Saturday Night Live Star Comes to Houston to Empower High School Girls

International Event Reaches All the Way to Africa

By Shelby Hodge // Oct 5, 2017

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Cindy Hageman, Ellen Turner, Amy Smith, Will Forte, Nicole Minor, Jennifer Majors Bacca, Kim Austin, Ally Seder, Elsa Petersen

Greg & Gloria Lake, George Lake

Honorees Lamisa Mustafa, Fatoumata Diallo, Kate Colston

Kristin & John Hageman, Lisa Koetting, Donald Koetting

Gwen & Paul Vagis

Kristin Hageman, Cindy & John Hageman

Constance White, Suzanne & David Hwa

Ellen Turner, Jay & Vanessa Knighton

Tamy Smith, Nicole Miller, Jennifer Moore, Gwen Vagis

Lisa McElroy, Erin Lucke

What: The Pangea Network “Out of Africa” celebration

Where: The Woodlands Country Club

PC Moment: Comedian, writer and producer Will Forte (Saturday Night Live, The Last Man on Earth) served as emcee of the event that raised funds to aid women in drought-stricken Kenya and young women in Texas. Supporters raised $176,000 for Pangea’s mission of empowering and helping high school girls in Texas and women in Kenya through the Young Women’s Leadership Challenge education and mentorship program and through the Kenyan Women’s Network program. Adding to the African motif were towering mimes costumed as wild animals.

As the non-profit’s mission becomes better known, it’s fundraising success is expanding. The gala evening raised $176,000 for the program, founded by Nicole Minor. Contributing to the evening were chairs Angela Aja, Kim Austin, Aisha DuBose, Dindy Hageman, Inkar Imanbaeva, Lisa Koetting, Ally Seder, Amy Smith, Ellen Turner, Jennifer Majors Baca, Elsa Petersen, Ella Heath and Karina Pinzon.

The event honored Dorothy Ombajo, Kenya country director and three Young Women’s Leadership Challenge grads — Lamisa Mustafa, Fatoumata Diallo and Kate Colston.

Who: Ivana Situm, Beth Turner, Karina Pinzon, Suzanne and David Hwa, Gloria and Greg Lake, Beni Patel, Jennifer Majors Baca, Kristen and John Hageman, Jeff McKenzie, George Lake, and Vanessa and Jake Knighton.