Children’s Museum Celebrates Reopening, Raises $155,000 at Lavish Luncheon

Children’s Museum Celebrates Reopening, Raises $155,000 at Lavish Luncheon

Milessa Lowrie, Jackie Effenson, Leigh McFarlane, Susan Barrett

MORE THAN 200 supporters of the Children's Museum Houston gathered inside Lott Hall at the McGovern Centennial Gardens for the annual Friends and Families luncheon.


Chairs Maris Castro and Milessa Lowrie welcomed guests, clad in beautiful and seasonal floral attire, to the event, which was initially to take place outdoors in the blooming gardens but was moved inside due to weather. The afternoon's featured speaker was best-selling author Julie Lythcott-Haims, who joined virtually to share personal accounts of "overparenting." Attendees also enjoyed a tasty lunch courtesy of Jackson & Co. and partook in a raffle that included items like suites at Astros and Dynamo games, and a "dine around town" package of restaurant gift cards.

The luncheon raised $155,000 that will go toward early childhood and parenting programs at the Children's Museum, which just reopened this week after a year-long Covid-related closure.

Kate Stukenberg, Stefani Mayberry

Abbie Giraud, Allison O'Neill, Alison Powell, Kelly Scofield

Dr. Amina Malik, Maris Castro, Dr. Emily Mintz

Julia Morales, Jason Castro, Maris Castro

Kate and Baron Doke

Katie Arnoldy, Kristy Bradshaw

Maris Castro, Elaine Balagia Croucher

Masha Lyons and Jodi Rubenstein

Megan Vondra, Jessica Leeke, Jordan Seff

Parties
Leadership in Action: ‘Setting Clear Goals’ Among Secrets of Success for Attorney Jess Bailey

How did you get to where you are today? A few key principles integrated into my life: setting clear goals, maintaining a growth mindset, building strong habits, and surrounding myself with the right people. Goals provided direction, while a growth mindset helped me turn challenges into opportunities for learning. Consistent habits, like disciplined work and effective communication, kept me moving forward. Being surrounded by motivated, supportive individuals has elevated my standards and kept me accountable. They’ve provided advice, encouragement, and sometimes that extra push I needed to stay on track. With these elements, I’ve been able to create a framework that helps me succeed and ensures I continue to grow and evolve.

Keep Reading Show less
People + Places

Lauren Anderson and Fady Armanious

EVER A GLAMOROUS event, the Houston Ballet's annual black-tie ball was a glimmering affair at the Wortham, where 500 guests joined event chairs Kristy and Chris Bradshaw and Melissa Juneau.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment

Gayla Gardner, Jacquie Baly and Julie Baker Finck

THE DOCTOR IS in! One of Houston’s most engaged civic leaders, Jacquie Baly, has a new title after earning her Doctorate in Education and Organizational Change & Leadership from USC. And some of the city’s heavy hitters turned up for a swanky reception at Tony’s to congratulate her. “Education and community leadership go hand in hand,” said Dr. Baly. “This honor fuels my continued mission to create meaningful change.”

And they weren’t alone in their admiration. Both the City of Houston and the State of Texas declared the day of the to-do “Dr. Jacquie Baly Day,” complete with official proclamations.

Keep Reading Show less
Style+Culture