The Spa in Me

Change Maker

“A day of rest is always needed.” ― Solange nicole

Since its creation, The Spa in Me, L.L.C., has stressed the importance of a woman's wellbeing and community. And, in order to forge a sustainable pathway to societal change, it's more important than ever to recognize the need for female activists and volunteers to heal and to rest.  

To help women commit to the personal evolution that is needed to help them continue making a difference in the world, The Spa in Me, L.L.C., is launching an annual Change Maker program to celebrate a total of six women who actively volunteer for nonprofit organizations in Tyler, Texas, and Austin, Texas. The six changemakers will be named in January 2022, and awarded a gift certificate to receive a soothing facial at a local spa.

This year, starting in September 2021, and ending on December 2022, help The Spa in Me, L.L.C. name three black women currently volunteering for a nonprofit organization in Tyler, Texas, and three black women currently volunteering for a nonprofit organization in Austin, Texas, to The Change Maker Program. For generations, black women have lived in a constant state of survival mode for themselves, their families, and their communities. Despite their own state of exhaustion, they continuously volunteer for nonprofit organizations to make the world a better place. We want to celebrate and honor them for the impact they are making with a day of rest by sending them to a local spa. 

All you have to do is email your nominations to sandra@thespainme.com starting in September 2021 and provide the following information. You can also nominate yourself. 

1) The name, email address, and phone number of the person making the nomination;

2) The name of the African-American Woman nominated;

3) The contact information for the nominee (Please provide the email address, telephone number, and address with a zip code);

4) Identify the nonprofit organization(s) where the nominee actively volunteers; and 

5) Identify where the nonprofit organization(s) where the nominee actively volunteers is located (it/they should be in Tyler, Texas or Austin, Texas); and 

6) Tell us why your nominee should be celebrated as a Changemaker.

In January 2022, The Spa in Me's Change Maker Committee members will choose the Change Maker of the month. 

The September 2021 - January 2022 Change Maker Committee members are Lorna Winston-Blanks, Shaunda Clarke, and Yavonne Martinez. You can learn about these trailblazers by reading their bios. 


Lorna Winston-Blanks 

After spending over 20 years in public and industry accounting in various leadership roles, Lorna currently spends her days releasing her energy into entrepreneurial ventures, volunteer leadership, and relationship building. She is the Chief Strategy Connector and founder of the CPA firm, Winston Blanks Advisory, PLLC, CEO of her publishing company, and is President of the Dallas Fort Worth Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants. When she is not advising accounting clients or writing technical articles, prose, and blog posts for businesses, Lorna can most likely be found creatively writing prose, poetry, and lyrics for her recording group, All Conscious. 

 "Writing is my happy space; singing brings me joy; and being an accountant keeps me vibrant. I love to support others in reaching their goals by helping them find their path from point A to point B. I'm very honored to be a part of Sandra's journey with the Spa In Me, L.L.C."

With a dynamic and adaptive nature, Lorna is known for her kind spirit, resilience, wisdom, and mastery of complexity. If only one word could be used to describe her, it would simply be: human.


Shaunda Clarke

Shaunda is from Tyler, Texas, graduating from John Tyler High School, where she was the first Black Drill Team Captain. She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. After college, she was hired at The Methodist Hospital in Houston as a Registered Nurse in the Intensive Care Unit where she worked a couple of years until moving to Tyler to purchase a Record Store and Beauty Supply that she owned for 13 years. She later married her college friend and had a handsome son.

After staying home with her son for four years, Shaunda returned to nursing as the Director of Nursing (DON) and has held that position for 13 years. While working fulltime as the DON, she graduated from the University of Texas at Tyler with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration/Healthcare Administration and later graduated from Tarrant County College receiving the Nursing Facility Administrator (LNFA) license.

Shaunda has spent the last 16 years raising her son, enjoying the art of swing-dancing, and being thankful for her family and friends.


Yavonne Q Martínez 

Dr. Yavonne Q Martínez is a clinical pharmacist who focuses on chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension. She believes that people must do what they love for relaxation and good spirits. She enjoys reading, writing, poetry, and traveling with her husband and their three teenagers. One of her primary passions involves being engaged with the educational system for the betterment of schools.