Serving as this year's keynote speaker is Houston Author Katherine Center, whose four bittersweet comic novels highlight love and family and embrace the strong, smart and bold ethic while envisioning a wonderful future for her children. At the event, Center will be presented with the Strong, Smart and Bold Award, an award presented annually to a Houston woman who has followed her own path, dedicated herself to education, pursued her dreams and achieved her goals while also giving back to the community.