CIS 2024 Gala Honorary Co-Chair Judy Tate, Co-Chair Lauren Brollier, Co-Chair Cassie Milam, Honorary Co-Chair Kirby McCool
Chaired by philanthropists Lauren and John Brollier and Cassie and John Milam, with honorary chairs Kirby and Scott McCool and Judy and Charles Tate, the magical evening supporting the valuable and impactful work of CIS of Houston begins at 6:30pm with a cocktail hour, then dinner and the program. Rounding out the event is live entertainment by the popular Houston-based band Klockwork. Guests can dance the night away, starting at 9pm.
The always diverse crowd makes for a dynamic event. Party-goers are encouraged to dress in “Wonderland Whimsy Cocktail” attire, with the goal of fun and festive. Cocktail attire is also a great option.
Don Friedell and emcee Lisa Malosky at a previous CIS Gala
Attendees at a previous CIS Gala
A full ballroom at a prior CIS Gala
CIS of Houston's Martha Montoya Sanchez with Northbrook High School seniors
CIS of Houston CEO Lisa Descant and CIS of Houston Dir. of Development Donna Watkins with CareSource Foundation
Special guest at the 45th Anniversary Gala is Rey Saldaña, President & CEO of Communities In Schools National in Arlington, VA. During the program, guests will view a powerful video about the life-changing work of CIS Houston, in addition to hearing heartwarming testimonials, bringing a personal touch to the evening.
Funds raised from A Night in Wonderland will support the CIS mission to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Currently serving 163 campuses across Greater Houston, CIS places at least one full-time CIS Student Support Manager on each partner campus to deliver comprehensive direct services including counseling, academic support and health and human services.
The chairs want to thank the event’s top-tier donors to date: Judy and Charles Tate; CenterPoint Energy; Sharon G. Dies; The Marie and James H. Galloway Foundation; Beth and Bob Gower; and Marathon Oil.
Tickets are going fast! They start at $500, and tables for 10 range from $5,000 through $50,000. Underwriting opportunities are still available.
Judy Tate (photo by Emily Jaschke)
Scott and Kirby McCool
Kit Detering, Cassie Milam, Carl Detering (photo by Jenny Antill)
Sharon G. Dies and Lauren Brollier
Indeed it is. At Maroma, a Belmond hotel owned by LVMH, “luxury” does not mean flashy and extravagant. The entrance is unmarked; guests must drive past verdant jungles and areas where the tree roots rise six feet out of the ground and tangle together like spaghetti to reach the beachfront destination. The high-end touches here are thoughtful, subtle and steeped in convenience, like in-room check-in and check-out — and the well stocked mini bar which is, in fact, a full bar.
The 72-room resort reopened in 2023 after an extensive renovation; authentic Mayan elements and those paying tribute to the Mayan aesthetic — such as curved lines and minimal 90-degree angles — are everywhere. The white arches situated atop the two- and three-story buildings are striking against the bright blue sky, bringing to mind Santorini. Meanwhile, yellow striped umbrellas recall Capri, and a pool seemingly dropped into the middle of a jungle is giving Costa Rica.
Ocean-view suite
Maroma's main pool
Dining al fresco at Casa Mayor
But Maroma is distinctly Mexican. It was actually the first hotel on the now iconic Riviera Maya, which stretches south from Cancun to Playa del Carmen. As such, it occupies the most scenic portion of the bay. Casa Mayor, the resort’s main restaurant, was the first part of the property to open to the public, offering wealthy daytrippers fresh-caught seafood and, eventually, a place to stay overnight. Today, it serves authentic and shareable food on ceramic dishes handmade by local artisans. During the renovation, chef Daniel Camacho explored regional cuisine across Mexico, bringing back all the best flavors and cooking styles to Casa Mayor and also to Woodend, the resort’s Curtis Stone restaurant.
Breakfast is especially delightful, as Maroma’s Tia Olivia handmakes tacos and quesadillas in the restaurant foyer. Guests are invited to further explore the craft of nixtamal, the process of preparing corn for making tortillas; the Nixtamal Journey concludes with an extravagant spread of empanadas, machetes and other antojitos.
One of those luxuriously thoughtful touches is the Maroma “coffee experience.” At a time of your choosing each morning, an artfully carved wooden tray is left outside the door, touting a pitcher of coffee from the state of Hidalgo and all the fixings, each in their own little compartment. Choose your time wisely, though, because you’ll have to snag it before the coatis adorably rifle through your sugar packets.
Another is a personal favorite of this writer: The housekeeping staff is superbly detail-oriented, and will leave hand-painted bookmarks on top of any books you may have brought for beachside reading.
One aspect of Maroma that is conspicuously luxurious, however, is the spa by Guerlain, which “celebrates both Mayan culture and the French maison’s wellness expertise.” Scent and sound rituals, healing massages, hydrotherapy pools — it’s a fully immersive experience that should be given a full day of your itinerary. Exclusive treatments incorporate the honey of local bees, which is purported to heal cataracts and other ailments. Quite buzzy, indeed.
Bambuco, the lobby bar
Local fruit, juices and more at Casa Mayor breakfast
Maroma Spa by Guerlain
Maroma Spa by Guerlain
Maroma from above
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Noir Ball chairs Whitney and Ryan Burns and Allison and Iván Chávez pulled out all the stops in creating a memorable evening shrouded in gothic romance — a la lace veils, caged roses and eerie candelabras. Guests, clad in leather, feathers and fake blood (oh my!), were greeted by waves of thick fog emanating from a rose-petal-filled fountain. Actors portraying Maleficent, Dracula and Wednesday Addams posed for pics with galagoers in between perusing silent-auction items and grabbing a cocktail.
The live auction certainly added some light to the otherwise (purposefully) dark evening: Auction chairs Devorah Krieger and Elizabeth McIngvale-Mackey secured some covetable packages, like an extravagant dinner for 24 inside The Corinthian’s historic vault, complete with a custom menu by Jackson & Co., and centerpieces by Bergner & Johnson Design. A Thomas Markle Jewelers diamond necklace and Lark & Berry diamond earrings were also up for grabs, as was a getaway to a Costa Rican penthouse. A raffle touted a pair of white-gold diamond-encrusted rings from Valobra Master Jewelers.
The cutest part of the night was the puppy auction! K-9 Angels donated two Labrador retriever/Pointer mix rescue pups, who sparked bidding wars and found their forever homes.
The Spazmatics
Iván and AllisonChávez, Whitney and Ryan Burns
Alexandra & Alex Cabraie
William and Natalia Young
Antoinette and Julian Duncan
Veronika and Mark Adler
Ashley Sloan, Kathryn Boeker, Erin Smith, Bethany Buchanan
Travis Boeker, Matthew Mackey
Elizabeth McIngvale-Mackey, DevorahKrieger, Kathryn Boeker
Bo and Courtney Hughes
Cassandra and Ryan Dalton
Tyler and Courtney Hassen, Rana and Todd Hassen
Trey and Kelly Mattson
Deanna Altenhoff, Darren Brasher
Steven and Liz Bender
Michael and Jessica Bertuccio
Evan and Kathleen Shemonsky
Stephanie Wiegand, Laura Hines-Pierce, Mary Catherine Jones
Shawnie and Paul McBride
Freddie Minahan, Stephanie Wilcox
Heather and Mark Teshoian
Rebecca and Bill Adler
Neil Badlani and Rekha Muddaraj
Jake and Carolyn Sabbat
Rayanne Darensbourg
Morgan Allen, Annabel Florescu, Lindsey Collie, Ricky Perusquia
Matt and Maya Pomroy
Lacey and Matt Goossen
Jon and Allison Heine
Lucy and Babatunde Cole
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