Meet the 2017 class of Houston ‘it’ girls

These 22 women (including two sister acts) are poised to take over the social scene

It’s been the year of #WomenWhoWork, and Houston is no exception. From soccer stars and business owners to moms who mean business and hotshot attorneys, this crop of Bayou City up-and-comers redefines what it means to “have it all.” They’re stylish, philanthropic, talented and poised to take over a boardroom or board of directors near you. In case you missed it, the #FutureIsFemale.

These sisters have similar tastes in, well, everything that counts. Kealia Ohai, left, and Megan Cushing are both avid soccer players and fans. Cushing played at the University of Southern California, and Ohai is captain of the Houston Dash. Cushing is married to Houston Texans inside linebacker Brian Cushing, and Ohai is dating the team’s much-lauded defensive end, JJ Watt. Crystle StewartSebrechts, Miss USA 2008, wears many hats. She’s shown off her acting chops in Tyler Perry’s “For Better or Worse” and served as a Miss USA 2016 finals judge last summer. The beauty queen married model Max Sebrechts in 2014; last year, the couple founded the MISS Academy (Manners, Image, Style, Success), a finishing school for future leaders.

It’s been a celebratory year for the Bayou City’s real-life royal, Princess

Tatiana Galitzine. She married her prince, investment banker Guillermo Sierra, after a six-week courtship and left the renowned Gensler architecture firm to strike out on her own. After tying the knot in Sierra’s native Mexico City in the spring, the newlyweds served as gala chairs for UNICEF’s Audrey Hepburn Society Ball. Former Miss Teen Houston Bria Wall was recently named one of 2017’s “Fresh Faces of Fashion” by Houston magazine. She had a two-episode role on “Friday Night Lights.” Wall is now a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Zahira Gutierrez personifies the term “girl-about-town.” When she’s not touring with her band, Wild Moccasins, she finds time to sew her own stage-wear, volunteer with Girls Rock Camp Houston, work at Cactus Music and DJ. The pop group’s latest album, “88 92,” is available now on iTunes.

Sisters Christine Falgout Gutknecht, center, and Kimberly Falgout, right, both work for the family business. Each holds a vice president title at Island Operating Co., an oil and gas company; Christine serves as general counsel, and Kimberly leads in-house counsel. Last year, the stylish siblings were honored at Recipe for Success’ “Fashion Gene Awards” alongside their mom, Jo Lynn Falgout, left. Stephanie Pai Fleck is a multi-tasking clinical social worker and Tootsies darling. Fleck put some skin in the game as one of the chairs for A Couture Cause’s launch party earlier this year.

At 24, Frances Moody is the youngest person ever to serve on the board of the Galveston Chamber of Commerce. She works in real estate for Brockway Realty and is co-chair of Club PetSet, the animalrescue fundraising organization’s young professionals group.

Ashley Turner is the only child of Mayor Sylvester Turner, though she’s more than “first daughter.” Prior to becoming Busy Bee Wellness Center’s chief operation officer in 2015, Ashley put her master’s degree in health care administration to use at Legacy Community Health Services. She recently co-chaired the NextGen after-party for UNICEF’s Audrey Hepburn Society Ball. John Hopkins alum Ishwaria Subbiah works as an assistant professor in the division of cancer medicine at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. She’s also a trustee of the Houston Grand Opera and the steering committee chair of the Houston Symphony’s Young Associates Council.

“Who’s that girl?” is often heard when Kendra Smith Phillips enters the room. The answer? She’s a chic personal shopper and wardrobe stylist. Whether on vacation to exotic locales or dining with swanclients at “Hats in the Park,” Phillips’ posts steadily on her website, editsbykendra.com, and Instagram (@ kendraruth). As general counsel and senior director of external relations for the Super Bowl LI Host Committee staff, Amanda Worthy

Weeks was one busy woman in February. She and husband Jon Weeks, Houston Texans long snapper, also support the Houston Food Bank’s Cooking Matters program. Last year, the Weekses taught Jackson Intermediate School students how make the couple’s zucchini panko fries from a recipe featured in the Houston Texans Cookbook. Iranian-born Maryam Afshari put her finance degree from Southern Methodist University to good use as a public accountant for KPMG in Los Angeles. Upon moving back to Houston a few years ago, she turned her passion for fashion into the inspiration for Baanou, a “progressive lifestyle boutique” in River Oaks District. Kelly Krohn volunteered with To Educate All Children (TEACH) for eight years before becoming the organization’s executive director. Krohn graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service with a degree in international education and previously worked with the U.S. State Department’s Middle East Partnership Initiative to mentor young leaders from the Middle East. Peyton Manning is slated to speak at the nonprofit’s TEACH dinner this fall. Beth Zdeblick is another member of this year’s “Fresh Faces of Fashion” class. In 2016, the statuesque brunette served as underwriting chair of the Junior League of Houston’s Charity Ball and helped raise $740,000. She’s previously signed on as auction chair for Winter Ball and as preview-party chair of the Houston Ballet’s Nutcracker Market.

Ashley Small is president and CEO of Medley Inc., the public relations strategy-meetstechnology firm that she founded in 2009. Her business celebrates diversity and female entrepreneurship; more than half of her staff is fluent in Spanish. She counts Joyce Echols, The Rose and Fresh Arts as clients. Her signature red hair has become synonymous with her brand. Texas Christian University finance grad Luvi Wheelock opened her popular Casa De Novia Bridal Couture salon in River Oaks in 2005. Six years later, she expanded to include designer ready-to-wear boutique Atrium next door. Today, both shops are go-tos for trendy popups from Texas talent and beyond. Family nurse practitioner Sherrell

Ogletree dreamed of a program that “allowed young ladies to become their best selves.” So, she founded Biblically Edifying And Uniquely Training You (BEAUTY). In addition to her day job at Texas Children’s Hospital, Ogletree also serves as the organization’s executive director. Erin O’Leary Stewart is a petite powerhouse. After earning a degree from the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts, she founded O’Cookies Wholesome Bites, a natural cookie and granola company. Stewart co-owns Define Body & Mind, a local fitness studio, where she teaches a variety of classes and serves as director of Define foods. After a fashion stint in New York at Calvin Klein and Theory, Mary

Patton returned to Houston and launched the Mary Nichols Handbag Collection, followed by Mary Patton Design. When she’s not working on residential and commercial interiors projects, Patton finds time to co-chair events for nonprofits, including Dress for Success Houston and Home Safe Home.