2026 Lifelong Leaders Luncheon Benefit

Inspiring today's youth to lead tomorrow's world

The Briar Club, Houston, TX

Friday, September 25, 2026, 11:30 A.M

Luncheon Chairs: Katherine and Rick Chambers, Alyson and Colton Haas, Molly and Rob Neff

Lifelong Leaders Luncheon

Since 1965, AMIGOS has believed in the power of young people before they realize it themselves. Sixty-plus years, seventeen countries, countless lives changed. By putting young leaders where it matters most, alongside real communities across Latin America, we help them discover what they are capable of, and the world never looks the same after.

Join us to celebrate more than sixty years and over 31,000 alumni, and to invest in what comes next.

Become a Sponsor

Your sponsorship empowers more AMIGOS students and fuels our leadership and service programs. More than just supporting an event, you are investing in the young leaders doing real work alongside real communities and carrying the mission forward.

Reach out to Viviana Denechaud with questions at [email protected]

Become a Sponsor

$50,000 – PRESENTING SPONSOR

Recognition as the Presenting Sponsor “The Lifelong Leaders Luncheon presented by…” • Full page feature in the event program • Special recognition on all tables • Featured on the AMIGOS home webpage for three months • Two premier tables – 10 guests per table

Impact: Your sponsorship can underwrite an AMIGOS summer program in Latin America, sending a cohort of young leaders into the field. 

$25,000 – CHANGEMAKER

• Full page feature in the event program • Special recognition on all tables • Featured on the AMIGOS home webpage for three months • Two tables – 10 guests per table

Impact: Your sponsorship opens the door for five high school students who couldn’t otherwise participate.

$10,000 – THOUGHTLEADER

• Half-page feature in the event program • 10 tickets (one table) for the event

Impact: Your sponsorship underwrites local youth participation at one project location in Costa Rica, Paraguay, or Panama. 

$5,000 – CATALYST

• Special recognition on all tables • 10 tickets (one table) for the event

Impact: Your sponsorship funds a financial assistance award for one high school student.

$2,500 – VISIONARY

• 10 tickets (one table) for the event

Impact: Your sponsorship funds a partial financial assistance award for one high school student.

$1,000 – BELIEVER

•Two VIP tickets to the event

 Impact: Your sponsorship underwrites two service projects for host communities in Costa Rica, Paraguay, or Panama.

$500 – HERO

• Two tickets for the event

Impact: Your sponsorship supports project supplies for a service project in Costa Rica, Panama, or Paraguay.

$250 – SPONSOR A STUDENT OR AN EDUCATOR

• Sponsor a student or educator to attend the luncheon.

All sponsors will be recognized in event and promotional materials.

Lifelong Leaders Benefit Auction

The 2026 Lifelong Leaders Benefit Auction will raise funds to support AMIGOS programs and students.

The auction will accompany the event and will run online through September, available to bidders across the country. Some items may be included exclusively at the event itself. Please complete the form below to donate an item(s) to the auction catalog.

Donate an auction item today and help AMIGOS engage with  more youth from across the Americas in leadership and service.

Donate an Auction Item

Keynote Speaker

Lifelong Leaders Luncheon

Laura Arnold
Co-Founder, Arnold Ventures

Laura Arnold is co-founder and co-chair of Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy that supports research to understand the root causes of America’s most persistent and pressing problems, as well as evidence-based solutions to address them. By focusing on systemic change, Arnold Ventures is working to improve the lives of American families, strengthen their communities, and promote their economic opportunity.

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Laura and her husband, John, first launched a charitable foundation in 2008. Their philanthropic focus has since expanded, and today, Arnold Ventures concentrates on areas such as education, criminal justice, health, infrastructure, and public finance, advocating for bipartisan policy reforms that will lead to lasting, scalable change. With an extensive, 15+-year history, Arnold Ventures has been one of the foremost results-oriented philanthropies in the United States. The Arnolds became signatories of the Giving Pledge in 2010.

Prior to Arnold Ventures, Laura was executive vice president and general counsel for a global oil exploration company based in Houston. She is a founding partner of REFORM Alliance, a national criminal justice advocacy organization dedicated to reducing the number of people needlessly ensnared in a revolving door between supervision and prison. She also serves on the Leadership Advisory Council for the Tsai Leadership Program at Yale Law School.

Laura is a trustee emeritus for the Rice University Board of Trustees. She earned her law degree from Yale Law School, a master’s degree from the University of Cambridge, and a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College.

Laura was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She and John have three children and live in Houston.

Host Committee

Stacy and Doug Alexander
Christina AlmyLindsey AmiralaiBrian and Sarah AustinOlivia Benitez
Brenda and Michael Brombacher
Priya CoffeeLauren and Porter CollinsAllyson and Steve CookMary S and Jack DawsonGeorge and Marilyn DeMontrondViviana and David DenechaudThe Gardenia FoundationAndy and Kate GreenKenneth HeldJeff HillDr. Phil and Linda JohnsonCoble Jorgenson

Kristen LyonsAnita and James MajorCatherine and George MastersonThe Miclette FamilyRuthie MillerKimberly MurphyStacey and John NguyenSteve and Laura OtillarBeau and Sarah PollockPeyton PoppElisa and Cris PyeKatie SchexnayderRuhi and Samit SoniPatience SternBlair and Scott ThrashMolly and Coert VoorheesChris Weekley and Christine LabordeAnita and Alan Ying