THE 2025 WPSR HEALTH JUSTICE GALA
Join us Saturday, September 27, 2025 for a night of friends, fabulous food, and fundraising for peace, justice, and health, at the beautiful Mercer Island Community and Events Center
Our Keynote Speaker
Dr. Vin Gupta
Vin Gupta, MD, MSt, MPA is a practicing pulmonologist and Managing Director of Health Innovation at Manatt, with an extensive background in health policy and digital health. Additional ongoing responsibilities include serving as an affiliate assistant professor at UW Medicine/IHME and as a medical analyst for NBC News and MSNBC.
Dr. Gupta received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University, Medical Doctorate from Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Masters in Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and Master of Studies in International Relations from the University of Cambridge.
He has active board certification in Internal Medicine, Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine and completed his clinical training at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. Dr. Gupta is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the Board of Directors of HIMSS, Climate Solutions, and the American Lung Association.
Our Emcee
Laura Skelton
From 2014 to 2019, Laura proudly served as the Executive Director of Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility. During her tenure at WPSR, she helped found the statewide coalition, Washington Against Nuclear Weapons.
Since departing WPSR, Laura has primarily served in interim leadership roles – for nonprofit organizations working on diverse issues including homelessness, food security, commercial sexual exploitation, senior care, and more. Laura has her own consulting practice (Skelton Consulting) and is a Senior Consultant for the Valtas Group.
Our Auctioneer
Kevin Joyce
Kevin has hosted hundreds of events, and auctioneered for over 500 regional and national non-profits, in the process becoming one of the most popular and sought-after hosts in the Pacific Northwest. He co-founded Vashon Island’s UMO Ensemble, and created and hosted the TV show Big Night Out for two seasons on the Seattle Channel. Kevin has designed and facilitated at the United Nations and the World Health Assembly in Geneva, and provided communications training for scores of healthcare and other organizations throughout the US.
Kevin was raised in Minneapolis and holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership (Pinchot University) and a BA in Comparative Religion (Bowdoin).
2025 PAUL BEESON AWARD HONOREE: TBD!
The Paul Beeson Award honors activists in the healthcare field who have made a
substantial contribution to peace, justice, and health in Washington state.