NATHAN YIP FOUNDATION 

Greenwood Village 

By JOANNE DAVIDSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO POLITICS 

News: Sushi-lovers from Denver and beyond know that they’re in for a treat when the Nathan Yip Foundation hosts its annual Sushi Party. The rush to purchase tickets begins months in advance and when the big day arrives, the event space atop The Dome at AMG is filled to capacity. 

The Sushi Party always takes place in June – June 20, this year – because it’s the month in which the foundation’s namesake was born. And, as it has every time since its founding, the party features a seemingly endless array of sushi from chef Miki Hashimoto of TOKIO and tables filled with Chinese delicacies prepared by chef Kevin Tung and his wife, Stephanie, who were Nathan Yip’s godparents and co-founders, with Nathan’s parents, Linda and Jimmy Yip, of the Nathan Yip Foundation. 

“This event wouldn’t have had the impact it has had without Kevin, Stephanie and Miki,” said executive director Stacey Vanhoy.  

The Sushi Party’s success, she added, is imperative because “When it comes to education, money matters, especially in rural areas. The foundation is supporting schools, teachers and students in five rural districts this year, and we’ve made a world of difference for them all.” 

In addition to the Sushi Party, the foundation’s fundraising efforts include its annual Chinese New Year Gala. 

In addition to enjoying good food, the Sushi Party was the occasion to recognize Melly Kinnard and Lynn Luce Kitt for their dedication to the cause. 

Kinnard is a past president of the foundation board; Kitt chaired the 2026 Chinese New Year Gala and her family’s Bardsley Foundation has made significant contributions to the Nathan Yip Foundation. 

“I think Melly spends every waking minute thinking about what she can do next for the foundation,” said board president Rajesh Babu. “Lynn, whose support also has been outstanding, brought our gala to a whole new level.” 

Foundation board members at the Sushi Party included treasurer Debby Buescher and her husband, Tom, who chairs the foundation’s Rural Colorado Advisory Committee; District Court Judge Jon Olafson; and retired Denver County Court Judge Doris Burd.  

Also, emeritus board members Okie Arnot, Dr. Larry Chan and Christine Gillette; Alpine Bank President Norm Franke and his daughter, Jackie Devine; CoBank Vice President Faye Tate; Julie Golden, a senior wealth advisor at First Western Trust; former Playboy Bunny Mieko Nakamura; Janet Kritzer, a real estate associate with LIV Sotheby’s; and auto broker Craig Dies with his wife, Deborah. 

About the organization: The Nathan Yip Foundation was established in 2002 by Aurora residents Linda and Jimmy Yip as a living memorial to their only child, Nathan, who passed away in a car accident at the age of 19. It had been Nathan’s dream to start a foundation that would create educational opportunities for underserved children, and toward that end the foundation raises money to support schools and students in rural areas of Colorado. 

Website: nathanyipfoundation.org 

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