By: Yvette Cedar
Chairwomen Andrea Stark, Robbi Toll, Liz Feuer, and Wendy Topkis are honored to present H.O.W.’s 24th annual “Time is of the Essence Luncheon” at The Beach Club, Palm Beach, on Monday, January 26, 2026, at 11:30 am. Eduarda “Eddy” Taylor, Judy Snyder, and Roberta Kozloff will serve as honorary chairwomen.
This year’s honoree and guest speaker is Christine Baranski, award-winning actress best known for her Emmy-winning role as Maryann Thorpe in Cybill, as well as her acclaimed performances as Diane Lockhart in The Good Wife and The Good Fight, and currently as Agnes van Rhijn in The Gilded Age. Her career includes multiple Emmy nominations and a distinguished reputation on both stage and screen.
While Christine does not have a direct connection to ovarian cancer, her mother is a three-time cancer survivor (lung, breast, and lymphoma), and Christine has long been a passionate advocate for women’s health – particularly cardiovascular health – and for broader issues of women’s empowerment.
“I am thrilled to be honored at this year’s H.O.W. luncheon,” said Christine Baranski. “I have watched my mother battle cancer three times, each time with extraordinary strength and grace. As women, it is vitally important that we remain proactive about our health and give ourselves the best possible chance for early detection because this can truly save lives.”
During this special event, guests will also enjoy a silent auction and prize drawing for an exquisite ORIS Divers Sixty-Five “Cotton Candy” Bronze 38MM watch (retail $3,200) with automatic winding, pink Perlon strap, and a WOLF Tutti Frutti Pink vegan leather watch roll, generously donated by Hamilton Jewelers.
In a casual interview format, Baranski will answer questions from Guest Moderator Pamela Fiori, the former first female editor of Town & Country magazine, the oldest continuously published general-interest magazine in America, and an authority on luxury travel and lifestyle.
Special guest Dr. Robert M. Wenham will touch on any advances and treatments with ovarian cancer.
Major benefactors of the luncheon are Betsy K. Matthews and Eduarda “Eddy” Taylor. The corporate sponsor is Inlet Private Wealth.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting: https://www.ovariancancerpbc.org/time-is-of-the-essence-2026-luncheon
Christine Baranski:
Christine Baranski is one of the entertainment industry’s most honored actresses, Christine Baranski is an Emmy, two-time Tony, Screen Actors Guild, Drama Desk, and American Comedy Award winner.
A graduate of The Juilliard School, Baranski received her big break in Tom Stoppard’s hit Broadway comedy The Real Thing, directed by Mike Nichols, for which she won a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award.
Baranski went on to earn her second Tony Award for her performance in Neil Simon’s Rumors. She also won an Emmy, American Comedy, and SAG Award for her performance in the hit series Cybill and three subsequent Emmy Award nominations. Baranski received a total of 5 Emmy nominations for her guest roles on Frasier and The Big Bang Theory.
As the formidable Diane Lockhart on The Good Wife, Baranski received six Emmy nominations and two Critics’ Choice Television Award nominations for her performance on the CBS series. She then starred as the character in the critically-acclaimed spinoff The Good Fight. Baranski has been nominated for four Critics’ Choice Television Awards and a Golden Globe and TCA Award nomination for her performance in the spinoff The Good Fight.
Baranski can also be seen as Agnes Van Rhijn in the HBO series The Gilded Age, created by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes. The critically- acclaimed series is an epic of the millionaire titans of New York City in the 1880s.
Dr. Robert M. Wenham:
Dr. Robert M. Wenham is Chairman of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Senior Member in the Molecular Medicine Program at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, and Professor of Oncologic Sciences at the University of South Florida.
He trained at UT Southwestern, completed residency at Harvard’s Brigham and Wom- en’s and Massachusetts General Hospitals, and a fellowship at Duke University. His research focuses on novel therapies for gynecologic cancers, with more than 125 publications, and he has received the Molly Cade Ovarian Cancer Research Award. At Moffitt, he leads clinical and translational studies, including innovative trials such as FSHR-CAR T cell therapy for recurrent ovarian cancer.
Clinically, Dr. Wenham provides the full spectrum of care — from minimally invasive to complex radical surgery — and administers advanced biologic, immunologic, and chemotherapy treatments. His work aims to bring the latest therapies and clinical trials to patients while advancing the fight against ovarian cancer.
Pamela Fiori:
Pamela Fiori is a writer, editor, and celebrated voice in the luxury lifestyle. She made history in 1993 as the first woman to become editor-in-chief of Town & Country magazine, revitalizing the publication by expanding its coverage of fashion, style, travel, design, philanthropy, and culture.
Earlier in her career, Pamela led Travel + Leisure, and she played a key role at American Express Publishing, overseeing Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, and Departures.
Beyond magazines, she’s authored several books, including In the Spirit of Capri, In the Spirit of Palm Beach, In the Spirit of Monte Carlo, and Holiday: The Best Travel Magazine That Ever Was.
Pamela has also been recognized for her philanthropic impact: she is a co-founder of the UNICEF Snowflake Project, has served on the board of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, and received honors such as the Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite from France.
H.O.W. (Hearing the Ovarian Cancer Whisper) raises money to support basic or translational research in ovarian cancer through the Dr. Robert C. Knapp Research Fellowship. Women with ovarian cancer experiencing financial need are helped through the Glenda M. Wright Angel Fund. H.O.W. is dedicated to promoting awareness and recent advances in ovarian cancer by presenting educational programs to women primarily in our area. H.O.W. also provides scholarships to medical students interested in gynecologic oncology by working with gynecologic oncologists during their elective time in medical school. H.O.W. also funds the screening of underserved and/or uninsured women for genetic mutations that increase the risk of ovarian cancer.
