Houston’s 10 “Most Beautiful” Spring 2025 by Warner Roberts

Photo by Rosemin Premji
FARIDA ABJANI is the CEO and co-founder of Aging Gracefully, a home health agency that provides personal care and companionship, wellness calls and pediatrics in the comfort of one’s own home. Prior to owning her own business, Farida served as a critical care nurse at the Texas Orthopedic Hospital and the Brookwood Medical Center. Totally committed to serving the community, currently Farida serves on the advisory board for the Department of Aging and Disability, the governing board of Houston Symphony, the governing board of UNICEF Southwest Region, the board of The Alliance, the governing board of KNOWAutsm and the Houston Symphony League. Also, she serves/served on the boards of Development in Literacy (DIL), Ek Disha, Texas Executive Women and Fort Bend Women’s Center. Farida also volunteers for Asian American Family Services and the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services. She has chaired or co-chaired galas for Daya, Ek Disha, Development in Literacy, The Alliance gala, World Chamber of Commerce and the Houston Symphony Icon Luncheon.

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WENDY DAWSON is an award-winning leader in educational technology, serving as the Founder and Managing Director of Incuentro LLC. This includes overseeing the Spectrum Linx division, an online platform dedicated to supporting families navigating autism and special needs. Under her leadership, Incuentro specializes in developing practical tools, trainings and consulting services in the neurodiversity and disability sectors. In 2010, she founded Social Motion, a non-profit offering social skills and vocational training to youth and young adults on the autism spectrum. Wendy serves as Founder and Executive Director of this impactful Houston-based nonprofit. Wendy actively contributes her expertise as a speaker and consultant on topics such as autism, special needs, non-profit management, and strategic planning. Currently she is serving as a member of the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Texas Executive Women, Crime Stoppers NEEDS project, and is an alum of The Women President’s Organization. Wendy has also served as President of the Houston Bar Association Auxiliary and as an advisor to UT Health’s Children’s Learning Institute.

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GAYNELL DREXLER is a corporate attorney with decades of service to non-profit causes that improve the lives of everyday Houstonians in areas spanning affordable housing to conservation and the arts. She has served on the board of Houston Habitat for Humanity for a decade and as Chair from 2015-2017. She is on the board of Buffalo Bayou Partnership, a non-profit providing improvements to the Bayou’s greenway system. She served as gala chair for the Community Artists Collective; co-chaired the Houston Chapter of Links, Inc. Rodeo Gala and the University Museum at Texas Southern University. Past board involvement includes Harris County CPS BEAR, Oregon Ballet Theater, the Pacific Northwest Region of NAACP, and Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon. In 2018, Drexler was listed by Vaskey Media Group in the Top 30 Most Influential Women of Houston. As Gaynell says, “Houston is known for its culture of giving and volunteerism. Whether you are giving back as an individual or a corporation, it is one of the most inspiring ways to promote positive change in the community.”

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CAROLYN FAULK lives by the quotation that hung on a plaque in her father‘s office: “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good deeds that I can do, any kindness that I can show, let me do it now, for I will never pass this way again.” Simply with an enormous amount of courage, confidence and a mere $5,000, she created A & C Plastics, Inc. Today, with Carolyn as CEO, the company is the nation’s single largest supplier of plastics. Always remembering her father’s teachings, Carolyn founded The Faulk Foundation to assist families with specific needs. One example of the foundation purpose occurred when, after Hurricane Harvey, volunteers provided more than 1,000 families with requested items needed to get back on their feet. She is a lifetime Vice President of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and on the Board of Directors of the Texas Business Hall of Fame. She has been named as one of Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women and as an Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young.
Carolyn’s advice to those who have asked for the secret of her success is: “When you help someone get what they want and need, the feeling is priceless. And, when you believe in something, you can achieve it; AND never give up.”

Photo by Alexander’s Fine Portrait Design
GRETCHEN GILLIAM’S dream, from a very early age, was to be involved in the fashion industry. Through thirty years in the real estate business and a creative turn for two years in her own traveling Glamour Gypsies fashion truck to markets all over Houston and beyond, a brick and mortar shop evolved. With her dream clearly in mind and through losing one lease but finding another, The Hive Showroom Partners was born. Sharing a space on Rice Blvd., twelve small and women-owned businesses are under one roof, offering a variety of boutique clothing, hand-made jewelry, accessories, candles, gifts and home decor. They call themselves “The Bees.” As Gretchen says: “It’s like a beehive, where twelve female entrepreneurs pull together and bring different talents to the table. When you support small businesses, you are supporting a dream.” Next to her passion for fashion, and equally as important, is her love and dedication to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. She is a 30-plus year volunteer along with being a Director of the “Show”. As she says, “This organization constantly amazes me with the outstanding rodeo, entertainment and livestock events while providing educational support within the community. I have met many of my best friends and mentors from my volunteer work.”

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ALAN HELFMAN was inspired by his parents to always live a philanthropic life. Therefore, he determined at an early age to give as abundantly as possible. He is president of his family’s group of five Helfman Auto Dealerships in Houston. One of his great passions is championing the brave men and women of the HPD. He has organized over 100 fundraising events for various law enforcement agencies, particularly the Houston Police Officers’ Union. In addition, he has donated to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Alan partnered with Houston Community College to establish the Public Safety Institute of HCC-Northeast. Alan has contributed to Helfman Playground for All at Meadow Place, American Cancer Society, Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Helfman Field at Caress Stadium, Houston Baptist University, Houston International Festival, KNOWAutism, Medicine Without Borders, and Jewish Family Services. After Hurricane Harvey, Alan helped raise over $4.7 million for the Seven Acres Jewish Senior Care Center. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he donated KN95 masks for HPD and HFD. He has donated 14 vehicles to various agencies. Alan serves on a variety of non-profit boards.

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MELISSA WILLIAMS MURPHY is the Executive Director of The Bryan Museum. She is also the author of 12 books for children and young readers, a publisher of dozens of other children’s authors and the founder of the nonprofit organization, iWRITE. Over sixteen years ago, Melissa created the iWRITE Short Stories by Kids for Kids Annual Publishing Contest to give students the opportunity to become published authors and illustrators. Thousands of children world-wide have been published and participated in iWRITE’s annual book-signing event. Today, her organization also publishes the “by kids” quarterly iWRITER Magazine, hosts a monthly youth club and recently launched its alumni association. With her team at The Bryan Museum and iWRITE, they created the world’s largest published book, I Am Texas. One thousand students were published in the book which stands seven feet tall and weighs 496 pounds. “I Am Texas Day” was declared by Mayor Turner and the book has been featured in the Guiness World Records 2024 book.

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ROZ PACTOR is a fashion marketing consultant and lifestyle blogger with more than three decades of experience in fashion retailing including employment at Bloomingdales NYC, Neiman Marcus and as Vice President/Fashion Director of Foley’s before starting her own company, The Pactor Group. In recent years she has concentrated on the development of her blog, My Red Glasses, a title that evolved from her years of wearing her personal trademark, red glasses. In addition to providing her unique perspective on fashion, the blog now has expanded to include the fields of beauty, health, dining, home areas and travel. Roz feels grateful to be able to give back to organizations that are changing lives. Close to her heart is the American Heart Association where she has served as President and founder of the young professional’s organization, Young at Heart, worked on the Heart Ball and the Heart Walk, Go Red for Women and recently planned and executed the first, very successful Shop with Heart Card week-long AHA fundraising campaign. She has served in volunteer leadership positions for the University of Houston Department of Retail, Fashion Group International, Bo’s Place, Recipe for Success, Multiple Sclerosis Luncheon, Hermann Park Conservancy Advisory, Passion for Fashion Luncheon, Texas Children’s Ambassadors, Boys and Girls Harbor Luncheon and The Diaper Foundation. Roz says, “I believe that it is very important to give back in every way possible.”

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EDWARD SANCHEZ of Arched Beauty Architechs, is Houston’s celebrity Makeup Artist, Brow Guru and Hair Expert with clients such as high-profile Houstonians as well as Hollywood celebrities. He feels privileged to have done make up on five United States presidents over a 25-year period. Celebrity clients Edward has worked on for make- up, hair and brows include Jennifer Aniston, Christine Baranski, Paula Abdul, Betty White, George Clooney, Queen Noor of Jordan, Molly Ringwald and Joan Rivers. He has won praise for his talents from such national magazines as Vogue, that dubbed him the “Brow Whisperer,” Marie Claire, ALLURE, The Knot, Vanity Fair, Glamour and Eyelash. His ultimate goal has always been to help his clients feel and look beautiful in order to feel empowered. Edward Sanchez Cosmetics offers professional make-up, silk 3d lashes and skincare products. Edward feels strongly about serving the community that has been so good to him. His philanthropic endeavors started when he co-chaired the Rock the Casbah for Society for Performing Arts. The afterparty that Edward spearheaded was such a success that other organizations asked him to start their young professions programs. Soon after, he volunteered for The Houston Ballet, The Houston Grand Opera, The Houston Symphony and others. Edward served on the boards of the Houston Arts Alliance and The Bayou City Arts Festival. In The Look Good Feel Better Program, Edward teaches cancer patients how to do their hair and makeup during treatment, because often times their hair, lashes and brows fall out.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz
It would be hard to find someone in Houston who is more committed to community service and philanthropy than ALICIA SMITH. She is President and CEO of Innovative Legal Solutions, which began in 1992 when she created Associated Video Services, Inc. This company was the first female-owned legal video enterprise in Houston and soon expanded into Innovative Legal Solutions in 1997. Alicia serves on the boards of the Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance, Crime Stoppers of Houston, The Houston Ballet, the Southwest Regional Board of International Women’s Forum and the WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council) Forum, and on the Advisory Board of Houston Pet-Set. She previously served on the boards of the March of Dimes and UNICEF. She has chaired or co-chaired the Houston Ballet Nutcracker Luncheon, The Ballet Ball, The Children’s Assessment Center Spirit of Spring luncheon and 20th Anniversary Gala, the March of Dimes Signature Chef Dinner, The March of Dimes Best Dressed Luncheon, UNICEF Audrey Hepburn gala, the Gr8 Foundation gala, Lutheran South Academy Blessings and Bling gala. Women’s Health Summit, Ronald McDonald House Girls Just Want to Have Fun luncheon, the American Heart Association Go Red for Women Luncheon, Bridge over Troubled Water Luncheon, Amschwand Sarcoma Foundation Catwalk for a Cure Luncheon, The Mission of Yahweh Mission Incredible Gala, Houston Sweetheart Tea, among others. She has served on the Livestock Show and Rodeo Auction Angel committee for many years. In addition, she has served as a Guild Member, an Invitation Chair, Auction Chair, a Raffle Chair, or simply where-ever there is a need.