CACEA 10th Anniversary Planning & Appointment Gala at the Four Seasons Hotel Beverly Hills
- The Beverly Arts
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Singer Grace Field, TV host Joey Zhou, founder of the Los Angeles Beverly Arts (LABA), and Deborah Castine MD
Los Angeles, California, USA. 8th July, 2026. The Chinese American Cultural Exchange Association (CACEA) held a gala at the Four Seasons Hotel Beverly Hills, located at 300 S. Doheny Drive in Los Angeles, to plan its 10th anniversary celebrations and formally announce new appointments. CACEA founding chair, Susan Wang, and CACEA co-chair, Harrison Engle presented appointment certificates to 13 distinguished individuals representing a range of sectors, naming them as CACEA co-chairs and board members. Since its inception, CACEA has remained dedicated to strengthening friendship and promoting mutual cultural understanding between the people of China and the United States.
CACEA co-chairman Harrison Engle
The event was hosted by renowned bilingual television host Joey Zhou, founder of Los Angeles Beverly Arts (LABA); Tony Award winner Grace Field; and LABA Icon Awards recipient Deborah Castine MD. CACEA co-chair Harrison Engle, a Hollywood director and founder of the International Documentary Association Awards, began the evening's presentations. Speaking on behalf of the CACEA Board of Directors, he highlighted the organization’s past accomplishments, its continuing commitment to philanthropy, and ongoing mission to foster exchanges between China and the United States in culture, the arts, education, film and television, health, and trade.
CACEA founding chairman Susan Wang
Susan Wang warmly welcomed the guests and delivered a presentation focused on CACEA’s goals and longstanding mission of cultural exchange. Under her leadership, the association has created numerous platforms for interdisciplinary and cross-cultural engagement. CACEA has organized professional forums, networking events, and public showcases addressing film and television production, culinary culture, economic cooperation, and health and wellness, including the integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine. Through these initiatives, CACEA continues to foster greater understanding, cultural exchange, and meaningful collaboration among people from diverse backgrounds.
For many years, Wang has also been deeply committed to humanitarian and philanthropic endeavors, leading CACEA in its support of vulnerable communities and international charitable-aid projects. She has provided assistance to underserved regions in Asia and Africa, supported the construction of educational facilities in mountainous and disadvantaged communities, and helped improve learning conditions for local children. In addition, Wang has organized medical, educational, and livelihood-assistance programs designed to help underprivileged children gain access to healthcare and schooling.
Hollywood legend Nancy Bretzfield
During a special presentation, Hollywood veteran Nancy Bretzfield was appointed a CACEA co-chair by the organization’s Board of Directors. She received her official appointment certificate from Wang and Engle. Bretzfield is an actress and former Olympic figure skater who performed under the stage name Nancy Czar. Her film credits include Wild Guitar (1962), Winter A-Go-Go (1965), and The Wild Scene (1970). She later retired from the entertainment industry.
Bretzfield was married to Samuel Stuart Bretzfield who began serving as Honorary Consul of Bangladesh in the United States in 1977. Following his death in 1986, Bretzfield assumed the position and served as Honorary Consul of Bangladesh for nine years. Early in her career, she was also romantically linked to Elvis Presley, and their relationship became widely known in Hollywood circles.
CACEA founding chairman Susan Wang, Nancy Bretzfield, and CACEA co-chairman Harrison Engle
One of CACEA’s most successful initiatives has been the establishment of an overseas Traditional Chinese Medicine service base in Los Angeles. Over the past decade, the association has developed the program with support from the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office at the national and Jiangsu provincial levels, the Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine. CACEA has frequently hosted complimentary medical clinics where local U.S. experts, prominent community figures, and members of overseas Chinese communities could participate in and experience Traditional Chinese Medicine services.
The association has also organized major cultural events, including the “Affection of China” Mid-Autumn Festival Gala; the North American tour of the China Oriental Performing Arts Group; the North American tour of Liu Xiaoqing’s stage production Wu Zetian; the East-West Directors Forum; and the Sino-U.S. International Documentary Forum. CACEA also co-hosted the Sino-U.S. Culinary Culture Forum with Carlos Amezcua, a prominent American television news anchor and 22-time Emmy Award winner. The association has frequently partnered with the U.S.-China Cultural Association to present a large-scale Chinese American Spring Festival Gala.
Artist Todd Williamson
Following the presentations, Todd Williamson, former Chair of the West Hollywood Arts Commission; Barry Simon, Chair of the UNA-USA California Chapter of the United Nations Association; and Sir Laurent Khaiat, President of La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs in Beverly Hills, were appointed CACEA co-chairs. Their official certificates were jointly presented by Wang and Engle.
Eight distinguished individuals were also appointed to the CACEA Board of Directors: Grammy Award winner and voting member Henry Lipatov; distinguished physician Dr. Deborah Castine; Tony Award winner Grace Field; Emmy Award winner Jacqueline Lewis; celebrity photographer Sheri Determan; acclaimed artist Carolyn Stevenson; model and actress Dustin Quick; and television host Gloria Jimenez.
Harrison Engle, Susan Wang, Todd Williamson, Barry Simon, and Laurent Khaiat
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wang and CACEA responded proactively to community needs by donating protective equipment and medical supplies to local hospitals in Los Angeles and medical institutions in cities throughout China, contributing to efforts to combat the virus.
Wang and other key CACEA members also visited nursing homes in the United States to provide care, companionship, and emotional support to elderly residents. These efforts demonstrated the association’s continuing commitment to social responsibility and humanitarian service.
In recognition of her sustained contributions to humanitarian service and philanthropy, Wang received the Fernando Award for Humanitarian Service in 2019.
Singer Grace Field
In addition to the presentations, the gala featured entertainment by singer Grace Field, who has performed on Broadway and at the White House. She captivated guests with her rendition of the demanding musical-theater song “Think of Me.” Her performance became one of the evening’s highlights. In 2026, Field is scheduled to portray Marilyn Monroe in the new Broadway production, That’s Love.
This year marks CACEA’s 10th anniversary. In November, the association will host a grand anniversary gala at the Four Seasons Hotel Beverly Hills. The event will bring together distinguished international guests together along with celebrities and prominent members of the local community. The celebration will include International performances and charity awards ceremony. CACEA welcomes international guests who share its passion for global arts, cultural exchange, and philanthropy to participate in this milestone occasion.
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