L.A. Students Get Sweet Deal With Shopping at Sugar
By Kate Berry

Pink cupcakes and champagne attracted some of Los Angeles’ power elite to a fundraiser at Sugar, the trendy West Hollywood boutique that draws starlet shoppers Paris Hilton and Sienna Miller.

The ladies-only benefit last week raised money for L.A.’s Best – Better Educated Students for Tomorrow – an after-school program that provides supervised recreation for 23,000 children from some of the city’s most economically challenged neighborhoods.

Reva Shakkottai, a regional vice president at Neuberger Berman and recent addition to L.A.’s Best board, hosted the event for local businesswomen. She mingled with attendees including legal analyst Rikki Klieman, the wife of Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton; local KTLA "Morning News" co-host Michaela Pereira; Beverly Hills philanthropist Mariclare Suomi; and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Commissioner Sarah Dusseault.

Sugar co-owners Jeanette Chivvis and Kelley West donated 20 percent of the proceeds, roughly $4,000, from merchandise sold at the event to L.A.’s Best. The idea behind the event was not just to raise money for the program but also to get more women involved. About 40 percent of L.A.’s Best board members are women.