Catalyst’s Grayson Kamm Emcees Glazer Children’s Museum’s 2026 Imagination Gala
Catalyst Communications Group’s Grayson Kamm, Board Chair for the Glazer Children’s Museum, hosted community leaders, philanthropists, and supporters at Armature Works on February 20 for the museum’s annual Imagination Gala, an enchanting evening celebrating the power of play and raising critical funds for children and families across Tampa Bay. The event surpassed its fundraising goal, demonstrating strong community commitment to early learning and access to play.
Kamm emceed the gala for the first time, energizing the crowd in a sparkling gold jacket and guiding guests through a whimsical garden setting designed to inspire imagination and joy. He has been a member of the Board of Directors since January 2020 and served as Vice Chair in 2023 and 2024. Kamm is now entering his second year as Board Chair, following his election in 2025.
Presented by Lockton and led by Honorary Chairs Coley and Matt Simmons, the sold-out gala invited guests to “Step Through the Garden Gates” into an immersive floral wonderland. Attendees entered through custom-built garden gates and encountered a larger-than-life floral display, oversized flower centerpieces, an enchanting swing, a wishing tree, and an interactive virtual bee garden. The evening featured fanciful feasts, lush libations, an alluring auction, and entrancing entertainment—all benefiting the region’s leading children’s museum.
Throughout the program, museum leadership underscored a pressing local reality: fewer than half of children in Hillsborough County enter kindergarten ready to learn. In response, the museum announced Play Your Way to Kindergarten, a birth-to-kindergarten pathway designed to strengthen school readiness through purposeful play.
The initiative connects three programs:
Play to Thrive, a pilot program supporting first-time parents of newborns during critical early brain development.
Learn & Play Tampa Bay, a community-based program for children ages 2–5 and caregivers, where 95 percent of participating children have demonstrated improved school readiness skills.
Camp Imagination, offered the summer before kindergarten to build confidence, independence, and classroom readiness.
“This event was about investing in the power of play to change the trajectory of a child’s life,” said Kamm.
Museum President & CEO Sarah Cole emphasized the broader impact of the initiative. “Play Your Way to Kindergarten ensures families have access to the tools, relationships, and experiences that prepare children not just to enter school, but to thrive there,” Cole said. “The fact that we surpassed our fundraising goal for the night reflects a community that believes every child deserves that strong start.”
Proceeds from the 2026 Imagination Gala directly support the mission of Glazer Children’s Museum to create and foster engaging, impactful play experiences for children and families throughout Tampa Bay. For more information about Glazer Children’s Museum and Play Your Way to Kindergarten, visit GlazerMuseum.org.