I believe that there is something very beautiful about each and every human being. Therefore this project has been, without question, one of the most difficult I have ever tackled. But, with the help of many professional, talented photographers and an extremely impartial H Texas committee, I submit the following 25 Beautiful Houstonians, who are not only physically beautiful, but also spend much of their time in the service of others.
During this selection process, I have come to understand that the old adage, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” rings truer than ever. Remember that it was John Keats who wrote: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever: Its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness.”
I and my colleagues at this magazine feel that one interpretation of this famous prose could mean that through service to mankind, we shall never pass into oblivion.
1. Brad Ausmus
Brad, the great Houston Astros catcher, enjoys participating in all the Astros’ charitable functions, such as the Craig Biggio Sunshine Kids Celebrity Golf Classic and other events sponsored by the Astros and Astros’ Wives. He recently was given the Million Mile Award from Continental Airlines and immediately donated it to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
2. Ericka Bagwell
Ericka has recently become very involved in Casa de Esperanza. She has worked many years for and has chaired the Black Ties and Baseball Caps gala benefiting the Houston Area Women’s Center. Ericka’s other favorite charities include Boys and Girls Country, Harbor House and the Ronald McDonald House.
3. Craig Biggio
A mainstay in the heart beat of the Houston charitable community, legendary Houston Astro Craig is always there to support children. His Craig Biggio Sunshine Kids Celebrity Golf Classic has been the focus of his fund-raising efforts for many years. The Sunshine Kids organization is dedicated to children with cancer to provide positive group activities and emotional support for young cancer patients. Craig donates energy, celebrity and resources to the organization, but perhaps the most fulfilling of all his activities is the time he spends visiting the children in their homes or the hospital.
4. Pat Breen
Pat’s love of opera and the ballet began when she was a child. Now, she serves as vice president of the Board of Governors, is on the executive committee and is head of special events for the Houston Grand Opera. She is a board member for the Houston Ballet Foundation, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, University of Texas Health Science Center and University of Texas Partners School of Nursing. Recently, Pat co-chaired the Houston Chronicle Best Dressed Luncheon and Neiman Marcus Fashion Presentation benefiting the March of Dimes.
5. Ann Carl
Ann’s favorite charitable endeavors involve children. She has chaired the Children’s Museum gala, as well as the Girls and Boys Harbor gala, Friends of Hermann Park gala and Polo Italia and Risotto Festival for the Children’s Assessment Center. Upcoming events she is chairing include the Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation fund raiser and the American Heart Association Go Red luncheon.
6. David Carr
David, the quarterback for the Houston Texans, finds time all year long to support the Houston community. He is very involved with his namesake David Carr’s Race for The Kids, benefiting Junior Achievement and with many other charitable organizations. Today his primary focus in fund-raising endeavors is directed to the Juvenile Diabetes Association, as his son was recently diagnosed with the disease.
7. Ray Childress
Ray is totally committed to making a difference in the Houston community through his Childress Foundation. Providing help to at-risk youth, the Childress Foundation provides hope for a brighter future. Additionally, the Childress Academy at Northbrook High School provides tutoring to help children graduate and attend college.
8. Lora Clemmons
Lora recently chaired a fund-raising dinner in honor of Hazel O’Leary, the president of Fisk University, and served as honorary chairman of the Onyx magazine Women of Style event, benefiting Sister’s Network. She will serve as honorary chairman for the Girl Scouts Urban Campout next spring and is involved with Interfaith Partners.
9. Kimberly DeLape
Kimberly is devoted to programs that involve helping children, such as the After School All-Stars, a program for inner city youth. She has chaired events for “I Have A Dream” and the Bay Area Greater Houston Ballet and Theatre. She loves the performing arts for encouraging children’s hopes and dreams. Kimberly supports The Bridge, a shelter for battered and abused women; The Aids Foundation Houston; and recently enjoyed working on the Kick Out Kidney Disease fundraiser for the National Kidney Foundation.
10. Bob Devlin
Bob is dedicated to serving the Houston community far beyond the call of duty as general manager of Neiman Marcus. Some of the volunteer positions he holds involve the Houston Ballet, Channel 8, Child Advocates and the Houston Grand Opera. He is also the chairman of The Assistance Fund Living the Legacy event this year.
11. Jan Duncan
Jan’s heart is drawn to spiritual endeavors and definitely prefers to work quietly behind the scenes. She supports and attends the Shikar Safari Club week in Cape Town, South Africa, which raises money for conservation and education, and supports the Intercessors of the Lamb, a prayer community in Omaha, Nebraska. She also attends the International Week of Prayer and Fasting in Washington, D. C. Jan is extremely involved with the St. Theresa Church and School. She recently co-chaired the Baylor College Partnership’s Honor Your Father gala for prostate cancer. With her husband, Dan, she has provided the Adult Ambulatory Care Building for Baylor College of Medicine and supported the River Oaks Baptist School’s recent expansion.
12. Paige Fertitta
Paige finds herself back in school often these days. She volunteers for her children’s schools, The Fay School and First Baptist Academy, and supports other schools as well, such as the Parish School and Briarwood School. She is on the board of the Children’s Museum of Houston and is very active in the Special Children’s Committee at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. Many charitable organizations have benefited from Paige’s generous donation of time, energy and support such as the Houston Children’s Charity, The Cancer League and Houston Grand Opera. Eight years ago, she and her husband, Tilman, created the San Luis Salute Mardi Gras, which has become a major event in Galveston, benefiting different charities each year.
13. Lisa Foronda
Lisa, the KHOU Channel 11 anchor, spends much of her free time working for the Spay-Neuter Assistance Program and Citizens for Animal Protection. Also, each week she works on Taping for the Blind, where she reads from Sports Illustrated. She enjoys supporting and giving time to the Reach Out and Read program, as well.
14. Mindy Hildebrand
Mindy is on the board of Trees of Hope, the fund-raising branch of Star of Hope and in November will be chairing their major event. For the Houston Zoo she chaired the Surfing Safari Family Party, serves as the treasurer for the Zoo Friends of Houston Inc. and fund-raised with the capital campaign committee to provide a new exhibition there. Mindy has been a member of the International Committee of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo for 17 years, is a sustaining member of the Junior League, and chaired the Junior League style show and the Bayou Bend Children’s Party. She is actively involved in her children’s school, River Oaks Baptist, and serves on the guilds of St. Michaels Church, the March of Dimes and the Honor Your Father partnership of Baylor College of Medicine. She is an active Tri-Delta alumna.
15. Melanie Johnson
Melanie gives much of her time, effort and support to her children’s school, The Grace School. She is also involved with Citizen’s for Animal Protection, Houston Children’s Charity and the Houston Ballet Guild.
16. Linda Lorelle
Linda, the KPRC Channel 2 anchor, founded and chairs the Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund, dedicated to helping students from disadvantaged backgrounds achieve their dreams of attending college by providing scholarships, mentoring support, job opportunities and pre-college advisory support. She is a board member of Girl Scouts of San Jacinto, Women’s Resource of Greater Houston, the Houston Zoo, Casa de Esperanza, the Junior League and Children’s Assessment Center. She recently became a board member of a new organization formed to support the needs of the Houston Police Department.
17. Shelly Ann Marks
Shelly Ann contributes her boundless energy, expertise and financial support to many diverse organizations. She recently chaired the American Heart Association Fire & Ice Ball, as well as Houston Grand Opera Ball Nuit Magnifique with her husband, I. W., the Angels of Hope Child Advocates Fashion Show and The Nutcracker Market Luncheon/Fashion Show for the Houston Ballet. She serves on boards and advisory committees for the Moores School of Music, Child Advocates, National Kidney Foundation, Asia Society, SPA, TIRR, Houston Symphony and March of Dimes.
18. Shannon Nini
Shannon is currently serving as President of St. Francis Episcopal Day School’s Parent Association while working on a new cookbook to raise funds for the school. For the last two years, she has chaired the Enchanted Garden gala, benefiting the Epilepsy Foundation of Southeast Texas. Shannon has worked for the Junior League for many years and is involved with the Houston Read Commission, Center for Hearing and Speech and Texas Children’s Hospital.
19. Robin Perlman
In recent years, Robin has chaired the Downtown Historic District gala and worked on committees of many other charitable organizations. Today, her focus is supporting Texas Children’s Hospital and the young patients from all over the world with heart problems that come to the Texas Heart Institute. She ministers not only to the children themselves, but also to the parents who often times are coping with a child who has a fatal disease.
20. Jeanne Ruberti
Jeanne’s heavy schedule involves being the Saks Fifth Avenue Club director and serving as a committed volunteer for the community. A few of her favorite volunteer endeavors have included the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America Inc., Women of Distinction Winter Ball, Salvation Army Auxiliary and the Key to a Cure for the Nellie B. Connally Breast Cancer Center at M. D. Anderson.
21. Dominique Sachse
Dominique, the KPRC Channel 2 news anchor, has a “pet project,” – her creation of Channel 2’s Pet-A-Thon. Dominique teams up with the Houston Humane Society to give animals a voice. She loves working with local students, helping them plan their careers and future. As an active University of Houston alumna, she sits on the boards of both the Alumni Organization and the Communication Alumni Association and is actively involved in fund-raising events for the campuses. One of these events is the Dominique Sachse Hoops and Hardball Golf Tournament, which benefits athletics at the university.
22. Kristi Schiller
Kristi recently chaired the Alley Theatre Steel Magnolias gala. She serves on the board of SIDS and is involved with Houston Grand Opera, American Heart Association, Mental Health Association, Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston, Texas Association Against Sexual Assault and the ESCAPE Family Resource Center. Her future plan is to concentrate her efforts, energies and resources on charitable organizations that focus solely on children, such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and the work being done at Texas Children’s Hospital on infectious diseases.
23. Anita Webber-Smith
Anita co-chaired the Houston Chronicle Best Dressed Luncheon and Neiman Marcus Fashion Presentation, benefiting the March of Dimes, and the Rice Design Alliance gala. She is involved with the Ensemble Theatre, Project Row House and is a member of the Rice Design Alliance Board. Recently, she facilitated a Bible study for mothers at River Oaks Baptist Church.
24. Andrea Turtur
Andrea has chaired the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America Women of Distinction Winter Ball and enjoys volunteering for a varied group of Houston charitable organizations. Some of her favorite events include the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Citizens for Animal Protection gala, Cancer Counseling, Partnership at Baylor College of Medicine and her sorority, Kappa Delta.
25. Laura Ward
In addition to her full-time job as executive director of the Houston Children’s Charity, Laura spends much of her time volunteering for charitable causes. She has served on the boards of The Furniture Bank, Arbor Pre-School, Faith School, Chuck Norris’ Kick Drugs Out of America, Silver Grace Hope Foundation and Hope Shelter. She is a lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and serves on the wine competition and auction committee. She organized and chaired the first Sunshine Kids Golf/Tennis Classic and has chaired 20 major volunteer events, including The Arbor School gala, Texaco/Havoline Mayor’s Grand Prix gala, The Furniture Bank gala and the James Beard Foundation Annual Scholarship Dinner. H
photo credits
1, 3: Houston Astros; 2: Debbie Porter; 4, 22: Gittings; 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 17: Kim Coffman; 6: Houston Texans; 10: Neiman Marcus; 12: Alexander?s Fine Portraits; 14: Fulton Davenport; 16: Paul Ladd; 20: Diandra Garza; 21: Albert Torres; 23: Kaye Marvins; 24: Evin Thayer; 25: Pete Baatz
