More than 150 fashionable friends joined the 2023 Women of Substance on Thursday, September 28th at Saks Fifth Avenue in the Galleria for the Announcement and Portrait Unveiling of the 7th Annual Women of Substance Honorees. This notable luncheon is scheduled for Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at 11:30 a.m. at the Post Oak Hotel.

Creator and Producer Paul-David Van Atta welcomed guests and then introduced gracious hostess and General Manager of Saks Fifth Avenue Heidi Parkhurst. Houston reVision CEO Charles Rotramel thanked supporters and expressed gratitude for being named the beneficiary of all event proceeds for the next three years. Co-Chairs Amy Pierce and Dr. Sippi Khurana (both former Women of Substance) jumped right in by announcing each honoree and reading a short bio relative to the stellar contributions they have made to the Houston community and beyond.

Guests enjoyed Butler-Passed Hors d’oeuvres and libations from Saks own 51Fifteen Restaurant as a guitarist played skillfully. Each honoree was also given a gift from Saks in recognition of their honor. Additionally, each Woman of Substance was given an incredible floral bouquet as they were announced.

The Gittings pop art portraits were brilliantly displayed on ornate towers spaced in a semicircle as the dramatic backdrop to the presentation. These “Warholesque” creations will remain on exhibit through the first week of October and will be presented at the luncheon on November 1. For those who wish to have their “Gittingshol” portrait procured, Gittings has generously committed to giving 20 percent of all sales to Houston reVision.

Houston reVision is a community of kinship, connecting caring adult volunteers, case managers, mental health professionals, and faith communities with disconnected youth.

reVision is situated in the Gulfton neighborhood of Houston, which is the most densely populated area in Texas. It is also home to the highest number of refugees and immigrants compared to other places in the United States.

Referrals to the program come from partner agencies, including HISD, Harris County Juvenile Probation Department, Texas Juvenile Justice Department, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and others in the community.

As the primary partner of Harris County Juvenile Probation, reVision has contributed to the steep decline of youth incarcerated in Harris County since the inception in 2011.

Women of Substance Honorees: Gina Bhatia, Laura Davenport, Elsie Eckert, Debbie Festari, Leisa Holland-Nelson Bowman, Kathy Givens, April McGee, Jordan Seff, Elizabeth Stein, Paula Sutton, Stephanie Tsuru, and Rini Ziegler.

Lifetime of Substance Honoree: Cora Sue Mach

Spirit of Substance Honoree: Eileen Lawal

Supporters in attendance included: Regina Rogers, Yvonne Cormier, Astley Blair, Cheryl Byington, Michael Broderick, Donae Chramosta, Andrew Cordes, Gregg Harrison, Jill Deutser, Sidney Faust, Diane Grendel, Courtney Hopson, Kase Lawal, Marla Hurley, Nicole Lassiter, Lenny Matuszewski, Bruce Padilla, Stephanie Perkins, Leila Perrin, Heidi and Nick Rockecharlie, Astrid Van Dyke, Kathi Rovere, David and Mary Ann McKeithan, Michele Smith, Fran Lichtenstein, Sylvia Forsyth, Gayla Gardner, GiGi Huang, Melissa Mithoff, Susan and Dick Hansen, Beth Wolff, and Butch, Steve and Joella Mach.

For more information and to buy tickets or a table for the 7th Annual Women of Substance Luncheon, visit: www.houstonrevision.org/womenofsubstance or contact Terri Thorne at (707) 799-1303.

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