• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Avenida Houston
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    Making the News

    TV news legend calls Houston women gorgeous, talks wedding drama and tabloid history in River Oaks

    Heather Staible
    Heather Staible
    Oct 24, 2014 | 11:39 am

    Jane Pauley broke new ground at 25 as a Today show anchor and has interviewed a Who’s Who of politicians and celebrities, but for a trip to Houston, the legendary broadcaster had to quell some butterflies.

    "I had to up my game a little bit to come to Houston. You women are just exceptional and gorgeous..”

    “I had to up my game a little bit to come to Houston,” Pauley said. “You women are just exceptional and gorgeous. It says you take yourself and your community seriously.”

    Chairmen Maryann Hoffer and Mary Ann McKeithan were behind the event that drew a beautiful crowd of more than 350 guests to River Oaks Country Club for the Baylor College of Medicine Huffington Center on Aging Women’s Health Summit and Luncheon.

    Guests were still buzzing over the morning health sessions, especially a sleep-focused seminar by Dr. James Mass, and were noticeably excited when Pauley took the stage, her purse in tow. Before her interview with Warner Roberts officially started, Pauley explained the need for her purse.

    “I brought my purse to the stage to show you how my life can change so rapidly,” Pauley said. “I have two weddings this year, and one in November, so I keep my phone close in case of a wedding drama phone call.”

    She also pulled out her newly minted CBS News ID.

    “After a 40 year association with NBC, I am now working for CBS. No generation before mine would have thought of starting a new job after 60,” Pauley said. “Success is the courage to say yes and try.”

    Pauley’s interview was loaded with bits of personal and professional reveals. She didn’t have time for a manicure, so don’t look at her nails, how her job as an anchor at age 24 in Chicago “did not go well” and how ridiculous it was that as the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, she and Deborah Norville were making front page news after Norville replaced her on The Today Show.

    Before the crowd sang "Happy Birthday" to Pauley (she turns 64 on Halloween) she revealed Michael J. Fox as her all-time favorite guest.

    “I had interviewed him quite a few times over the years and he asked if he could be my final Dateline interview. He said I had been there for so many important parts of his life and he wanted to be there for one of mine,” Pauley said.

    Pauley was awarded the Anne Morrow Lindbergh Award for Living with Grace and Distinction. Honorary Chairpersons Terry Huffington and Ralph Dittman, MD, applauded the day’s efforts raising support for the Huffington Center on Aging at Baylor College of Medicine. The event also honored Joella Mach, Penny Loyd, Reda Martin and Bain Pearson Pitts for their contributions to the community and Baylor.

    Guests in the crowd included Janet Gurwitch, Dr. James Maas and Micki Fine, Jaleh Sallee, HCOA Director, Dr. Hui Zheng, Dominique Sachse, Jan Duncan, Diane Lokey Farb, Joelle Rogers, Tricia Dewhurst, Mehrnaz Gill, David McKeithan, Cora Sue and Harry Mach and Mary Gracely.

    Bain Pearson Pitts, from left, Penny Loyd, Joella Mach and Reda Martin.

    Bain Pearson Pitts, from left, Penny Loyd, Joella Mach and Reda Martin at the Huffington Center on Aging luncheon October 2014
      
    Photo by © Kim Coffman
    Bain Pearson Pitts, from left, Penny Loyd, Joella Mach and Reda Martin.
    unspecified
    news/society

    Cosmic Fete

    Polaris Dawn Crew helps Houston hospital gala hit $1.65 million milestone

    Joel Luks
    May 1, 2025 | 1:45 pm
    St. Jude Children's Research Hospital gala 2025
    Photo by Jacob Powers
    SpaceX Crew: Scott Poteet, Sarah Gillis, Anna Memon, and Jared Isaacman.

    It was an evening of glittering gowns, space-age dreams, and heartstring-tugging moments as more than 500 guests gathered at The Revaire on April 5 for the St. Jude Houston Gala, themed Breakthroughs on the Bayou. This year's raised $1.65 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

    St. Jude Children's Research Hospital gala 2025
      

    Photo by Jacob Powers

    SpaceX Crew: Scott Poteet, Sarah Gillis, Anna Memon, and Jared Isaacman.

    Attendees, decked out in classic black-tie finery, sipped on the night's signature Miracle Mule, a sparkly purple twist on the Moscow Mule. While a whimsical string quartet played Bridgerton-esque covers of pop hits, attendees mingled among auction items that could have easily made a wish list for the stars.

    Event chairs Erika and Neil Billingsley-Michaelsen welcomed guests into the main ballroom, setting the tone for an emotional journey. Amal Zakhem Nassar received the Mission Maker Award in a stirring moment introduced by her daughters, Natalia and Daniella, earning a standing ovation for her heartfelt speech. Also honored were Polaris Dawn crew members Jared Isaacman, Anna Menon, Sara Gillis, and Scott Poteet.

    Another highlight came from the family of young St. Jude patient Slater, whose parents, Shane and Shari Anne, shared their journey through a stage four neuroblastoma diagnosis and the hope St. Jude's research gave them. Slater’s personal bond with the Polaris Dawn crew, childhood dreams of rocket launches, made the connection more poignant.

    Auctioneer Trey Morris amped up the energy with a spirited live auction. Among the showstoppers: A Polaris Dawn jacket designed for astronaut Poteet featuring St. Jude patient artwork, and a luxe IWC watch experience, both hammering in at $30,000 apiece.

    The evening’s apex arrived when commander Isaacman pledged to match the Give to Live Paddle Up segment, launching the night's total from $1.2 million to $1.65 million. With Infinite Groove taking the stage and colorful streamers filling the air, guests kept the celebration alive with late-night bites and lively photobooth sessions until the final curtain call.

    Among those in the crowd were Sarah Pappas, Julia Wang, Laura Mafige, and Norman Abdallah.

    fundraisersst. jude children's research hospital
    news/society
    CULTUREMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
    Get Houston intel delivered daily.
    Loading...