Informing, Inspiring & Connecting Successful Women | |
Talking to Strangers
Like many professional women, I’m used to receiving invitations to attend a variety of events from individuals I don’t know. In my younger days, I would give these opportunities little, if any, serious thought. Back then, opportunities to talk to strangers wasn't a high priority.
But, over time, I've learned the value of meeting new people and appreciate those requests for the "pleasure of my company." I've learned “talking to strangers” can be fun and, more often than not, the start of many new and lasting friendships.
I was reminded of this awhile back when Mary, a "friend" on Facebook, reached out, saying "I love your magazine. I know you stay busy, but I'm hoping you will have some time to get together one day soon. Perhaps for coffee? I'd love to meet you."
Her note was unexpected, but also generously kind. So, I accepted her invitation, though I did wonder what this "stranger" was hoping to talk about.
When Mary and I got together a week later, her huge smile and warm greeting set the tone for our visit - a most enjoyable one!
Our scheduled one-hour meeting turned into more than two and, over several cups of coffee, we shared lots of stories.
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| Neil Bush and Julie Baker Finck |
'A Celebration of Reading'
raises more than $2.2 million to benefit childhood and family literacy programs
by Kim James
More than 1100 guests joined the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation's 32nd annual fundraiser, A Celebration of Reading, on April 28 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Thanks to generous sponsors and donors, more than $2.2 million was raised to support the Foundation’s research-backed childhood and family literacy programs and advance its mission to transform lives and communities through the power of literacy.
This year’s program, themed “Literacy for All,” in honor of Barbara Bush’s vision, featured New York Times Best Selling Author Leon Carroll, Jr., Admiral William H. McRaven, and Emmy Award winning actor and comedian, Rob Riggle. The program concluded with a special performance by four-time Grammy Award Winning Gospel artist and Houston’s own Yolanda Adams.
Founder and Chairman of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation Neil Bush and son Pierce Bush spoke of their love of Barbara Bush, her commitment to literacy and the legacy she established though the work of the Foundation’s impact.
Bush family members Lizzie Andrews, Sarahbeth Bush, and Clemmie Pierce Martin introduced authors throughout the evening. The program concluded with remarks by Neil Bush and Julie Finck, Ph.D., Founding President and CEO of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation.
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Queen Bee Syndrome Understanding Competition Among Women at Work
by Beverly Denver
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The term, Queen Bee Syndrome, was coined in the 1970s by psychologists at the University of Michigan. They believed it described successful women in male-dominated workplaces who distance themselves from other women to maintain their status.
The “queen bee” metaphor is appropriate. It draws from the behavior of honeybees, where one dominant female suppresses others to protect her position. In human workplaces, it describes some women, consciously or not, who deny opportunities, mentoring or recognition to other women. In short, they are women who do not support other women.
Early studies suggested such female leaders believed their advancement required aligning with male peers rather than supporting other women. More recent research paints a different picture: when organizations reward conformity to male-coded leadership traits (like assertiveness, competitiveness and detachment) women may feel pressured to distance themselves from female colleagues to fit in and survive professionally.
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Upcoming
Events
HWM's calendar for the next few weeks is full of great events. Hope to see you at one or more of the following:
May 13
Heart of Education Luncheon.
Junior League of Houston.
1:15 a.m.
May 14
Runway to Asia.
The Post Oak Hotel.
11:30 a.m.
May 14
World Affairs Council's International Gala.
The Post Oak Hotel.
6:30 to 9 p.m.
May 18
Early Voting for
Texas Runoff Elections begins.
May 20
Compassionate Houston's Annual Spring Luncheon.
The Junior League of Houston. Beginning at 10:30 a.m.
May 20
Houston Woman Business Book Club Meeting & Dinner.
Call 713-780-2098 for details.
May 21
Redrawing Risk Conference.
Baker Institute.
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
May 22
Comicpalooza
George R. Brown Converntion Center.
2 p.m. to 12 a.m.
May 22
Last day of early voting for Texas Runoff Elections.
May 25
Memorial Day
May 26
Election Day
for Texas Runoffs.
May 30
Clean-Up Day iin
East Downtown for
FIFA Fan Festival.
9 a.m. to 12 noon.
May 30
Baddlands Fest.
Sawyer Yards.
2 to 9 p.m.
May 30
International Festival.
Discovery Green.
3:30 to 9:30 p.m.
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Beverly,
Congratulations on the digital newsletter. This is a major move for keeping Houston Woman Magazine in front of readers and for facilitating connections among women on the move. And it's timely! I see Saturday's Afternoon Tea (was) already posted here. That was such a lovely event. Being surrounded by women dedicated to meaningful work is always inspiring to me.
Lisa Slappey
Postmodern Traditions/Pride of Persia
Beverly,
Thank you inviting me for the afternoon tea party. It was really lovely. I found the women very inspiring....I've never wanted to run for office but there was something about the conversations yesterday that made me think about it in a different way. I'm not wanting to get into politics but I found out that there is hospital board in Austin County that I would be qualified to serve. Those boards make significant difference in the culture and standards of the healthcare in the local community. Now I'm going to inquire about that. I don't think I would have ever looked into that if I hadn't heard some of the women speaking.
Terry Lynn Arnold
Founder, IBC Network Foundation
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Noteworthy
Texas Runoff Election set for May 26,
early voting set for May 18-22
The Texas primary runoff election is less than one month away, with early voting slated for May 18-22, followed by Election Day on Tuesday, May 26.
Some of the key statewide races include U.S. Senate, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and Railroad Commissioner. A list of all runoff races, including statewide and district races, can be found at Vote Texas.
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Business News
State sales tax revenue totaled $4.7 billion in April,
up nearly 10 percent over same month last year
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Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock reports state sales tax revenue totaled $4.7 billion in April. That's 9.8 percent more than in April 2025. The majority of April sales tax revenue is based on sales made in March and remitted to the agency in April.
"Overall state sales tax collections grew by nearly 10 percent last month, with growth much higher than the rate of general price inflation for a second consecutive month," Hancock said. "Results from all major economic sectors were once again positive. Compared with March collections when business spending showed the strongest growth, the growth in April collections was led by large gains from sectors driven mainly by consumer spending."
The largest gains in April came from the sectors driven primarily by consumer spending, with the retail trade and service sectors both increasing by double digits compared with April 2025. The growth in receipts from the service sector reflects a surge in spending on live entertainment. Within the retail trade sector, double-digit gains in receipts came from the general merchandise sub-sector — with strong results from big box retailers and warehouse clubs — as well as from electronic shopping.
Growth in receipts from clothing and accessories stores and electronics and appliance stores was also notably strong, while remittances from grocery stores were down slightly compared with the same month a year ago. Receipts from restaurants were up 4.2 percent from a year ago, above the rate of inflation for food away from home.
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Mayor Whitmire releases budget for FY 2027
Prioritizes more stable financial future for the City of Houston
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Houston Mayor John Whitmire has released the FY 2027 Proposed Budget that builds on his administration’s progress and prioritizes creating a stronger, more stable financial future for the City of Houston. The proposal protects vital services, including public safety, parks and libraries, neighborhood services and the municipal court system.
The transformational budget plan does not include a property tax increase or expand government programs, nor does it defer infrastructure obligations or rely on one-time transfers or gimmicks.
“Houston is at a turning point. Our city continues to grow rapidly, and the cost of delivering essential services, from public safety to infrastructure, has risen alongside it. At the same time, local and state-imposed property tax caps have significantly limited the City’s ability to keep up with these demands," Mayor Whitmire said.
"Under my administration, we have tightened our belt, improved efficiency, and reduced year-over-year spending for the first time in decades. But efficiency alone is no longer enough. This year’s budget introduces a modern, sustainable approach to funding core services, protecting the programs that Houstonians rely on without raising property taxes. This budget represents the next step towards ensuring Houston remains strong, reliable and ready for the future,” said Mayor Whitmire.
"Everything I’m talking about is just the beginning, and it's going to get better in future years. This budget plan represents financial security for the city of Houston, and it’s the health of the city’s finances. We are not kicking the can down the road in my administration," said Mayor Whitmire.
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One-day conference set to explore implications
of FEMA's updated flood maps on Houston region
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“Redrawing Risk," a one-day conference exploring the real-world implications of FEMA’s updated flood maps, will be held at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy on May 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is being co-hosted by the Baker Institute and the Kinder Institute for Urban Research. The event is free and open to the public, with both in-person and live-stream registration options available.
During the conference, a panel of experts will discuss what must come next for the Greater Houston region. The panelists will unpack where the maps changed, how risk is measured and what the new designations mean for homeowners, development patterns, infrastructure investment and the financial future of local governments. Moderating will be former Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and Bill King, a Fellow on Public Finance at the Baker Institute.
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Houston City College and Tesla sign agreement
for ongoing workforce training partnership
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Houston City College (HCC) has formed a new partnership with Tesla, Inc. to strengthen Houston’s workforce and expand career pathways in advanced manufacturing. The partners celebrated the graduation of the first cohort of students to complete the program at the Stafford campus and signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cement the collaboration.
Building on the success of the pilot, HCC and Tesla officials announced plans to increase enrollment to 250 students through the remainder of the year.
Under the signed Memorandum of Understanding, HCC and Tesla have developed curriculum, shared resources and created direct training opportunities for program recipients. The first 12 graduates who earned certificates of completion will work at Tesla’s Megafactory Texas in Brookshire, where the company is manufacturing its energy storage unit, Megapack 3.
This collaboration represents the future of workforce education — aligning classroom instruction with hands-on industry experience to create direct pathways into high-demand careers,” said Eva Loredo, chair of the HCC Board of Trustees. “I would like to thank Vice Chair Trustee Sean Cheben for helping establish the connection that made this partnership possible.”
Loredo also expressed gratitude to the full HCC Board of Trustees for “wholeheartedly supporting the partnership, as it aligns with our mission and vision to prepare our students and strengthen our region’s workforce.”
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Holly Eliazar has joined the Center for Asian Pacific American Women (CAPAW), as its new president and CEO.
Eliazar brings more than 18 years of experience advancing economic mobility for underrepresented communities. She has led work across government, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. She is known for building strong partnerships and driving meaningful impact.
Most recently, she led high-impact workforce initiatives in South Florida. Her work connected education, employers, and community partners to expand access to quality jobs.
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Susan Elmore, the founder of Elmore Pubic Relations, has been running her highly successful company for three decades. Now, she has decided to step away from the day-to-day operations of the company to serve as an advsior for business development.
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Elmore has named Jennie Roberts as managing partner. Roberts has worked alongside Elmore for more than 15 years, most recently as vice president.
Joining Roberts on the leadership team are seasoned communications leaders and longtime members of the Elmore organization: Jennifer Brandino, principal; Cynthia Hurrington, principal; and Jennifer Jordan, principal.
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Angie Lane has recently been appointed as the next CEO at The Rose.
Lane brings nearly 30 years of nonprofit leadership experience, with a strong track record of advancing mission-driven organizations through strategic growth,
operational excellence and impactful philanthropy. Most recently, she served as Chief Development Officer at Houston Ballet.
Previously, Lane held leadership roles with a number of organizations, including Houston Grand Opera, the American Red Cross and Girls Inc.
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RECOMMENDED READING
Read these great books; be a lifelong learner!
| | The "Let Them" theory, popularized by author Mel Robbins, is a mindset tool focused on reducing stress by ceasing to control others' actions, choices or opinions. The book promotes letting people be who they are — even if they disappoint you — to reclaim your energy, find peace and focus on your own life. | |
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In her memoir, Houston's own, Dr. Ruth J. Simmons recalls her journey from a sharecropper's daughter in Grapeland, Texas, to becoming president of Smith College, Brown University and Prairie View A&M. The author tells the inspiring story of a girl whose intellect, grace and curiosity guided her to create a special place for herself in the world.
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In Co-Intelligence, readers are challenged to utilize AI's enormous power without losing their identities, to learn ffrom it without being misled, and to harness its gifts to create a better human future. Wide ranging, hugely thought-provoking, optimistic and lucid, Co-Intelligencre reveals the promise and power of this new era.
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Community News
HCCC celebrates organizaton's silver anniversary,
honors Sara Morgan, its visionary co-founder
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Led by Event Co-Chairs Lee and Mel Eagle, Melanie Lawson, John Guess and Judy Nyquist, the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft's annual spring luncheon, held Apriil 30 at the River Oaks Country Club, raised a record-setting
$465,000. Proceeds from the event will benefit HCCC's mission to inspire and connect people to the art and process of making.
During the event, Sara Morgan (shown at right) was honored. for her more than 25 years of dedicated service to HCCC.
Morgan, HCCC's visionary co-founder and first board president, has been a fierce advocate for the artists who make the field of contemporary craft vital. Morgan is also one of Houston's leading arts philanthropists. Through dedicated board service at HCCC and many other prestigious arts institutions, including The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Houston Grand Opera; the Children's Museum of Houston; the American Craft Council; and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, she has worked tirelessly to uplift the arts in Houston and bring a national spotlight to contemporary craft.
Morgan thanked many in the crowd, including HCCC co-founder, Ann Shaw, and introduced the program’s featured speaker, Edward Lane McCartney, an early resident artist at HCCC and current and longtime board member.
During his remarks, McCartney spoke passionately about HCCC's Artist Residency Program and the incredible ways in which it benefits emerging and mid-career artists working in the field of contemporary craft. He also stressed the importance of supporting working artists, saying, “We live in a time where we are flooded with disposable things. But, the artists who come through HCCC are committed to process, to materials, to meaning. They make objects that last. They make work that matters."
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Volunteers needed on May 30 to help clean-up
EaDo area, ahead of upcoming FIFA Fan Festival™
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Impact Houston 26, the joint collaboration between the FIFA World Cup 26™ Houston Host Committee and the Sports Authority Foundation, is partnering with the East Downtown Management District to activate a clean-up effort prior to the opening of the FIFA Fan Festival™ Houston in East Downtown (EaDo).
FIFA World Cup 26™ Houston Community Clean Up Day will be Saturday, May 30, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon in EaDo. Enthusiastic volunteers, aged 16 or older, are needed to help get the EaDo area ready for the biggest party in Houston. All supplies will be provided, including gloves, bags, safety vets and equipment. Roles will involve physical labor and movement throughout the shift. A T-shirt will be provided to all volunteers.
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Health & Fitness
Six Tests to Catch Heart Health Issues Early
by Sandra Gordon
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Don’t let heart disease — the number one cause of death for men and women — sneak up on you. Cardiac tests can help catch heart health issues in their early stages, before you even notice symptoms. Below are six tests that can help keep tabs on your ticker — and even possibly save your life.
Electrocardiogram
An electrocardiogram (EKG), which can be a routine part of an annual checkup, provides a one-time snapshot of your heart rhythm, checking for evidence of strain or heart damage. For this painless test, which takes only a few minutes, electrodes are taped to your chest to measure your heart’s electrical signals. A wave pattern on the read-out that signals normal electrical activity is steady, rather than slow, fast or irregular is normal.
Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring
CAC scoring is a 15-minute CT scan that uses a minimal amount of radiation to measure the volume of calcium in your heart’s arteries, which is a marker of artery-clogging plaque. If a CT scan of the arteries shows calcified plaque, atherosclerosis is present. If CAC score is 0, your risk for a heart attack in the next three to five years is low. Your risk of heart attack increases significantly when your CAC score is over 100.
Event monitoring
Atrial fibrillation (afib) — an irregular rhythm that causes one of the heart’s chambers to beat abnormally — is the most common heart arrhythmia. Because of abnormal blood flow in the heart, a clot can develop, causing a stroke. An EKG in the doctor’s office is the traditional way to diagnose afib. Still, your doctor may recommend an event monitor if you still feel symptoms of afib after a normal EKG. Symptoms include feeling like your heart is fluttering or skipping beats.
Cardiac CT
Cardiac CT uses computer imaging and intravenous contrast dye to create a 3D image of the heart as it beats. It helps diagnose blockages in the smaller blood vessels that support the heart as well as detect problems with the aorta (the body’s largest artery) and with general heart function. It can also measure plaque in your arteries. You’ll lay on a scanner table as it moves through the CT machine.
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
This test uses a magnetic field and radiofrequency waves to create detailed pictures of your heart and arteries. Cardiac MRI can help your doctor see how blood flows through your heart’s blood vessels, the amount of blood your heart’s left ventricle can pump, and overall heart function. You’ll lie in an MRI machine, which looks like a long tube that creates a strong magnetic field and radio waves directed to the area of your body to be imaged.
Exercise stress test
An exercise stress test takes images of your heart while you’re walking or running on a treadmill or pedaling a stationary bike. It helps your doctor diagnose coronary artery disease or the cause of symptoms, such as chest pain or shortness of breath and determine a safe level of exercise for you. During the test, your heart rate and rhythm, breathing and blood pressure, and how tired you feel will be monitored.
Sandra Gordon is a freelance journalist, specializing in health and wellness issues, and a longtime contributor to Houston Woman Magazine.
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Houston Woman Magazine was launched in March 2004. Since its beginning, its mission has been
to inform, inspire and connect successful women. E-News is now being published
every other Wednesday as an extension of its special printed issues.
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