SPOTLIGHT

Education Texas A&M University for my undergrad and graduate degree.. class of 2011!

What are you hoping to get out of your League experience this year?

I’m hoping to be more active in our community, and to help make it a better Beaumont!

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?

No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.

How do you like to relax after a long day?

With a glass of wine or a good margarita and reality TV !

Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?

The Christmas markets in Germany –so magical!!

Family Wife and mama to 3 girls (ages 8, 6, and 2)

Pets No pets..my kids keep me plenty busy

What are some of your favorite restaurants in town?

Tia’s, J. Wilson’s patio, and Carmela’s

Occupation

High school social studies teacher

Hobbies Volunteering, reading miniature schnauzer

What is your favorite holiday, and how do you celebrate it?

Ohhh, Christmas hands down. We celebrate it with Christmas Eve mass followed by a family gathering. Christmas morning, Santa comes and my husband and I get to watch magic fill my children.

What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve done in your life?

Moved to Missouri.. then promptly moved back to Texas .

Who would you want to play you in a movie?

Emma Watson

Kristen Davidson

Hometown

Beaumont, TX

Education

B.B.A. in Management from Lamar University, Beaumont TX

Family

Drew Davidson, husband, and Roman Davidson, my joyful 3-year-old toddler. My parents, Maridale & Randy Still, live locally in Beaumont and help with watching my 3 year old during the week. I have 2 siblings, a brother, Brandan, and sister, Kimberly, that live nearby in Texas.

Pets

A cat, Dexter

Occupation

Inside Sales Manager at BeAed of Beaumont, LLC, a printing company

Hobbies

Ballet, enjoying curated dining experiences, hiking in nature, golfing with my husband and son, spending time in my garden, weekend napping, cooking for my family, and I love a great spa

What is your current placement this year?

Dancing with the Stars Committee.

What is your favorite thing about living in SETX?

My immediate family and in-laws are nearby. Also, I love how Beaumont is quickly growing and expanding.

What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?

Enjoying time with my family in the garden/backyard, going golfing together, or a nice neighborhood walk on a sunny day.

What’s the best vacation you’ve ever been on?

Trip to Washington D.C., and Virginia. We stayed at The Inn at Little Washington, with an excellent dining experience by Michelin Star Chef Patrick O’Connell. We also explored different hiking trails at Shenandoah National Park.

What is a unique fun fact about you that some may not know?

I backpacked for 10 days in Canada, Mt. Robson, Banff, and Zion National Park, Utah.

What’s one thing that can instantly make your day better? A smile, giggle, or thank-you from my son, Roman.

What would be the first thing you’d do if you won the lottery?

I’d be very surprised because I have never personally bought a lottery ticket. .

What would you tell someone who is interested in joining the league?

It’s a wonderful way to get introduced to amazing women and to get involved in many aspects of serving the SETX community.

Hillary Lampson Shanning

Hometown Beaumont, TX

Education

St. Anne Catholic School, Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School, Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Texas A&M University

Family

I have been married to my husband Mark for 25 years in May. I have 4 children: Nicholas, 23, a graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown; Joseph, 21, a senior at Stephen F. Austin University; Olivia, 18, graduating from Kelly and will be a freshman at Baylor University in the fall; and Jack, who is 12 and in the 6th grade at St. Anne. My parents, in-laws, sister, and many cousins all live in Beaumont also. My whole family has been involved with the Junior League in some way.

Pets

We have 2 dogs, Cocoa a mixed breed and Roxy an Australian Shepherd and 2 cats, Thunder, an old black cat and Luna, a beautiful but feisty Calico.

Occupation

I am the executive Director of the Jefferson County Medical Society here in Beaumont. Before I started working with JCMS, I was mostly a mom and volunteer in our community. I also enjoy being a substitute teacher.

Hobbies

I love to read and listen to audio books, I like to cook and usually I am volunteering somewhere at church, school, for the Symphony League, Junior League or wherever anyone asks for help.

What was your favorite placement while serving in the JLB?

I think my most favorite placement was helping at AMSET Art Days many many years ago. I always enjoy working with kids and I really liked seeing how creative they were with the projects at the art museum. I also loved working at the summer camp at Spindletop - I learned so much and so did the kids. Finally, I’ll never ever forget the year I was the co-chair of Main Street Market with Stephanie Vanskike. My sister Stephanie was the Entertainment chair, and she had my niece at the beginning of Main Street Market. It was a wild weekend!! We always laugh and love to reminisce about that year.

What has been the best vacation you took and why?

For years I asked my husband to go on a big road trip with my kids to the Grand Canyon. Finally, one summer, we loaded up the minivan with 4 children and drove from Beaumont to Carlsbad Caverns to see the bats. From there we stopped in Palo Duro Canyon to watch the play Texas and we met one of Quanah Parker’s relatives. We made our way through Roswell, New Mexico to see where the aliens were then drove to the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert, and the Petrified Forest. Along the way we watched someone try to eat the huge steak at The Big Texas and took pictures at Cadillac Ranch. We had a squirrel steal snacks from our bag at the Canyon and we had a beautiful hike in the rain. We made beautiful memories and laughed all the way there and back!

What is one fashion trend that you wish would come back in style?

Gosh I am not sure about a fashion trend I really liked. I think maybe I would like to see people dress nicely again. I like to get dressed up and I am not really a leggings kind of a girl.

How do you enjoy spending your free time?

I spend my free time with my kids and my sister. I am usually making pasta for our Sunday family dinners or listening to books on tape while I do laundry. I love to have “couch time” and drink wine and watch a good Netflix show.

What would be the first thing you’d do if you won the lottery?

The first thing I would do if I won the lottery would be to pay off my house and cars and give money to my kids’ schools and to the church. Then I would buy new furniture for my whole house.

What is your favorite thing about living in SETX?

There is so much to do in our area that you do not ever have to be bored. We have so many museums to visit, so much art, so many great things to do. I love going to the Jefferson Theater and to the Symphony concerts. I love to go wander around the Botanical gardens at Tyrrell Park and walk through nature at Cattail march. My family and I enjoy Shangri-La for the Scarecrow Festival and the Christmas lights.

What is your favorite family tradition?

We have so many family traditions. I think my favorite might be when we get together to make Italian sausage before Christmas. We love that we share our holidays - Thanksgiving is at the Lampson house, Christmas Eve dinner is at the Shanning House, and Easter dinner is at Stephanie Gertz’s house. We love to decorate and make wonderful meals to share with our family.

What would you tell someone who is interested in joining the League?

My sister and I say on a regular basis that we think the Junior League is the best thing for any woman to be involved in. In almost any organization I work with or volunteer with you can tell if a fellow volunteer has been a part of the Junior League. Junior League women know how to run a meeting and how to work together with all types of people. They are kind and hard workers. I continue to encourage people to be a part of the Junior League. Most of my friends today and most of my fondest memories are from my years in the Junior League.

What is your favorite memory from your time in the League?

Everyone that knows me knows the answer to this question! Being the FIRST EVER MIRROR BALL CHAMPION OF DANCING WITH THE STARS!!!!

I have to admit that I also had the best time mixing pounds and pounds of royal icing for the Gingerbread House decorating we used to have at Main Street Market. I bought a grout drill bit and burned up a drill trying to mix up huge batches of icing. I have the best memories of decorating and planning our meetings with Scarlett Snider, our favorite was May Dinner at the Beaumont Club. We used china and flowers and made the prettiest little decorations, then we stayed late and laughed and talked with so many friends into the night.

I also love that Stephanie Vanskike, Stephanie Gertz, and I are still asked to come and help the first night at Main Street Market to work the door while the meeting is happening and everyone is learning the new slate. Too many memories–apparently I don’t have just one, because I absolutely love hosting the neighborhood meetings. I love to see all the girls and remember what it was like being a young league member. I love listening to all the projects and hearing all the new ideas. Keep asking me to do things so I can keep having so many wonderful memories.