A sea of florals, fizz, and fierce spirit took over the Royal Sonesta as guests gathered for The Women’s Fund’s 15th Annual Rockin’ Resiliency Luncheon. This year’s theme, “Bloom Beyond Limits,” turned the afternoon into a vibrant celebration while empowering adolescent girls and women to lead happier lives.
Co-chairs Paula Sutton and Nadia Tajalli, along with emcee ABC13’s Gina Gaston, welcomed supporters into a lush shopping garden buzzing with 20 local vendors and a lively silent auction. From designer bags and jewels to gourmet getaways and self-care baskets, bidding was brisk — and occasionally a little cutthroat.
The stage bloomed with performances that hit all the right notes. Ogechi Nwachukwu of Partnerschools set the tone with a solo of “Astonishing” from Little Women, while later, Elizabeth Hanje of Houston Grand Opera (HGO) stunned with “Summertime” following an inspiring keynote from HGO’s Khori Dastoor, who spoke candidly about the arts and authenticity.
Before lunch, more than 100 girls attended a powerful education session titled “Unapologetically Me,” moderated by Casey Curry and featuring panelists Shruti Mohanty, Leslie Aileen, and Kimeya Courts-Chapman.
Event highlights included awards for longtime supporter Philamena Baird and pediatric hematology leader Dr. Lakshmi Srivaths, plus remarks from Praveena Lakshmanan and a matching challenge led by Jackie Macha. Cancer researcher Dr. Elizabeth Grimm was recognized as the Lifetime Member Spotlight.
More than 350 guests helped raise $250,000 for the organization.
On the scene were Stephanie Hill, Linda Rhodes, Jackie Macha, Lisa Rogers, Natalie Mohtashami, Erin Cummings, Abby Alford, Tahirih Baker, Alyssa Fox, Ann Cook, Gina Gaston Elie, MaryBeth Robinson, Kathryn Tees, Tina Wrotenbery, Kimberly Young, Vanessa Ames, Dr. Kathy Flanagan, Dr. Mary Aitken, Dr. Victor Simms, Dr. Nicholas Ro, Julie Roberts, Claire Liu, Liz Travis, Krista Calaway, Charlene Chuang, Lindsey Duhon, Meredith Marshall, Jackie Hugele, Meghan Hughes, Lauren Sotomayor, Emily Posey, Shavonnah Roberts Schreiber, and April McGee.
Photo by Johnny Than
Sheila Lewis, Dr. Lakshmi Srivaths, Stephanie Hill, and Linda Rhodes.
