The Celebration

The Royal Sonesta Ballroom set the scene for the 2025 Rockin’ Resiliency Luncheon put on by The Women’s Fund for Health Education and Resiliency (The Women’s Fund) on Sunday, October 19, 2025. The co-chairs of Bloom Beyond Limits were Paula Sutton and Nadia Tajalli, and ABC 13’s Gina Gaston was the emcee. Philamena Baird was the recipient of the Sue Trammell Whitfield Award for Resiliency. Lakshmi Srivaths, was presented with  the John P. McGovern Foundation “Champion in Women’s Health and Wellness” Award. Dr. Elizabeth Grimm was recognized as the Lifetime Member Spotlight.

The Story

Because the early bird gets the worm, the 350 guests arrived in lots of time to peruse the unique wares of 20 local vendors and to add their names to the silent auction items. Designer bags, self-care packages, dazzling jewelry, chic accessories, and distinctive dining experiences were all there for the bidding. The Champagne raffle drew lots of attention with its chance to win one of three major prizes: a Vintage Fendi bag, a hands-on cooking class for 10 at Central Market, and a Champagne and caviar soirée for 10 with Madame Zero. Champagne sponsor Pierpoint kept the Madame Zero flowing freely getting everyone into the holiday spirit. For the girls in attendance, their were the ever popular “Blooming Bucks.” Armed with their treasure, they made their way to “Balloon Pop Bags” filled with fun, surprises, and dining vouchers. Thanks to Stream Realty Partners participants starred in their own 360-degree action video, furnishing them with a memory they would have forever. Ogechi Nwachukwu of Partnerschools inspired everyone present when she took to the stage and sang Astonishing from Little Women by Jason Howland and Mindi Dickstein.

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Arriving in the ballroom for the luncheon, guests found themselves surrounded by beautiful blooms courtesy of HEB that visually embodied the theme of Bloom Beyond Limits. The unencumbered organic arrangements of poppies, thistle, and peonies were later repurposed in partnership with Petal Power to go on and live a second life. After being welcomed by Gaston, guests sat down to a lovely luncheon of garden-fresh lemon herb-grilled chicken salad with rice pilaf, grilled zucchini, mixed greens, red wine pear, goat cheese, shaved fennel and lemon thyme vinaigrette, New York cheesecake, and a Nutella croissant.

The Moments

Prior to the luncheon, The Women’s Fund led 100 girls from their programs in the educational session, “Unapologetically Me: Owning Your Confidence & Celebrating What Makes You Unique,” sponsored by Marilyn and Tom Sumner. Moderated by Emmy Award-Winning journalist and community advocate Casey Curry, the session included panelists Shruti Mohanty, Miss Petite Houston Universe 2025; Leslie Aileen, makeup artist and influencer; and Kimeya Courts-Chapman, licensed counselor and registered play therapist.  

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During the luncheon The Women’s Fund President of the Board, Stephanie Hill, and Executive Director, Linda Rhodes, thanked guests and sponsors for their support, and celebrated all the accomplishments the organization had made during the past year. She also recognized Sutton and Tajalli for their many years of dedication to The Women’s Fund. Baird was presented with the Sue Trammell Whitfield Award for Resiliency as a devoted Advisory Board Member and philanthropic powerhouse whose decades of service have strengthened the lives of countless women and girls across Houston. Srivaths, an esteemed professor and director at UTHealth Science Center, was presented with  the John P. McGovern Foundation “Champion in Women’s Health and Wellness” Award in recognition of her groundbreaking work in pediatric hematology and her unwavering dedication to advancing family health in the Houston region.

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Keynote speaker Khori Dastoor, General Director and CEO of Houston Grand Opera (HGO), inspired attendees with the story of her journey to leadership and authenticity. She also spoke about the way the arts cultivate resiliency and well-being. After her address, Elizabeth Hanje of HGO surprised the audience with a thrilling performance of Summertime from Porgy and Bess. Praveena Lakshmanan, Community Engagement Program Manager with IM Houston, spoke about the daily impact of The Women’s Fund programs and publications. Vice President of the Board, Jackie Macha, invited guests to join an anonymous donor in a generous match of up to $20,000 for The Women’s Fund’s programs. This was followed by Jasmine Egbulonu with Partnerschools performing Dreamer by Lauren Lin Jonsdottir and Spencer Stewart. Grimm, a renowned cancer researcher and academic leader, was recognized as the Lifetime Member Spotlight, for her support of The Women’s Fund for over a decade and as an example of the power that comes from combining scientific excellence with a deep commitment to community well-being. 

The inspiring luncheon raised $250,000 to help The Women’s Fund continue its important work.

Top Sponsors helping women and girls advocate for their health included: Empowered Presenting Sponsor John P. McGovern Foundation; Rockin Sponsors Dr. Tahirih Baker, Ann Cook and Kelsey-Seybold Clinics, Erin Cummings and Natalie Mohtashami, Memorial Hermann, Paula Sutton and Nadia Tajalli; and Resilient Sponsors Philamena Baird, Braden Family, Monica Fulton, HEB, Shelly Hendry, Houston Methodist, Jackie Macha and Brian Faulkner, Martha Walton, Amy and Rob Pierce, UTHealth Houston, and McGovern Medical School.

Guests: Board Members: Stephanie Hill, Linda Rhodes, Jackie Macha, Lisa Rogers, Natalie Mohtashami, Erin Cummings, Abby Alford, Tahirih Baker, Alyssa Fox, Philamena Baird, Ann Cook, Gina Gaston, Mary Beth Robinson, Kathryn Tees, Tina Wrotenbery, and Kimberly Young. Others: 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.

About The Women’s Fund for Health Education and Resiliency 

The Women’s Fund for Health Education and Resiliency (The Women’s Fund)  is a nonprofit dedicated to providing Houston-area women and girls with the tools they need to be advocates for their health. Since 1979, The Women’s Fund has served women and girls by providing health education community seminars, programs, and publications. Dedicated to ensuring positive health outcomes for individuals and communities, The Women’s Fund serves close to 12,000 women and adolescent girls and distributes over 10,000 publications each year at no cost. The Women’s Fund collaborates with community partners to provide its programs and resources free of charge to the communities with limited access to health information. Houston area women and girls learn resiliency skills to increase self-efficiency, decision-making, goal setting, communication, and resourcefulness to be their own health advocates and ensure positive health outcomes for individuals and communities.