Kimberly Williams-Paisley and a Houston TV Star Bond at a Smart Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation Luncheon

Providing Kids With Life-Altering Home Libraries

BY Shelby Hodge // 11.16.24

Save Article

Ernie Manouse, Kimberly Williams-Paisley at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

Mehrnaz Gill, Sandra Shenkir, Diane Gendel at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

Lisa & Keith Garvin at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

DeeDee Marsh, Kelley Lubanko, Lesha Elsenbrook at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

Gina Saour, Kathy Goossen, Jan Griesenbeck at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Julie Finck, Kimberly Williams-Paisley at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Kimberly Williams-Paisley at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

Laurie Lashier, Julie Finck at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Lilly Andress, Diane Gendel at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Beth Wolff, Cynthia Wolff at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

Lisa Jakel, Betty Hrncir at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Martha Adger Madget, Cathy Cleary at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

Maureen Higdon, Stick Delaup, Lisa Jakel at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Julie Finck, Mehrnaz Gill, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Diane Gendel, Sandra Shenkir at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Mehrnaz Gill, Diane Gendel at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Mehrnaz Gill, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Diane Gendel at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Melissa Paton, Pansy Gee, Trish Morille at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

Rachel Regan, Deborah Stavis at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

Sally Harvin, Donna Stokes, Ann Bookout, Mary Lynn Marks at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

Stephanie Tsuru and Leisa Holland-Nelson Bowman at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

Stephanie Sallee, Rachel Conkling, Carolyn Mohsenzadeh, Francesca Saour, Nour Barazi at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

Keith Garvin at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

Ernie Manouse, Kimberly Williams-Paisley at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

What: Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Ladies for Literacy Guild’s Ninth Annual “Power of Literacy Luncheon”

Where: The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown

PC Moment: The highlight of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s luncheon was the fireside-style chat between actress and New York Times best-selling author Kimberly Williams-Paisley and the popular television figure Ernie Manouse, executive producer and host at Houston Public Media. Williams-Paisley discussed high points from her book, Where the Light Gets In, and shared stories of family, marriage, career, philanthropy and friendship with the President George H.W. Bush family.

Mehrnaz Gill, Sandra Shenkir, and Diane Gendel on stage at the 2024 Power of Literacy Luncheon; Photo by Jacob Power — Mehrnaz Gill, Sandra Shenkir, Diane Gendel at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

The actress/author is married to country singing star Brad Paisley. Together they share an interest in philanthropy. Williams-Paisley is a global ambassador for CARE International and is a passionate advocate for Alzheimer’s Awareness and other charitable causes.

In a sweet note, the luncheon included a showing of Brad Paisely’s “I’m Gonna Miss Her” video featuring Williams-Paisley. It was produced during the start of their relationship.

“We are grateful to Kimberly Williams-Paisely for serving as our keynote speaker at this year’s Power of Literacy Luncheon and for all of the many sponsors and guests who helped us raise nearly $600,000 for the foundation in support of childhood literacy programs,” Ladies for Literacy Guild president Sandra Shenkir says.

Elizabeth Anthony

Swipe

KPRC Channel 2 news anchor Keith Garvin took the stage as emcee and was joined by luncheon chairs Diane Gendel and Mehrnaz Gill.

During 2024, the Guild provided more than 5,000 children with home libraries through the foundation’s My Home Library program and funded books and out of school programming though its Curiosity Cruiser initiative, which is a fleet of four mobile libraries in partnership with Harris County Public Library.

Stephanie Sallee, Rachel Conkling, Carolyn Mohsenzadeh, Francesca Saour, Nour Barazi; Photo by Jacob Power — Stephanie Sallee, Rachel Conkling, Carolyn Mohsenzadeh, Francesca Saour, Nour Barazi at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Power of Literacy Luncheon (Photo by Jacob Power)

PC Seen: Harry Gendell, Kelly Lubanko, Lesha Elsenbrook, Julie Finck, Deborah Dunkum, Keith and Lisa Garvin, Kathy Goossen, Lisa Jakel, Betty Tutor, Betty Hrncir, Cathy Cleary, Ann Bookout, Anita O’Shaughnessy, Laura Jamarillo, Laurie Lashier, Deborah Stavis, Rhonda Graff, Barbie Prusak, Niloufar Molavi, Maria Pappas, Mary Lynn Marks, Regina Rogers, Gina Saour, Stephanie Tsuru, Lilly Andress, Satya Pandrangi, Deborah Stavis, Vicki West, Beth Wolff, and Cynthia Wolff.