Saturday, November 7th | from 6-10 pm at The Revaire
Join us for Illuminate: The 2026 DFS Houston Gala, celebrating 28 years of empowering the women of Houston and the supporters who help light the path forward.
2026 ILLUMINATE Chairs
Erin & Matthew Ahrens
Allison & Eric Aubel
Hunter & Roy Smith
Where Legacy Leads, the Future ShineS
For 28 years, Dress for Success Houston has empowered women to move from uncertainty to stability through employment, career advancement, and personal development. What begins with professional attire becomes something far greater—confidence restored, careers launched, and futures transformed through a community of support. Women gain employment, advance into leadership roles, and build lasting financial security for their families. All services are provided at no cost to our women thanks to the generosity of individuals, foundations, and corporate partners throughout our community.
Houston’s finest.
one powerful mission.
Houston’s top chefs will serve acclaimed cuisine and libations while Kristine Mills brings her signature energy to the stage. Guests will also enjoy a curated silent boutique auction led by Auction Chairs Lisa Barth, Susie Cunningham, Caroline Jacobs, Katherine Orellana Ross, and Leanne Schneider.
Together, we will celebrate the power of opportunity and the bright futures that begin when a community comes together to illuminate the path forward.
BECOME A SPONSOR
Contact Suzanne Farrow with questions about your sponsorship or pledge.
Come CELEBRATE with Dress for Success Houston for one of Houston’s most anticipated evenings
Let the Night Shine
—our annual gala, where generosity sparkles and the city comes together to
ILLUMINATE the path forward for women across our community.
We will begin the evening with a toast (or two) celebrating the incredible journeys of our client ambassadors and the supporters who help light the way. Then the celebration turns up the glow.
More than 25 of Houston’s top culinary concepts will serve up unforgettable bites alongside exceptional wines, craft cocktails, and spirited libations from some of the city’s best mixologists. Beloved Houston performer Kristine Mills will take the stage, keeping the energy high and the music playing all night long.
The fun continues with crowd favorites including our wine pull, cocktail shake, diamond raffle, and boutique auction—featuring extraordinary travel experiences with United Airlines airfare, luxury designer pieces, and unforgettable culinary adventures.
Take a peek at the magic from last year in our highlight video courtesy of Freeway Films by Jessie Mann, and browse the familiar faces in our Facebook albums.
THANK YOU TO OUR 2026 ILLUMINATE SPONSORS
LUMINARY
RADIANT
CATALYST
Sylvie and Gary Crum
Janis and Paul Jarosz
Ann and Johnny Johnson
Linda Padon
Rebekah and Gary Reaves
Becky and Dick Roberts | Cindy Speyrer
GUIDING LIGHT
Ellen Smith Brown and David Keith Brown
Cathy and Joe Cleary
Susie and Bucky Cunningham
Susie and Tyler Maddox
Kristi and Michael McCarthy
Niloufar and Amir Molavi | Kasey and Mark Dunn
Whalley Family Foundation
Dr. Margaret Mary Wilson and Moji Solar-Wilson
SHINE
Katherine Avery and David Buchanan
Delaney Bellinger
Nelia and Charles Blanton |
Melissa and Dan Sugulas
Carrie and Nicholas Fersen
Amy and Mark Hammer
Teal Holden
Carolyn and Matthew Khourie
Nancy Levicki
Trini Mendenhall-Royalty
Melissa Patin
Mary and Ben Patton
Amanda and Jeff Polich
Jill and Charlie Talisman
Travis Torrence and Heath LaPray
Thebe Warren
Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Family Fund
Genora and Dwight Boykins
Paige and Kris Branam
Katherine Brooker and Thomas Stenack
Bureau Veritas
Rohini and Sanjay Gakhar
Caroline and Jay Jacobs
Marie Louise and David Kinder
Karen and Seth Lerner
Monica McNeill
SPARK
Trish and Rock Morille
Donna and Rick Nebel
The Ratterree Family
Bonnie Reitz and Dr. Michael Howard
Regina Rogers
Leanne and Jeff Schneider
Sherah Personal Assistant Service
Phyllis Thomason
Madeline and John Williamson
2026 CULINARY CONCEPTS
View MORE photos from the 2025 Rendezvous here
Photography by Daniel Ortiz and Thomas Campbell
Our Commitment to Our Donors
We will not sell, share or trade our donors’ names or personal information with any other entity, nor send mailings to our donors on behalf of other organizations. This policy applies to all information received by Dress for Success Houston, both online and offline, on any Platform (“Platform”, includes the Dress for Success Houston website and mobile applications), as well as any electronic, written, or oral communications. To the extent any donations are processed through a third-party service provider, our donors’ information will only be used for purposes necessary to process the donation. Dress for Success Houston 990 available here.