Houston A-listers went full glam at the Royal Sonesta Houston for the ninth annual Operation Smile Houston Gala. Co-chaired by Stacey Lindseth and April McGee, alongside auction co-chairs Lara Bell, Kristen J. Cannon, and Whitney Kuhn Lawson, the gala was a sensory feast from start to finish.
Photo by Johnny Tran Photography
Whitney Kuhn Lawson, Lara Bell, and Kristen J. Cannon.
Guests began the September 27 evening with craft cocktails courtesy of Cocktails Unlimited before stepping into a ballroom blooming with magenta florals, mirrored tables, and candlelight. The scene had even the most seasoned gala-goers pausing for photos. Strike a pose?
Celebrity auctioneer Johnny Bravo guided the crowd through a night of moving tributes and spirited bidding. Honorees included Laura and Dave Ward, who accepted the John Connor Humanitarian Award, and sisters Tena Lundquist Faust and Tama Lundquist, who received the Wallis Annenberg Public Service Award for their advocacy in animal welfare. Julia Dang earned the inaugural Hoang and Merchant Philanthropy Legacy Award, while Brooke Burke and her family were honored with the Founders Circle Award for their global volunteerism with Operation Smile.
Burke, joined by daughter Sierra Skye Fisher and son Shaya, shared moments from their June mission trip to Guatemala. Sierra’s heartfelt performance—featuring “Dreams,” “How You Treat Me,” and “Giving Tree”—set a soulful tone for the night. Burke’s acceptance speech drew applause as she reflected on the organization’s transformative work.
“It’s not just surgeries,” she said. “Together we build hope.”
The live auction dazzled with once-in-a-lifetime experiences, from luxury vacations to an exclusive dinner with Burke and Astros legend Roger Clemens, while Bulbo the Band kept the dance floor alive late into the evening.
The event raised more than $650,000 for life-changing cleft lip and palate surgeries.
As founders and longtime co-chairs of the Houston gala, Viet Hoang and Sneha Merchant have led the event for nine years, raising more than $3.5 million for Operation Smile, with new co-chairs joining them each year to continue expanding its impact.
Alongside Operation Smile founders Dr. Bill and Kathy McGee and their son Todd McGee were Naureen Malik, Sippi Khurana, Anu Reddy, Kanchan Singh, Habiba Dhanani, Nina Magon, Chelsea Cordner, Keani Hunt-Cordner, Sue Smith, Hallie Vanderhider, Rachelle Rowe, Nick Merchant, Habiba and Aly Dhanani, Maria Moncada-Alaoui and Omar Alaoui, Linda and Patrick Magill, Brittany and Dana Wetterer, Laura Escalona, Kevin Pickett, Dr. Katie and Dr. Bar Nguyen, Mateo and Odette Bolano, Henri Merceron, Teresa Hoang, Michael Vu, Purvee and Kartik Mehta, Dr. Dane and Isabella Hoang, Charlotte Magee, Scott Rigsby, Sandra Cooper, Alice Mao, Christina Zhou, and Yasmine Haddad.
