years ago, the Hungarian American Coalition is the largest Hungarian American umbrella organization, dedicated to educational exchange, preservation of Hungarian heritage, leadership training, and support for minority and human rights. Through its scholarship programs and HYPE Network, the Coalition nurtures young leaders and deepens U.S.-Hungary ties.