Los Angeles, CA  - Peter C. Quinn, CEO of the T.J. Martell Foundation, announced today that Vicki Robles will head the Foundation?s West Coast operation as Executive Director beginning August 2^nd. 

Robles was recently with The Hollywood Reporter where she was Director of Marketing which included the re-launch of The Reporter's new look campaign as well as overseeing some of the publication's top events such as the Women in Entertainment Luncheon, Power Lawyers and Key Art Awards and the highly publicized Nominee's Night held in March for all of the Oscar nominees at the home of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. 

Robles has more than fifteen years of management experience in the entertainment and travel business in Los Angeles.  This includes managing events, marketing and special promotions at Daily Variety and American Airlines.

The T.J. Martell Foundation began with a pledge by Tony Martell, a well-known music industry executive, to his 17-year-old son, T.J., who was diagnosed with leukemia in 1973. Young T.J. asked his father to raise a million dollars for cancer research so that others would not suffer as he did.  Although he had no fund-raising experience, Tony Martell agreed.  Two years later, T.J. died after courageously living almost two years beyond his original prognosis. Grief-stricken after the devastating loss, Tony honored his promise to his beloved son, raising his promised $1 million.  But then Mr. Martell?s success within the music industry continued, and thirty-five years later the Foundation has provided $240 million for leukemia, cancer and AIDS research. 

The T.J. Martell Foundation has headquarters in New York and offices in Nashville as well as LA.  Childrens Hospital Los Angeles has been the focus of the Foundation's support for the past twenty-five years, receiving over $27 million from the Foundation for pediatric cancer research. The Martell Foundation is one of the largest supporters of cancer research at CHLA.

Some of the T.J. Martell Foundation events in the LA area include Family Day, the SummerTASTE Series, the Los Angeles Wine Dinner, the Warped Tour Bowling Tournament and the newly formed event, ArtWorks, which is scheduled for Sunday, September 26^th at Bergamot Station.