LOS ANGELES, Oct. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Actress and founder of Blondie Girl Productions, Ashley Tisdale and Dick Costolo, former Twitter CEO will be honored at this year's 11th annual Gala of Champions, hosted by CoachArt, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization that provides arts and recreational opportunities to youth with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Taking place at the Beverly Hilton on October 15, Tisdale will receive this year's "Courage and Hope" award while Costolo will receive the "Heart and Humanity" award.

The annual Gala, held each October, honors individuals who show exceptional professional success and personal humanitarianism. Together, business leaders, entertainment executives, community members, volunteers and CoachArt families gather in support of CoachArt's mission to create a transformative arts and athletics community for families impacted by childhood chronic illness. Past Gala of Champions honorees include Chandra Wilson, actress from TV-series Grey's Anatomy, Jeremy Zimmer, co-founder and CEO of UTA and TV anchors Robin Roberts and her sister Sally-Ann Roberts.

"It's always an honor to be able to recognize the dedication, commitment and incredible impact our Champions have made to the CoachArt community," said Dr. Kara Allen Soldati, Executive Director of CoachArt. "It is incredibly powerful to see so many friends, families, colleagues and stakeholders come together to celebrate our mission. I am truly grateful for the tremendous support."

Since its beginning in 2001, CoachArt uses the proven power of arts and athletics to spark student's imagination and build confidence by providing long-term, no-cost arts and athletic opportunities for chronically ill children and their siblings. In 2014 alone, CoachArt's highly-skilled volunteers provided 20,000 free lesson hours to more than 2,000 children. Currently, CoachArt works with more than 1,500 volunteer coaches and community partners to serve nearly 2,000 students annually.

"It's important for me to use my voice and platform to help others and to create awareness around causes and organizations I feel passionate about," said Tisdale. "I've had the pleasure of working with CoachArt and witnessing how these amazing kids and families personally benefit from the lessons in the arts and athletics that CoachArt provides. I am so honored to stand with them at this gala."

In 2014, the Gala saw more than 650 attendees that helped raise nearly $1 million. Last year's Champions included Walt Disney Company Executive Vice President Kevin Mayer and Los Angeles Clippers basketball player Matt Barnes.

About Ashley Tisdale
Ashley Tisdale is an actress, philanthropist, performer, and producer, with an extensive body of work in television, film, musicals, recording and production. Having been discovered in her hometown of Monmouth County, New Jersey at the age of three, Ashley quickly garnered attention and became one of the breakout stars of the Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel worldwide phenomenon "High School Musical," as well as a number of other successful television shows and feature films. Most recently, Ashley starred in the TBS comedy series "Clipped" and will soon be seen on the big screen alongside Jason Biggs in the independent comedy "Drive She Said." Ashley is also a successful recording artist, with her solo album, "Headstrong," which debuted in February 2007 and entered the Billboard Top 200 Chart at #5. Having founded Blondie Girl Productions, the production company behind ABC Family's "Young & Hungry," Ashley plays a pivotal role both in front of and behind the camera.

About Dick Costolo
Dick Costolo, former CEO of Twitter, has been dubbed as "one of Silicon Valley's most impressive CEOs." Prior to his CEO appointment, Dick served as Chief Operating Officer at Twitter, as well as Group Product Manager at Google Inc., Chief Operating Officer of 724 Solutions, and co-founder and CEO of FeedBurner. In May 2011, President Obama appointed Costolo to the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee, along with other top tech executives. Prior to joining some of Silicon Valley's top tech companies, Dick held an impressive career in improvisational comedy, where he performed with Chicago's Annoyance Theater and at various comedy festivals across the country. Dick holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arborand has been recognized by UM with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

About CoachArt
CoachArt provides a transformative learning community for children impacted by chronic illness by providing no-cost lessons in the arts and athletics. CoachArt was founded in 2000 by Zander Lurie and Leah Bernthal, in memory of Zander's father, Dr. Arthur Lurie, a cardiac surgeon who recognized the need for long-term support and enrichment amongst the pediatric patient population. Today, CoachArt offers high-quality arts and athletics activities to over 2,000 children in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Areas with the support of 1,500 volunteers and community partners.