Meet the Honorees: Shelby Hodge and Shafik Rifaat, FAIA FAICP.

Shelby Hodge is currently the Social & Lifestyle editor at PaperCity. Most recently she served as editor-at-large at CultureMap Houston, which she joined in 2009, and was the Houston Chronicle’s society editor for more than 18 years prior to that.

Shelby is well-known across Houston for her coverage of major events and charitable endeavors. Several local organizations have honored her for her contributions to the city, and three mayors have declared Shelby Hodge Day.
She is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and graduated from Louisiana State University with a journalism degree.
Shelby was diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 2013. In July 2018, she rang the final bell having reached the 5 years recovery milestone.

Shafik Rifaat is Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Houston and President of SIR Inc. Architects and Planners. Throughout his distinguished career, Shafik has earned notoriety and respect from both professional and academic worlds in the fields of Urban Planning and Architecture. Whether developing master plans for communities at home and abroad, working with US-AID to design master plans, schools in Italy or designing public housing in Houston, Mr. Rifaat’s talents are widely recognized.

Shelby describes Shafik as her rock, and his support was critical during the very difficult time of her life in which she fought cancer.

Shelby and Shafik are loved for their extraordinary contributions to our community and for their outstanding legacy of support of many diverse charitable and cultural organizations.