July 2018

AUSTIN WOMAN MAGAZINE | JULY 2018

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” —Maya Angelou

First we saved his life.

Then we helped save his life’s dream.

Stephen Moore dreamed of competing in the Strongman competition.

Then a drunk driver almost killed him. Watch his story at stdavids.com.

Emergency Care

rogerbeasleymazda.com

clearly

classic copenhagen

enjoy natural teak masterpieces from the mid century period, as well as those from present day designers. high quality hand built furniture that deserves to be passed on from one generation to the next.

Solid teak armchair

by Danish architect John Mortensen.

Matching 2 and 3-seat sofas available.

View our many classic teak choices for the living room dining room and bedroom.

Austin 2236 West Braker Lane 512.451.1233 San Antonio 18603 Blanco Road 210.545.4366

www.CopenhagenLiving.com phoenix

tucson

tempe

contemporary furniture & accessories

scottsdale

san antonio

austin

el paso

1

1 John recliner with the Stressless ®

Comfort System by Norwegian designer Tone Kvello. Sculpted in solid high polished aluminum. $1995

2

2 Corridor free standing bar by

designer Matthew Weatherly of BDI, USA. Natural oak or chocolate walnut with black micro-etched glass top. $2299 3 Metal sculpture by

designer Andrea Lucatello of Italy, Built-in light adds dramatic indirect illumination. $1191

3

4 The Turro sofa by

Stefano Pessotto, Italy. Amazing comfort in sophisticated minimalist design. As shown in fine caramel leather with gun metal/ brass legs. Special order any color. $3295

4

5 Ventaglio table, designed by

Mario Morbidelli. The striking fan base is made of steel and finished in a warm brown with glass top. 44” x 94”. $1785

5

Chair in brown leather with brown steel legs matching the table base. $359

Austin 2236 West Braker Lane 512.451.1233

San Antonio 18603 Blanco Road 210.545.4366

www.CopenhagenLiving.com phoenix

tucson

tempe

contemporary furniture & accessories

scottsdale

san antonio

austin

el paso

3D Mammography Can Detect 41% More Breast Cancers.

Thanks Mamm!

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and over 75% of them have no family history. The fact is mammograms can find cancer before a lump can be felt and early detection saves lives.

Top medical centers in Central Texas rely on ARA Diagnostic Imaging for their expertise and knowledge. You can rely on us too.

Schedule yours today!

512.493.5850 ausrad.com/scheduling

A Leader in Breast Imaging ARAMammoFacts.com

At Texas Children’s, we’ve made our mark by pioneering new treatments and constantly breaking new ground in our quest to cure complex conditions and devastating diseases. Now, our drive to create a community of healthy children is taking us even further – all the way to your front door. With new locations and services opening throughout the Austin area this year, we’re looking forward to partnering with local families and physicians to give kids the right care at the right time in the right place.

Authentically Texas. Dedicated to Children. texaschildrensaustin.org

Second to none in Texas, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Texas Children’s Hospital as one of the top children’s hospitals in the country. Here are our specialties that made the top five in the nation: 1st Cardiology & Heart Surgery, 1st Pulmonology, 3rd Nephrology, 3rd Neurology & Neurosurgery, 4th Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, 4th Urology. ©2018 Texas Children’s Hospital. All rights reserved. Heyne Ranch. AUS_022452_18

Round Rock Express Makes Impact On and Off the Field The Round Rock Express Today, when fans purchase a hot dog at a Round Rock Express are known for playing great game, the entire thing is compostable from the food and tray b a s e b a l l . A n y o n e w h o’ s it’s served in to the utensils. TDS processes the stadium food ever been to Dell Diamond waste into compost and returns full circle when it’s used in the will tell you the facilities are Dell Diamond garden. “TDS provides the compost we use for first-class and the gameday our herb and vegetable garden and in turn, our RS3 chefs use experience is unforgettable. what we grow in various food and beverage items,” said Fragoso.

But there’s so much more to “Through this practice we are able to tell the 360-degree story of the organization. In fact, the the life cycle of your food.” founders of the Express In its sixth year of partnership have grounded their with TDS, the organization business in core values has diverted nearly a million that include passionately pounds of material from participating in the the landfill. c o m m u n i t y a n d e m b ra cing and encouraging Education continues to be improvements and change. a focus for the Round Rock Express, as the organizaFor example, in 2017, the tion hosts an Education Day Round Rock Express created a space for fans to breastfeed or each year featuring pregame pump during baseball games at Dell Diamond after noticing presentations for more an increase in private accommodations at other public facilithan 5,000 local school children of all ages. This year, TDS ties. It was an idea initially proposed to management by Laura presented lessons from their Eco Academy curriculum to Fragoso, senior vice president of marketing for the Express educate students about trash, recycling and composting. The and a mother herself, who takes a day included presentations from other local organizations that leadership role in identifying and focus on wildlife, weather, anti-bullying and more. executing ways to improve the fan experience. “The organization The Express truly makes a difference in the lives of welcomes mothers to nurse in fans, employees and players alike through community any public location, but hundreds initiatives. The organization also supports projects that give per year were asking for a private a portion of ticket sales to charities, fundraising events that space,” said Fragoso. “It was an are hosted at Dell Diamond to raise money, players visiteasy decision to expand our lactaing sick kids or honoring military veterans, baseball jersey tion support program and create a auctions, fire engine pulls, sock drives, disaster relief – more designated space for fans.” than half a million dollars were raised and donated in 2017 alone.

Fragoso’s innovative leadership and her ability to create “If there is an opportunity to make a difference in the purposeful partnerships enhances operations and raises community, the Round Rock Express takes it,” said Fragoso. the bar on cultivating community. In 2012, the Round Rock Express made a commitment to becoming the greenest team in Minor League Baseball. Fragoso works closely with Texas Disposal Systems (TDS) to improve diversion at Dell Diamond through increased education efforts by creating custom signage for the stadium’s Eco Stations, making it easier than ever for fans to determine which items go in the correct container. She also works with TDS to train stadium staff so they can continue the diversion process behind the scenes. “We have found that great partnerships are key to effective programs,” said Fragoso. “With our goal to be eco-friendly, TDS provided us with the resources to be successful. From educating our staff to helping RS3 procure compostable items, it is a true collaboration where each partner wants the best outcome for the greater good.”

Covering All Your Bases

When it comes to diverting waste, we knock it out of the park.

At Texas Disposal Systems, we are proud to team up with the Round Rock Express at Dell Diamond to help make it one of the greenest ballparks in Texas.

You’ll notice some things we do here in order to make that happen. Just look at the signs on the Eco Stations for easy tips as to what goes where. We then take the materials and turn them in to things like compost and mulch to be used in your local community. These actions and your help in putting things in the right place, make for a winning combination.

Compost

Food Scraps, Soiled Paper Products, Utensils (Dell Diamond Uses All Compostable Utensils)

Recycle

Plastic Bottles, Aluminum Cans, Clean Paper Products

Landfill

Soiled Non-Paper Products

800.375.8375 | TexasDisposal.com

Surgical | Medical | Cosmetic

NON-SURGICAL SKIN CANCER TREATMENT EXPERTS

Tru-Skin Dermatology’s SRT-100 Vision utilizes revolutionary, FDA-approved technology to provide highly-effective and pain-free skin cancer treatment with excellent cosmetic results.

Board Certified Physicians • Medicare/Major Insurance Accepted SRT-100 Vision is available in: Austin • Bee Cave • Bastrop • La Grange • Kerrville • Bulverde/Spring Branch

Contact us today to learn more. tru-skin.com Look good, feel good, do good. A portion of every service, patient visit and product purchase at Tru-Skin Dermatology is donated to The Shade Project and Skin Cancer Foundation to help skin cancer prevention efforts.

888.451.0139

46

ON THE COVER

FOSTERING GRACE

BY RACHEL RASCOE

52

FEATURE

OUTREACH OF HOPE Photo by Rudy Arocha.

BY SHELLEY SEALE

CONTENTS

Photo by Courtney Runn.

JULY

42 SAVVY WOMEN 20 COUNT US IN Women in Numbers 22 B OTTOM LINE Austin City Councilwoman Delia Garza

24 G IVE BACK Care2Rock CEO Karyn Scott 26 F ROM THE DESK OF Author and Philanthropist Joy Selak

28 P ROFILE 30 P ROFILE

HAAM’s Reenie Collins Austin Diaper Bank’s Holly McDaniel

ATX WOMEN TO WATCH 32 DR. VALERIE CHAVEZ 33 L AURA LEMOND 34 MICHELLE TAYLOR 35 D ANIELLE VERNON, P.T. 36 LAINE TVRDIK 37 SARAH TONEY 38 AMBER CALLAHAN

MUST LIST 40 D ISCOVER

Horseshoe Bay Resort

10 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

STYLE + HOME 42 THE LOOK A Suit for Every Body 44 ENTERTAINING PJs and Pancakes

GOURMET 58 R ECIPE REVEAL Roasted-beet Hummus 60 F OOD NEWS Uncle Ray’s Peanut Brittle

WELLNESS 62 W AITING ROOM Aromatherapy 64 E AT THIS, NOT THAT Ghee 66 H ER ROUTINE Bianca Turati

POINT OF VIEW 68 I AM AUSTIN WOMAN

Amber Fogarty

ON THE COVER Photos by Rudy Arocha, rudyarochaphotography.com Styled by Ashley Hargrove, dtkaustinstyling.com Makeup by Gertie Wilson, elevecosmetics.com Shot on location at Lone Star Court, 10901 Domain Drive, 512.814.2625, lonestarcourt.com

Hacinthia silk dress, $498, available at Joie, 11700 Domain Blvd., 512.982.3261, joie.com; Puma suede hyperembellished sneakers, $80, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com.

STEPHEN GARTEN CEO & Founder, Charity Charge ♥s Yoga at CorePower. Cover bands on 6th Street. Swimming at Barton Springs Photo taken at Thinkery — One of over 1 million+ nonprofits Charity Charge cardholders can select to fund with their cash back. *ZOOM TEETH WHITENING BY AUSTIN DENTAL SPA

*CALL TO BOOK YOUR COMPLIMENTARY SMILE MAKEOVER CONSULTATION TODAY.

*CALL TO BOOK YOUR COMPLIMENTARY SMILE MAKEOVER CONSULTATION TODAY.

(512) 452-9296

I AM A TEXAS MBA “I pursued my Texas MBA six years after I founded Amy’s Ice Creams.

The intelligence and high level of achievement by my classmates and keen perspective of my professors unlocked potential in me I’d never known. I stepped my game up in all areas of my life and found a new level of confidence. The camaraderie and support of lifelong friendships made between classmates and professors has proven to be priceless.”

AMY SIMMONS Founder, Amy’s Ice Creams, Baked By Amy’s Co-founder, Phil’s Ice House, Austinville Entrepreneurial consultant, Amy’s EDU First professional boxer in the State of Texas Mother of three Marathon runner Former Mayor Pro Tem of West Lake Hills, Texas Texas MBA 1994

TexasMBA.info

EXPAND YOUR NETWORK

Photo by Korey Howell.

Evening & Executive Programs

VOLUME 16, ISSUE 11 CO-FOUNDER Melinda Maine Garvey CEO Christopher Garvey PUBLISHER Cynthia Guajardo Shafer

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR Chantal Rice SENIOR EDITOR Lauren Jones ASSISTANT EDITOR Courtney Runn CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Nicholas Barancyk, Rhoda Brimberry, Sommer Brugal, Anna Crelia, Amber Fogarty, Susan Johnston Taylor, Lauren Jones, Mary Murphy, Kaiti Neuman, Chelsea Pribble, Rachel Rascoe, Courtney Runn, Gretchen M. Sanders, Shelley Seale, Deborah Stachelski, Elizabeth Ucles

ART CREATIVE DIRECTOR Niki Jones CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Thomas Aitchison, Rudy Arocha, David Carrales, Malayna Ellis, Annika Franco, Melissa Glynn, Mateo Gutierrez, Ashley Hargrove, Daniel Nguyen, Hannah Phillips, Ben Porter, Courtney Runn, Troy Stecker, Jessica Wetterer, Gertie Wilson

OPERATIONS AND MARKETING CFO

Ashley Goolsby MARKETING AND EVENTS MANAGER

Madilyn Biscoe

SALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Lindsey Granberry, Monika Kelley, Christine Moore

INTERNS

Mary Murphy, Kaiti Neuman, Chelsea Pribble

EMERITAE CO-FOUNDER Samantha Stevens EDITORS

April Cumming, Emily C. Laskowski, Deborah Hamilton-Lynne, Mary Anne Connolly, Elizabeth Eckstein Austin Woman is a free monthly publication of AW Media Inc., and is available at more than 1,250 locations throughout Austin and in Lakeway, Cedar Park, Round Rock and Pflugerville. All rights reserved.

For submission requirements, visit atxwoman.com/contribute.

No part of the magazine may be reprinted or duplicated without permission.

Visit us online at atxwoman.com.

Email us at info@awmediainc.com.

512.328.2421 | 3921 Steck Ave., Suite A111, Austin, TX 78759

ONTHEDOTWOMAN.COM

ON THE DOT

FROM THE PUBLISHER COMMUNITY

PARTNERS

Publication of Austin Woman would not be possible without the support of our monthly advertisers and sponsors, who believe in the impact we are making in the Austin community. The following businesses have stepped up their support of our efforts beyond traditional advertising and we are proud to recognize them as our partners. The team at Austin Woman is grateful for these businesses that have shown their commitment to the advancement of women in Austin and hopes you, as readers, recognize their efforts and support these businesses and all our regular advertisers.

CYNTHIA GUAJARDO SHAFER

Publisher DIAMOND-LEVEL PARTNERS

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

M

y happy place is on the court. I was late to discover tennis, but once I learned the game, I couldn’t stop playing.

While I no longer play five days a week, I still get as many matches in as I can. You can’t beat the camaraderie that unfolds as tennis balls fly back and forth under the blazing Texas sun.

Starting July 2, I’ll be cheering on my favorites, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams, at Wimbledon. I’ll also be keeping my eye out for one of the many inspiring women in this month’s issue of Austin Woman, Bianca Turati. The Italian tennis player joined the University of Texas team alongside her twin sister, Anna Turati, and has quickly risen to the top.

As she says, “I love the game because you can always turn a match around.” This optimistic spirit rings true for many of the women featured in these pages.

This month’s theme is social good, and thus, we’ve selected women who have dedicated their lives to giving back to our community, those who will leave a lasting legacy in Austin. From our determined cover woman, who sought redemption from her past by opening a home for foster children, to four woman-backed nonprofits, we wanted to showcase the everyday heroines of Austin. These women prove anyone can turn her life around and keep playing.

I started volunteering when I was 15 years old and have never stopped. While I hope my support of local charities makes a difference, I’m the one who’s truly been changed. Giving never returns void. I hope you’ll be just as inspired and empowered as I have been by the stories in this issue. Whether you change the life of one person or a whole city, serving and loving others will never be in vain.

Keep your eye on the ball and keep your eye on these women because they’re world changers!

LAW OFFICE OF JANET MCCULLAR

Sincerely,

Join the conversation @AustinWoman #TheSocialGoodIssue

14 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

Photo by Courtney Runn.

CYNTHIA GUAJARDO SHAFER Publisher

CARING THAT

MAKES A DIFFERENCE Musculoskeletal Institute

Treating Musculoskeletal Conditions with Individualized Care Whether you have chronic hip or knee pain, arthritis, carpal tunnel or a sports injury, our care teams work with you to find the treatments that help you reach your health goals. For some patients, lifessle modifications, physical therapy, medication or injections can help relieve pain and improve nction, while surgery may be the best option for others. Whatever your needs, the UT Health Austin Musculoskeletal team is focused on delivering care that will make a real difference for you.

To experience the diierence UT Health Austin can make in your life, please call 1-833-UT-CARES, or visit uthealthaustin.org

ATX

GUIDE TO GOOD HEALTH

CONTRIBUTORS

This month, we asked our contributors: Austin is known for being a city dedicated to philanthropy. How do you give back?

RUDY AROCHA

COVER PHOTOGRAPHER, “FOSTERING GRACE,” PAGE 46

Photographer Rudy Arocha is a native Texan who moved to Austin to pursue his education in fine arts as a sculptor. He later rediscovered his passion for photography when his grandfather gave him a camera as a gift. Rudy graduated from the Art Institute of Austin and specializes in portrait photography. When not photographing, Rudy enjoys music, the outdoors and spending time with his wife, Maggie.

“I actually just helped artist Matt Szynal install a public-art piece dedicated to black history at 12th and Chicon streets sponsored by Capital Metro.”

RACHEL RASCOE

COVER STORY WRITER, “FOSTERING GRACE,” PAGE 46 Rachel Rascoe is a freelance writer based in Austin. Rachel specializes in music, arts and culture reporting, and has contributed to The Austin Chronicle, Austin Woman and Texas Standard. She recently wrapped up her degrees in journalism and biology at the University of Texas.

“I support local arts and music projects by attending their events, buying merch and writing about them. I also support public radio and The Austin Chronicle.”

GERTIE WILSON

COVER MAKEUP ARTIST, “FOSTERING GRACE,” PAGE 46 Gertie Wilson was a professional makeup artist for years before developing Elevé Cosmetics, a clean, all-natural, luxury line of makeup and skin-care products. Elevé Cosmetics products are available online or at the new South Austin flagship store, which Gertie co-owns and runs with her sister, Ginger Averitt.

YOUR GO-TO GUIDE FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN AUSTIN ASK THE EXPERT ARTICLES ANSWERING NEED-TO-KNOW MEDICAL QUESTIONS DIRECTORY OF AUSTIN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS BY SPECIALTY

ARE YOU A DOCTOR? GET MORE VISIBILITY! 25,000 COPIES INSERTED IN THE SEPTEMBER 2018 ISSUE OF AUSTIN WOMAN MAGAZINE SEARCHABLE ARTICLES, PROFILES AND ONLINE DIRECTORY AT ATXDOCTORS.COM

AD SPACE CLOSE: 08/06/2018 EMAIL SALES@AWMEDIAINC.COM TO BE INCLUDED IN OUR ATX DOCTORS GUIDE TO GOOD HEALTH.

“Elevé Cosmetics sponsors Austin’s annual Kentucky Derby event, Down & Derby, which benefits The Shade Project. It’s a nonprofit that we are especially passionate about because of their dedication to the prevention of skin cancer through sun-safety education, skin-cancer screenings and creating shade in public spaces, especially playgrounds.”

SHELLEY SEALE

WRITER, “OUTREACH OF HOPE,” PAGE 52

Shelley Seale is a freelance journalist and author in Austin who has written for National Geographic, USA Today, The Guardian, The Week and Texas Monthly, among other publications. She loves dogs, yoga, indie movies, wine and books, though not necessarily in that order. Shelley has performed a catch on the flying trapeze, boarded down a live volcano and was once robbed by a monkey in India. But she doesn’t know how to whistle.

“I believe that action is the only catalyst for change, and I get involved in social causes that I care about.

I volunteer/foster with Austin Dog Rescue and Bastrop Animal Rescue, donate to numerous nonprofits, including Well Aware and Truth Be Told, and I do pro bono and reduced-rate work for nonprofits, including The Nobelity Project and Miracle Foundation. Follow your passions when giving back!”

INTRODUCING

S TA RT Y O U R C O L L E C T I O N T O D AY

Austin’s one and only for more than 85 years.

2900 West Anderson Ln.

|

512.452.6491

M-F. 10 am - 6 pm, Sat. 10 am - 5 pm |

|

Benolds.com

Wo m a n & L o c a l l y O w n e d

CONNECT WITH US! CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS ISSUE? ➥ More ways to stay cool. Relive your childhood by heading to Schlitterbahn Waterpark for a day full of family-friendly fun. But before you hit the road, read a firsthand account from our assistant editor about how to have the most enjoyable experience at the park.

➥ More summer entertaining tips. Take your summer get-together to the next level with entertaining advice from Whim Hospitality Co-founder and CEO Kim Hanks. Say goodbye to boring and hello to an Instagramworthy event display.

➥ More road-trip destinations. Pack a duffel bag and head to Alpine, Texas, for a relaxing weekend under the stars. From the Viva Big Bend Music Festival to Fourth of July festivities, you won’t want to miss out.

➥ More summer fashion staples. Austin and 100-degree days go together like peanut butter and jelly, but that doesn’t mean your fashion sense should suffer during the blistering summer months. Meet Suavs Shoes Founder Monxi Garza, who designs moisture-wicking, sustainably made shoes for people on the go.

WIN THIS!

PACKED PARTY CONFETTI BUCKET BAG AND YOU PAMPERED THING, YOU PACKAGE Everything’s bigger in Texas, and the same can be said for Packed Party’s celebrationready vinyl confetti bag.

Reinforced with gold hardware, this glitzy bag (valued at $38) is sure to make a statement at the beach, at the office or while you’re frolicking throughout town. Our stylish June cover woman, Packed Party Founder Jordan Jones, is also giving away an indulgent You Pampered Thing, You package (valued at $62) to one lucky Austin Woman reader. Treat yourself to some selfcare with the ultrahydrating honey face mask, Moon Melt Lotion Bar and Island Pineapple Candies. You deserve it! To enter, follow us on Instagram @austinwoman and stay on the lookout for the giveaway announcement in mid-July. A winner will be chosen and notified by the end of the month.

FOLLOW US

@austinwoman

18 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

LIKE US

DON’T

MISS

Work: A Pop-up Conference for Creatives and Entrepreneurs July 14, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Rowling Hall, 300 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. bossbabes.org/events Trailer Food Tuesday July 17, 5 to 9 p.m.

The Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W. Riverside Drive trailerfoodtuesdays.com Summer Classic Film Series July 1 through 31, times vary Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Ave. austintheatre.org

facebook.com/austinwoman

FOLLOW US

@ austinwoman

Schlitterbahn Waterpark photo by Courtney Runn. Alpine mural photo by Hannah Phillips. Monxi Garza photo courtesy of Suavs Shoes. Win This photo courtesy of Packed Party.

Check us out at atxwoman.com.

thank you

summer launch party TO EVERYONE WHO JOINED US FOR OUR

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR OUR FALL LAUNCH PARTY

SEPTEMBER 5 SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS & VENDORS

LIBERTY MUTUAL

BRICOLAGE

S

AVVY WOMEN

COUNT US IN

WOMEN IN NUMBERS

Facts and figures on females from throughout the world.

BY MARY MURPHY, ILLUSTRATIONS BY JESSICA WETTERER

533 Grants

73 Percent

15 Years

70 Partners

The United Nations Foundation’s Women, Girls & Population program and the UN work hand in hand to promote gender equality and advance the rights and needs of women and girls throughout the world. Priorities of the program include investing in adolescent girls, working to advance reproductive health and rights, and eliminating genderbased violence. The program has been recognized globally and remains successful with the help of grants. To date, the program has been awarded 533 grants totaling more than $170 million in support of empowering girls and women on a global scale.

A big misconception in the nonprofit sector is that these organizations are run mostly or completely by volunteers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nonprofits employed 11.4 million people in 2012, accounting for 10.3 percent of all private-sector employment in the United States. Some 73 percent of nonprofit-sector employees are women, and while women are considered the majority in the nonprofit workforce, they still earn less in wages than their male counterparts.

Girls for Gender Equity is an intergenerational nonprofit based in Brooklyn, N.Y., that is dedicated to ending widespread violence against women and girls of color, and promotes the physical, social, psychological and economic well-being of girls, women and communities. GGE strives to demolish barriers of segregation and discrimination on the basis of gender, race and class, and provides programs to instill strength, skills and self-sufficiency in girls and women. GGE recently held its 15th anniversary gala celebrating “15 fierce years of serving thousands of young people.”

Distributing Dignity, a New Jersey-based nonprofit, was created to provide new bras, pads and tampons to women in need.

Founded in 2012, the organization currently has 70 partners in 52 cities that help women who are in and aging out of foster care, seeking refuge from domestic violence or abuse, are homeless, struggling with lifealtering illness or have been displaced by disaster.

69 Women The United Nations Foundation’s Council of Women World Leaders is the only organization in the world solely dedicated to women heads of state and government. The council was established in 1996 by Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, the president of Iceland from 1980 to 1996 and the first woman in the world to be democratically elected to the post of president; Mary Robinson, president of Ireland from 1990 to 1997; and Laura Liswood, secretary general of the council and a former senior advisor for Goldman Sachs. The 69 current and former female presidents and prime ministers who make up the council today promote good governance and gender equality through the council’s networks, partnerships and programs.

20 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

OFFICIAL EVENT PRODUCTION COMPANY OF AWMEDIA INC.

PERMANENT MAKEUP | MICROBLADING

Studio Bella is a full service spa & boutique Permanent Eyeliner, Eyebrow, Lips and much more Areola and Scar Camouflage Free areola pigmentation for cancer survivors DaVinci Teeth Whitening Natural Spray Tan Massages and Facials by Rebecca Swaine, LMT - 971.404.4448 Nails by Lisa Graham - 512.694.2501 lisag4nails@gmail.com Stefani Stryker, Lash Artist + Esthetician lashesbystefani@gmail.com 737.333.1317

FREE EAR PIERCING AND STUDS OR SPRAY TAN WITH PURCHASE OF ONE DA VINCI TEETH WHITENING SESSION FOR $100

Sheila Paul, Massage Therapist 512.662.8062 - elitemyotherapymassage.com Hair by Lisa O’Brien - 512.350.1138 obrienfordhairatx.com

SCHEDULE A SERVICE TODAY!

www.StudioBellaSpa.com

6507 Jester Blvd Suite 108 Austin TX 78750

512.502.0002

S

AVVY WOMEN

BOTTOM LINE

COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY

Austin City Councilwoman Delia Garza provides insight into the issues affecting our city.

BY SOMMER BRUGAL

AFFORDABLE HOUSING —OR LACK THEREOF

According to Garza, housing affordability is the principal issue facing Austin today.

It’s a crisis that affects the entire city, but for Garza, its consequences weigh heavier in certain areas than others.

She cites her district to support her claim, as residents in District 2 have a lower median income, compared with others in the city. Income inequality, Garza says, plays a large part in the overall issue.

“As a city, we claim to be progressive politically, but we aren’t progressive [with] land planning,” Garza says. “We’ve held on to the homes with a white picket fence.”

She notes while that image has become synonymous with the American Dream, it doesn’t necessarily enable a city to grow. With the city expected to double in population within the next 15 to 20 years, she says the city—and its residents—can’t continue preserving and protecting single-family lots.

22 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

Though Garza doesn’t rid Austin from its responsibility or the role it should play in addressing such an issue, she does speak to the nation’s affordability crisis at large. While the cost of living has gone up in cities like Austin, the amount of money people earn at their jobs hasn’t risen to match that growth. Wages, she says, have remained stagnant.

MOBILITY CHALLENGES

As affordable homes become less available in what’s considered to be Central Austin, the lack of mobility becomes that much more noticeable in a growing city. Mobility is another issue challenging Austin residents, especially those being pushed out.

Most families still have two cars. Those that can’t afford to own multiple vehicles, though, are left to depend on public transportation, which Garza says doesn’t receive ample funding to successfully support the city’s needs.

When asked what led to Austin’s mobility pitfalls and its housing crisis, she notes the city’s lack of progressive thinking for land-use opportunities and a lack of planning for growth.

MOVING FORWARD

A number of initiatives are working to address both the housing crisis and mobility concerns the city is facing, the most notable being CodeNext, a major overhaul of the city’s current land-development code.

Though Garza encourages residents to be involved, to understand the changes and recommendations being made, she recognizes much of the discussion surrounding the topic can be complex in nature and often arduous to follow. She believes, however, that while some have worked to keep Austin a tiny college town, there are many voices working for a more streamlined land code and advocating for more sustainable growth for the city.

“There just needs to be a change of mindset,” Garza says. “We should be happy people want to live in Austin, but we need to make the decision to grow properly.”

Speaking in favor of anything prohibiting inclusive growth, she says, is simply not progressive—or welcoming.

Photo courtesy of Delia Garza.

Before becoming Austin’s District 2 elected representative, Delia Garza was one of the first Mexican-American female firefighters in the Austin Fire Department, tending mainly to South Austin communities, and served as an assistant attorney general in the child-support division.

Despite the seemingly obvious differences in the roles, Garza’s commitment to community service and advocacy was always apparent. Today, she continues advocating for her community, working tirelessly to make Austin a welcoming city for everyone. And as a member of the Austin City Council, she’s at the forefront for many of those conversations.

Given Garza’s work within Austin’s various communities and sectors, Austin Woman sat down with the councilwoman to learn about the pressing issues affecting our community today, and what city representatives are doing to address them.

S

AVVY WOMEN

GIVE BACK

A HOPEFUL TUNE

Care2Rock CEO Karyn Scott speaks about the power of music.

Imagine learning to play a musical instrument from a professional without having to leave the comforts of your home. Care2Rock, a newly launched mobile platform led by CEO Karyn Scott, founder of the music-and-mentorship nonprofit Kids in a New Groove, offers just that.

While Scott doesn’t hail from a musical background, it was her years working for the Travis County District Attorney’s office that placed her on her current path. As a prosecutor, Scott saw the difficulties foster children face on a daily basis. So, Scott put her passion and belief in the healing power of music to work by starting Kids in a New Groove, providing free, private music lessons for Central Texas foster children. With more than 400,000 children in the fostercare system nationwide, she felt called to help those in need.

“It was wonderful seeing the changes...[and] how far kids could come,” Scott recalls. “They were getting adopted and graduating high school.”

While the program has continued to flourish nine years in, Scott is excited for her latest venture, Care2Rock.

“It can be difficult to scale a nonprofit and reach new kids,” Scott says of her years with Kids in a New Groove.

Thus, she kept asking herself, “How do I impact even more kids across the country? How do we connect more people?”

With Care2Rock, Scott has been able to connect disenfranchised youth throughout the country with triple-vetted music teachers.

“Care2Rock recruits teachers across the country to come teach on our site. … [When they] sign up, they volunteer to work with a foster child as well,” she says.

“It’s great for paying customers to learn music, but also for foster children to take lessons for free.

And if they move homes, they can stay with their teacher.”

Care2Rock asks its teachers to volunteer as music mentors for children in foster care every week for a minimum of a year.

If a match can’t be made right away, Care2Rock instead makes a donation to its nonprofits partners, including Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates, One Simple Wish and Foster Angels of Central Texas.

“We offer a lot of flexibility for teachers,” Scott says. “For hardworking musicians who need to fill a couple of hours on their schedules, this is a great way to do so. We have teachers from Cuba, Nashville, Argentina, etc.”

To date, the organization has more than 120 teachers listed on its website, teachers who are just as passionate about the mission as Scott.

“The type of teachers we draw are the ones that are very excited about giving back and the unique opportunity we offer,” she says.

Care2Rock recently partnered with Texas CASA to provide foster children with laptops in light of the passage of the Computers for CASA bill, which will provide access to the state’s surplus computers. Scott believes the passage of this bill will be lifechanging, as foster children will now be able to easily take lessons online.

While the business is still in its formative years, exciting times lay ahead. Care2Rock was recently granted seed funding through venture-capital firm Pipeline Angels, which has invested more than $4 million in women-led for-profit social businesses. Word-of-mouth has also led to early success.

“People come from all over,” Scott says.

Currently, Care2Rock is running a limited program called Sounds of Summer, through which those who sign up for lessons can get a free guitar.

Scott is learning guitar herself through the website and is happy to experience the fruits of her labor firsthand.

Scott is also looking forward to getting professional musicians involved with Care2Rock, hosting events and continuing to spread the word about how people can help children in foster care.

“How do I impact even more kids across the country? How do we connect more people?”

24 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

To learn more or book a lesson, visit care2rock.com.

Photo by Annika Franco.

BY LAUREN JONES

Sponsored Content

THE SECRET TO LAUNCHING YOUR PROFESSIONAL CAREER

Concordia University Texas’ MBA program shapes, networks and fast-tracks students. is a 2016 R&D 100 award winner and also has been named Professionals with a desire to be world-changing leaders can fastWest Austin Chamber of Commerce Innovative Company of track their way to success by enrolling in a Master of Business the Year.

Administration program. By earning an MBA, working professionals Women in particular can benefit from earning an MBA. Here can hone their leadership skills so they may make a positive differare some ways an MBA can contribute to female advancement: ence in the workplace and beyond. MBA programs help students • There is still a prevalent MBA gender gap. Closing this gap is a develop priceless managerial skills while obtaining specific skills in great way to address the lack of women in leadership roles. accounting, finance, economics, marketing and business strategy.

• Women increase their At Concordia University earning power with an Texas, the MBA program MBA, helping close the allows students to comgender pay gap. plete a degree in as little • Earning an MBA gets as 16 months, no GRE or you more comfortable GMAT required. With a with risk, which women one-night-a-week or online become comfortable with class structure, locked-in in any MBA program. tuition, faith- and val“My experience with the ues-based instruction, and Concordia MBA program instructors with real-world offered leadership lessons for experience, it’s no wonder both my professional and 44 of the 47 top tech empersonal life. Much of what ployers in Austin employ I learned was built on leadConcordia alumni, includership. I learned to develop ing Dell, Apple, Amazon, a personal brand, so I can IBM and AT&T. take pride in my title as an Of course, professional MBA graduate,” says Audrey opportunities come and Galindo, class of 2018. go, but for MBA graduConcordia offers a ates, cohorts are forever. health-care administration That is why Concordia’s concentration and orgaMBA program emphasizes nizational-development the sheer importance of learning concentration. Both networking. The cohort concentrations deliver a learning community built-in capstone project, an encourages students to invaluable learning asset to make use of the connec“My experience with the Concordia MBA MBA students. tions they make with program offered leadership lessons for Concordia University Textheir peers, professors and as readies students for the business leaders, giving both my professional and personal life.” future through a personalthem an advantageous —Audrey Galindo, class of 2018 ized education that incorpofoundation for a lifetime. rates challenging hands-on “Professional networking instruction with Chrisopportunities are one of tian-based values. The small, dynamic Austin university allows the key reasons students go back to school for their MBA,” says learners to utilize all the professors and campus have to offer, Elise Brazier, Concordia University Texas’ MBA program director. while the geographic location fosters innumerable opportunities Concordia MBA students are also able to make use of Incubafor learning and personal growth. torCTX, a membership-based business accelerator that functions as a co-working space, with access to academic resources, For more information about Concordia’s MBA program, go databases and business libraries, and is part of a partnership to Concordia.edu/mba with networking company Tech Ranch Austin. IncubatorCTX

S

AVVY WOMEN

FROM THE DESK OF

JOY SELAK

The author and philanthropist shares her best advice for engaging with Austin nonprofits.

STORY AND PHOTO BY COURTNEY RUNN

Joy Selak lightheartedly laments that everyone she meets immediately shares his or her entire life story with her. Even though she’s at times taken aback by the quick vulnerability, it’s easy to understand why people feel so comfortable with her. She exudes the calm and peace of someone who has been through great trials and triumphed on the other side.

Selak started her career in education before becoming a financial advisor, a position she never thought of leaving. After chronic illness interrupted her corporate career and idyllic island life along the coast of Washington, Selak found her purpose in philanthropy.

When she and her husband moved to Austin in 2001, she quickly started volunteering, serving in a variety of roles at Zach Theatre, Mindpop and A Legacy of Giving. She currently serves as a philanthropic advisor for Rodman & Associates and is adapting a play she wrote into a novel.

Selak’s impressive list of careers—educator, financial advisor, entrepreneur, writer, philanthropist—infuses her outlook with a maturity, grace and wisdom that allow her to see the nonprofit sector holistically. Here are her top tips for those looking to get more involved.

DO SOME RESEARCH BEFORE YOU COMMIT TO PHILANTHROPY.

“[Ask yourself,] ‘Where is my deepest passion?’ ” SUPPORT SOCIAL MEDIA.

“A wonderful way to support nonprofits you believe in would be to give them a budget to bring on a social-media consultant and a communications consultant, and let them work to tell that organization’s story in a powerful, simple, immediate way.”

CONSIDER YOUR PAST PAIN.

“People come out of [trauma] often with vigor and hearts for others. Ignoring it or pretending it didn’t happen or being angry about it—none of it will serve you. Once you’ve made peace with it, you can use it.”

GET YOUR KIDS INVOLVED.

“When you start young like that, it is your identity.

I don’t think you could not be sensitive to the needs of others. I don’t think you could not try to find ways to help.”

BELIEVE YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

“Don’t discount the impact one human can have on another human. Know you’re just wrong if you think it’s insignificant. It’s not.”

26 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

THE ZELLA COMPANY: AN AUSTIN STAPLE FOR INTERIOR DESIGN, EVENT RENTALS & HOME STAGING

“The Zella Company is my secret weapon. Their impeccable design and taste along with their customer-centered service brings my events to whole new level and always WOWs my clients. Whether it’s for a envy-inflicting couch, a stuffed bear or a custom stage design, Zella is the answer.

Working with Zella is a true partnership.”

-Luis Barraza, Red Velvet Events

512.904.9137

ZELLACOMPANY.COM

Swap the weight of the world for the weight of a blanket.

Relax under the deep-touch pressure of a weighted blanket and feel the hug for increased serotonin and decreased cortisol levels. mosaicweightedblankets.com

INFO@ZELLACOMPANY.COM

S

AVVY WOMEN

PROFILE

TUNING UP THE HEARTSTRINGS

One organization is on a mission to bring affordable health care to Austin’s musicians.

BY NICHOLAS BARANCYK This city wouldn’t be the Live Music Capital of the World without its musicians. More than 8,000 working local musicians generate billions of dollars for the Austin economy, yet many simply scrape by. With most earning less than $18,000 a year, that’s enough to afford only about two meals a day, meaning access to health insurance and dental exams remains unattainable. That’s where Reenie Collins steps in.

As the executive director of the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, Collins helps provide access to reasonably priced care for the city’s artists.

“If musicians aren’t alive, they can’t make music,” she says.

Photo by Ben Porter.

BEHIND THE CURTAIN Through its collaborative organizational model, HAAM doesn’t directly provide health services but creates the framework through which to connect its members to discounted insurance policies and affiliated health professionals throughout the city.

“We’re not insurance,” Collins says, “but it feels like insurance.”

Collins notes that HAAM is crucial for local musicians because even after government subsidies, insurance premiums can still end up being too expensive for lowincome artists. “ ‘Affordable’ is a very relative term,” she says.

Through its partnerships, HAAM is able to provide medical, dental, vision, hearing, mental-health and wellness benefits at a significantly reduced to fully subsidized rate for its members. The cooperative nature of the city makes all this possible.

“Austin is a pretty collaborative town,” Collins says. “And that’s what we’re built on, collaborative relationships.”

By working with this partner-oriented structure, Collins says HAAM is able to spread resources more effectively and better serve the community.

28 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

FACING THE MUSIC Collins assumed the directorship in 2013 but has consulted with HAAM since its inception in 2005. And despite being an outsider to the music industry, the cause was so worthwhile that when HAAM’s last director moved on, she stepped out of retirement to help.

“Music is so important to who we are and to our souls,” she says. “It’s important to this city.”

With more than 25 years of health-care experience, Collins is intimately aware of its complexity. Each year, HAAM has had to retool its efforts to keep up with the shifting sands of both federal and state systems.

“For our creative class, musicians included, a lot of the great things about this city...have changed. I think that it’s harder for people to stay in Austin and earn a living,” Collins says, noting this can take an emotional toll.

HAAM currently serves more than 2,500 members, working with each individually to ensure their needs are met. And Collins notes HAAM does this better than any other organization.

“I take a lot of pride in it but I also feel a huge sense of responsibility,” she says. “There’s always more that you can do and less that you have to deal with.”

Photo by Malayna Ellis.

STRIKING THE RIGHT CHORD Collins often tells the story of a young musician in New York who couldn’t scrape together $100 for antibiotics. His infection worsened and he was rushed to the emergency room, where doctors treated him for sepsis. His final medical bill was more than $23,000. He couldn’t afford it, so the hospital had no choice but to accept him on the basis of charity care.

If that patient, now an Austin musician and a HAAM member, had access to basic health care, he wouldn’t have incurred such an inflated medical expense.

“We’re actually saving this system and saving this community money because we’re keeping people well and healthy,” Collins says. “We’re keeping them from using the most expensive resources in the most expensive way.”

By providing access to general health care, HAAM is able to reduce the number of these medical horror stories. But the real benefit for Austin’s working musicians, Collins explains, is having the peace of mind that if something spins out of control, they’re covered.

“Health care is a basic need that people need to have met,” she says.

FIT AS A FIDDLE Collins isn’t sure how many lives HAAM has saved. It’s not a statistic the nonprofit keeps track of, but she has hundreds of musicians’ success stories in her repertoire, stories of legs saved from amputation and heart attacks treated in ample time. And although she never takes center stage, Collins admits she loves running the show.

“This is the best gig I’ve had in my entire career,” she says.

As long as there’s a need, HAAM will be there, quietly watching over the heart of this city, one artist at a time.

austincc.edu START HERE. GET THERE.

S

AVVY WOMEN

PROFILE

DIAPER GENIE

Holly McDaniel, executive director of Austin Diaper Bank, helps the nonprofit distribute hundreds of thousands of diapers.

BY SUSAN JOHNSTON TAYLOR

30 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

HOW YOU CAN HELP •M oney. Donating money is the most efficient way to support Austin Diaper Bank. “We have a partnership with Huggies where it costs us 13 cents a diaper to buy them,” Holly McDaniel says. “A consumer would normally pay 30 cents a diaper. We can order directly from the manufacturers and order multiple pallets at a time. They allow us to place orders once a month for specific sizes that we need.”

•D iapers. Austin Diaper Bank accepts diaper donations, even if the package is already open. “Everybody who has kids has half a pack of [size-specific diapers],” McDaniel says.

• Diaper drives. Diaper drives serve a greater purpose beyond the diapers themselves. “Especially if you’re teaching your kids philanthropy, it’s nice to do a diaper drive,” McDaniel says. “Diaper drives show kids charity in action and help raise awareness. The more people who know about us, the more people we can help.

Photo courtesy of Genie Short Photography.

Holly McDaniel started as executive director of the Austin Diaper Bank—the nonprofit’s first full-time employee—last year, just days before Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf Coast and flooded the Houston Diaper Bank facilities. That meant hurricane victims who needed diapers had to rely on diaper banks in Austin and San Antonio.

“We noticed our partners—people we serve normally—had an uptick in clients because people were displaced,” McDaniel remembers.

Brand new in the job at the time, McDaniel also recalls taking on some significant tasks early in her position.

“I barely knew where the restroom was,” she says.

But undaunted, she settled in and huddled with the organization’s board of directors to hash out a plan. Collaborating with Texas Diaper Bank in San Antonio, the board agreed Austin Diaper Bank would cover the needs in Beaumont, Texas, and Houston, while Texas Diaper Bank would serve west of that area.

“We didn’t really realize the full capacity of what was about to happen,” McDaniel says.

Donations flooded in from throughout the country as people ordered from the diaper bank’s Amazon wish list and held diaper drives at churches, schools and in local neighborhoods.

For weeks, volunteers and board members unpacked truckloads of diapers. (In fact, one day, three UPS trucks unloaded box upon box of diapers.)

All the while, McDaniel handled logistics, including finding trucks and drop-off locations and getting food donated to feed volunteers. All told, more than 300 volunteers helped with the organization’s Hurricane Harvey relief effort, with the community donating some 800,000 diapers.

McDaniel is no stranger to the roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-it-done mentality of the nonprofit world. After graduating with an art-history degree from Occidental College in California, she held jobs at a variety of nonprofits, including the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation; KMFA 89.5 FM, Austin’s classical-music radio station; and Art Alliance Austin.

Raised by a single mom, McDaniel appreciates the need to support struggling families, some of whom may not be able to afford clean diapers.

“I had helpers and people who supported my family to move out and go do something different,” she says. “Without that support and the guidance from those people, I would not be where I am today.”

Austin Diaper Bank is a member of the National Diaper Bank Network, which reports that one in three U.S. moms suffer from diaper need. Austin Diaper Bank distributes diapers, wipes and personal-hygiene products through more than 50 partner organizations, including food pantries, women’s shelters and Meals on Wheels Central Texas.

Diapers are a cost “you don’t think about until you have children,” McDaniel explains. She has three children, who are long out of diapers, but she’s not limiting her work to parents and grandparents because, as she notes, adults may also need diapers for various reasons.

Austin Diaper Bank’s impact has already grown under McDaniel’s leadership.

“In the past, we’ve typically distributed about 250,000 diapers a year,” she says. “This year alone, we are on track to distribute about 750,000 diapers.”

The organization recently added a program coordinator as the second full-time employee.

McDaniel says her focus in the next three years is to “cover more of the need and look strategically where our diapers are going.” Ultimately, her goal as executive director is to “help other families break that [poverty] cycle and see what their worth is.”

ATX

WOMEN to WATCH Our pages are full of stories of Austin’s most engaging, empowering and successful women, and this section is specially designed to provide you access to even more incredible role models and success stories.

Be part of this amazing tribe and share your story with thousands of women.

Contact us at sales@awmediainc.com or call 512.328.2421 for more information.

BY LAUREN JONES | PHOTOS BY COURTNEY RUNN

SPECIAL PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM |

31

ATX

WOMAN to WATCH

D R . V A L E R I E C H A V E Z

BOARD - CERTIFIED INTERNAL-MEDICINE PHYSICIAN AND FUNCTIONAL-MEDICINE PR ACTITIONER

D

r. Valerie Chavez has a passion for getting to the root causes of bothersome gut symptoms at her clinic, Gut Mend, which is located in Northwest Austin. She was led on this path through her own journey of alleviating many years of gut-dysfunction symptoms. After addressing her proinflammatory diet, several infections and a heavy-metal burden, she feels better at age 42 than she did in her 20s. Her mission is to provide relief of gut-related disorders to those who struggle with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and abdominal bloating. With her additional time, she serves as the medical director for AseraCare Hospice and Abiding Home Health. Additionally, she is an avid toastmaster who is on track to earn her Distinguished Toastmaster title by next year. gutmend.com

32 SPECIAL PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM 32 | | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

ATX

WOMAN to WATCH

LAURA LEMOND Photo courtesy of Laura Lemond.

OWNER AND CO-FOUNDER OF MOSAIC WEIGHTED BL ANKETS

L

aura LeMond is an Austin native and the owner of Mosaic Weighted Blankets. LeMond was born prematurely, with sensory processing disorder and while in college, she discovered placing weighted sandbags on her body calmed her.

In 2010, she created a beanbag/blanket combo, launching Mosaic Weighted Blankets, now one of the largest weightedblanket retailers in the United States. More than 100 million Americans suffer from insomnia or anxiety, and her blankets help. With 3 million Google searches each month for weighted blankets, Mosaic Weighted Blankets has continued to flourish and has been busy for the last seven years, with 20 manufacturing employees in Cedar Park, Texas. Proud of her bootstrap approach to starting a business, LeMond uses social media to market a product most people have never heard of. A University of Texas graduate, she credits success to her previous career with IBM. A thought leader in the weighted-blanket space, LeMond has received press in The Wall Street Journal, the Huffington Post and Forbes. Â mosaicweightedblankets.com

SPECIAL PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM ATXWOMAN.COM | | 33 33

ATX

WOMAN to WATCH

M I C H E L L E TAY L O R

C R E AT O R A N D O W N E R O F T H E Z E L L A C O M PA N Y

M

ichelle Taylor, interior designer and home-staging specialist, began her career in the software industry, in which she became a force in marketing. During her 15 years leading worldwide programs across the marketing spectrum, she found her passion for the art of visual storytelling. With the creation of The Zella Company in 2005 in Bellevue, Wash., she began to hone her desire to blend storytelling with her instinct for interior design. Following her 2014 relocation to Austin, Taylor, along with her team, led Zella’s pivot, today reflected in its integral position in the Austin design community. Whether she’s creating an elegant setting for a lakeside lawn party, reinventing a family home’s aesthetic or providing event rental furniture from the company’s 11,000-square-foot warehouse, Taylor is on the leading edge of design and her business shows no signs of slowing down. zellacompany.com

34 SPECIAL WOMAN PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM 34 | AUSTIN | JULY 2018

ATX

WOMAN to WATCH

D A N I E L L E V E R N O N , P.T. OWNER AND DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN PT

I

n her 20-year career, orthopedic, sport and spine specialist Danielle Vernon has worked with some of the foremost clinical educators in her field. She has pioneered cutting-edge work-site therapy and wellness programs to reduce workplace injuries for companies like Costco, Charles Schwab and Apple.

Her expertise has led to opportunities to be an international speaker, an educator and a contributing writer for the book Bodyweight Exercises for Women. In 2011, she invented and patented The Backbone, a postural cushion. In 2015, she was short-listed for Shark Tank and later won the Family Choice Award for Best New Health and Wellness Product. Today, she owns Austin PT in Central Austin, a holistic physicaltherapy center that boasts a hydrotherapy pool and hour-long therapy sessions. Outside of work, Vernon enjoys cycling, running the trails, scuba diving and volunteering with SpineHope. Â austinpt.org

SPECIAL PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM ATXWOMAN.COM | | 35 35

ATX

WOMAN to WATCH

LAINE TVRDIK

PERSONAL TR AINER AND NUTRITION COACH

L

aine Tvrdik started Nutrition and Fitness by Laine to help her clients “find their strong” and love the bodies they have. With more than 30 years of experience and a family of her own, she helps moms prioritize their health and take control of unhealthy patterns. For her personal-training sessions and boot camps, Tvrdik comes to the client, bringing equipment, workouts and encouragement. She believes fitness and nutrition go hand in hand and helps her clients incorporate meal planning into their lifestyles.

For Tvrdik, it’s not about being skinny but about being healthy and strong. She knows what works for one mom may not work for another, so she’s committed to working with her clients to develop personalized plans. To develop a personal boot camp, dive into meal planning or get started with a 12-week weightloss program, contact Tvrdik at laine@nutritionbylaine.com. nutritionbylaine.com

36 SPECIAL WOMAN PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM 36 | AUSTIN | JULY 2018

ATX

WOMAN to WATCH

SARAH TONEY

OWNER OF ANY L AB TEST NOW

A

ustin native Sarah Toney is the owner of Any Lab Test Now, the first direct-access lab-testing company that allows individuals to take control of their health. While working in the pharmaceutical industry for more than 15 years, Toney got an inside look at the broken health-care system. She opened her first location in 2008 and continues to build the brand, now owning and operating six locations throughout Austin and Dallas. Her goal from day one was to revolutionize the health-care industry by making lab testing convenient and more affordable, providing direct access to more than 8,000 medical lab tests. She attributes her company’s success to the quality of care customers receive. She enjoys spending time with her husband and four children, traveling, fitness and exploring the Austin food scene. labtestingaustin.com

SPECIAL PROMOTION | ATXWOMAN.COM ATXWOMAN.COM | | 37 37

ATX

WOMAN to WATCH

AMBER CALLAHAN

FINANCIAL SERVICES PROFESSIONAL

A

mber Callahan never dreamed it possible to have her own holistic financial-planning practice. As a Navy veteran and PTSD survivor, she is no stranger to sacrifice and adversity. After battling a high-ranking Department of Defense predator against sexual harassment, she left a successful 16-year Navy career four years from retirement.

While her offender was given a promotion and a medal after being found guilty, the Navy League Woman of the Year nominee chose to start a new mission in 2015. Today, she is determined to use her story to empower women to speak up, fight and survive. After two years as an associate financial representative, she launched her own financial-planning practice, and is pursuing her securities registration and completing industry designations in a male-dominated career field. Callahan is committed to serving others and helps her clients gain financial freedom.

She’s a true decorated American badass. After traveling around the world three times, she proudly serves our amazing community with the support of her empowering husband. amber.callahan@nm.com

38 |  SPECIAL PROMOTION

|

ATXWOMAN.COM

Sponsored Content

HOW TO CHOOSE A DIVORCE OR CUSTODY LAWYER Divorce attorney Janet McCullar answers your questions.

BY JANET MCCULLAR

When should I hire a divorce or custody lawyer?

If you are separating from the other parent of your child, you should consult with a divorce or custody lawyer like myself. Sometimes these lawyers are generically called family-law attorneys. If you have received papers indicating a lawsuit has been filed, do not delay! Contact a lawyer immediately because certain deadlines are triggered by the filing of a lawsuit.

How much is my case going to cost?

This is a very difficult question to answer because when you hire me, my team provides you with a service at an hourly rate. It’s hard to say how many hours it will take for your case because there are a lot of factors that can affect the cost of the case. I tell potential clients that it’s a costly process and discuss ways we can minimize expense. It’s important to me that my clients are good stewards of their money. I want them to review their bills and understand what I’m doing on their behalf and to ask questions when they don’t understand. There is no charge for asking those sorts of questions.

What happens during a consultation?

A consultation is a time to meet with me to discuss your specific situation, and to receive guidance or strategy. It’s not uncommon for people to meet with me to discuss the problems they are having and to gather information about the process of a divorce or a custody case. Sometimes a consultation is all you need. During the consultation, I listen to you describe your situation and provide strategies or a process to avoid a lawsuit. I’m also listening to see if I am interested in working with you, and you should be doing the same with me. It’s important to find a lawyer who is a good fit for you, so don’t hesitate to meet with more than one.

Aren’t most consultations free?

No. Divorce and custody lawyers charge a fee for this important first meeting. During the initial consultation, I provide you with valuable information about how cases work and what I think should be done. Plus, I offer some initial strategies. Most lawyers charge the equivalent of one hour of their time, so that cost can vary, depending upon the lawyer’s experience. If you want to consult with me, I charge $550 per hour. I have associate attorneys that charge less per hour, but many people want to meet with me first, even though they may end up working with my associates.

What should I bring to the consultation?

You don’t have to bring anything. However, you may want to bring any legal papers that you have received or a copy of your last order. Sometimes people want to bring other documents for me to look at, and I’m happy to review whatever anyone brings with them to the consultation.

Photo by Caitlin Candelari.

What should I ask during the consultation?

I love when someone comes to a consultation with a list of questions to ask me, but it is OK if you don’t have any but just want to hear what the process of divorce might look like or whether you should change lawyers or file a custody suit. There is often a big disconnect between what lawyers tell you on their websites and what you might want to know. For example, most lawyers will tell you where they went to law school, every paper they have ever written and what other lawyers think about them. Most clients want to know whether the lawyer will return calls, has experience doing exactly what they need and what other clients think of the lawyer.

Janet McCullar is a nationally respected trial attorney known for her skill and success in the courtroom. She has represented clients in hundreds of complex divorce and custody cases. Although she represents clients during trying times, her cases are routinely resolved amicably to save the client the time, cost and pain involved in litigation. McCullar is board-certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She was also selected as a fellow in the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, an organization that consists of the nation’s top divorce attorneys.

The Law Office of Janet McCullar, P.C. | 3200 Steck Ave., Suite 300, Austin, TX 78757 | 512.342.9933 | jmccullarlaw.com

M

UST LIST

DISCOVER

THE HILL COUNTRY’S HIDDEN GEM

Spend a weekend of luxury and pampering with girlfriends at Hill Country oasis Horseshoe Bay Resort.

BY DEBORAH STACHELSKI

Located in the picturesque Texas Hill Country’s wine-and-lake region, an hour’s drive from Austin, the 7,000-acre resort sits along the shores of Lake LBJ. Horseshoe Bay Resort is currently undergoing a $60 million renovation that will include refurbishing all the resort’s guest rooms and common areas, and a shake-up of its culinary offerings and amenities. The second phase of the renovation is expected to be complete in 2019, and will include new amenities like a swim-up bar at the Yacht Club pool.

Two days spent here is all you need for those muscles in your shoulders to loosen up. The perfect spot for a weekend getaway, Horseshoe Bay Resort is close to Austin but offers a wild enough change of scenery to make you forget the last time you sat in traffic on I-35, especially once the first round of mimosas arrives with breakfast.

Be sure to set aside a morning for appointments at Bayside Spa. The newly renovated oasis offers soothing massages, invigorating body scrubs, facials and luxury manicures. A guest favorite is the Blueberry Bliss body treatment, which includes a full-body organic-fruit sugar scrub and warm wrap followed by a facial cleanse and body massage. If you are really going for luxury, pair it with the Blueberry Bliss mani-pedi. After the three-and-a-half-hour treatment, retreat to the relaxation room while cozied up in a plush robe and embrace the fact you have absolutely nowhere to be.

Lunch at Horseshoe Bay Resort’s Lantana Restaurant is a laid-back affair in a Southern Italian style and includes classics like chicken piccata, roasted branzino and house-made pizzas. Grab drinks and head out to the patio to take in the pool views and refreshing Hill Country breeze.

Save time in the afternoon to stroll the beautifully manicured gardens and get to know the resident wildlife. Horseshoe Bay Resort has a rescueand-rehabilitation program for birds and reptiles, and is currently expanding to accept more. The loud group includes a few cheeky macaws roaming free, 40-year-old giant tortoises, a bright-pink flamingo and several smaller birds. With the help of a handler, you can interact with the animals at the resort’s Birds of the Bay show and get to know how they ended up at the resort, what they eat and how friendly—or grumpy—they can be.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT HORSESHOE BAY RESORT • It’s situated on 7,000 acres of Hill Country landscape.

• The resort offers four pools plus the largest hot tub in Texas.

• It features five restaurants and several grab-and-go options.

• The full-service marina offers watercraft rentals.

•T he resort features three golf courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. • Condé Nast Traveler named it a top resort in Texas.

40 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

Photo courtesy of Stecker.

C2 Photography.

Photos

by Troy

Picture yourself tossing a weekender bag in the back of your car, picking up your best girlfriends and driving out of the city on a crisp summer morning. Your windows are down and the rolling green of the Hill Country still clings to the last of the spring wildflowers. The drive is so calming that you barely realize you have arrived at a paradise hidden behind hundreds of palm trees. Welcome to Horseshoe Bay Resort.

If your group likes to golf, spend a morning on one of Horseshoe Bay Resort’s several courses. Revered as a bucket-list golf destination, the resort draws avid players from throughout the world with its own airport and three award-winning golf courses, each designed by master golf-course architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. The oversized pool is one of the main attractions at Horseshoe Bay Resort, as guests leisurely lounge while sipping frosty cocktails from Café Del Sol Poolside Bar, soaking in the Texas sunshine until dinnertime.

After a short drive, you can find yourself meandering through the vineyards of several nearby wineries. Sample some of the best Texas wines from Spicewood Vineyards, gaze at the rolling landscape of William Chris Vineyards and stroll through 400 acres encompassing the Hill Country’s Fall Creek Vineyards. For a perfect girls’ afternoon, arrange a private tour with the resort or ask the concierge to assist your group with transportation and an

itinerary for a winery visit.

Surrounding the resort is Lake LBJ, which remains at a near-constant level, allowing for plenty of lake fun. Swimming, boating, kayaking and fishing tours are available just a few steps outside your guest room, and the resort has everything you need to spend a day out on the water.

For a scenic end to a relaxing day, take in the colorful Texas sunset while setting sail on a one-hour Sunset Cruise around the sparkling waters of Lake LBJ. Get dressed up for dinner at the Yacht Club, the resort’s flagship restaurant. The upscale dining room serves a menu of fresh seafood and steak, and has an impressive wine list. Order dessert on the patio and salute as the end of a perfect summer getaway unfolds along the horizon.

EAT AND DRINK

NEARBY ADVENTURES

• Summer Time Watermelon Salad at the Yacht Club Pool Bar

• Enchanted Rock State Park

• Prickly pear sangria at Café Del Sol

• LBJ National Historic Park

• C hicken-fried lobster at the Yacht Club

• Pedernales Falls State Park

• Hamilton Pool Preserve

ATXWOMAN.COM | 41

S

TYLE

THE LOOK

A SUIT FOR EVERY BODY

Our staff picks their favorite swimsuit styles from local shop Everything But Water.

PHOTOS BY COURTNEY RUNN

t t

t

CHANTAL

ALEX

Austin Woman managing editor

MADILYN

La Blanca Tuvalu Tapa classic bra top, $73; La Blanca Tuvalu Tapa flirty skirted hipster bottom, $75

Austin Woman marketing and events manager

“I love this swimsuit because the skirt provides just enough coverage where I want it most while also feeling light and sassy. The bikini top accentuates all the right assets and allows me to get a full-body sunny glow. Also, this print, which reminds me of a vivid swimming-pool tile mosaic, definitely embodies summer and poolside lounging!”

L*Space Ridin’ High classic bra top, $88; high-waist bottom, $99 “This swimsuit made me feel like a babe. I like how the bottoms fit my waist and booty (They’re real cheeky, y’all.) and I chose black because all black every day!"

Sunglasses available at Everything But Water locations and at everythingbutwater.com.

42 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

On The Dot digital marketing strategist Becca by Rebecca Virtue in Mojito, $124 “I chose this suit because I was originally drawn to the color. I think it works really well with my olive/brown complexion. One-piece suits are in fashion right now, which is great since they are much more practical for actual swimming. This piece does a great job of being both practical and sexy, with the plunging neckline, the crossing detail and side cutouts. I can’t wait to wear it to the next poolside party!”

t

Jets Australia by Jessika Allen one-piece plunge halter, $205 “I love how many cute onepiece options Everything But Water offers. I like swimsuits that provide more coverage and this suit is a great choice, with a comfortable fit and the perfect pop of pink to channel my inner Elle Woods.”

NIKI

t

Austin Woman assistant editor

Austin Woman creative director Maaji Charmed Island Lagoon reversible Sierra Nevada classic bra top, $72; Maaji Charmed Island Lagoon Exotic Beauty cover shorts, $68 “The off-the-shoulder ruffles are a unique detail I love, and the boy shorts make it possible to play in some waves without a wardrobe malfunction.”

LAUREN

t

COURTNEY

Austin Woman senior editor Vix Swimwear Bluebell one-piece plunge, $198 “I don’t usually wear one-piece suits but was immediately drawn to this one because of the bright colors. It fit perfectly and was super comfortable too.”

EVERYTHING BUT WATER LOCATIONS Arboretum: 10000 Research Blvd., 512.346.2682 Domain Northside: 3211 Palm Way, 512.833.9410 Hill Country Galleria: 12700 Hill Country Blvd., Bee Cave, Texas, 512.263.2537 everythingbutwater.com

ATXWOMAN.COM | 43

H

OME

ENTERTAINING

PJS AND PANCAKES

Throw a back-to-school breakfast with ease.

WRITTEN AND STYLED BY RHODA BRIMBERRY AND ANNA CRELIA, FOUNDERS OF LOOT RENTALS PHOTOS BY COURTNEY RUNN

Every year, our family gathers together with our neighbors and friends for a big back-to-school pajama pancake breakfast. The intention is to get kids back on their school schedule and to share the joys of starting a new year. It’s super easy to throw down blankets, set up a table and step out in your PJs. No big prep is necessary to have a great party, and the kids love it. It’s so fun for us to see neighbors stroll down the street in the early morning with coffee mugs in hand, ready to dig into a big hearty breakfast with those near and dear.

MENU Simplified: Make it easy, as you’ll be up early to start the party by 7 a.m.

Use your favorite just-add-water pancake mix and precooked bacon.

Self-serve juices and milk will do the trick with ease. Adding in some fun garnishes for the pancake station like strawberries, whipped cream, syrup, chocolate chips and blueberries allows guests to choose how to dress their cakes to their liking.

Next level: One of our guests’ favorite options is our doughnut pops. Doughnut pops are simple to make and are a great way to get your kids involved in the party prep. But make sure you are there to supervise so they don’t end up eating all the treats before the party begins.

We enjoy walking around the lawn and serving these on a remnant of pegboard from the local homeimprovement store. In fact, check to see if the store has returned pieces from other customers because the cost will either be discounted or free. The store will also cut the piece down to your desired size.

44 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

The back-to-school pajama pancake breakfast is a tradition that we’ve kept up throughout the years and will continue for years to come. It is a great way to reconnect with old friends and make the kids feel special as they embark on a new school year.

DECORATIONS Simplified: This is a picnic, so not many decorations are necessary. If you don’t have enough picnic blankets available, it’s completely appropriate to ask guests to bring their own blankets when you send out the invitation. For the food table, just a few stacked books and some fresh apples make for the perfect way to set the back-to-school theme.

Next level: Your adult guests will appreciate tables and chairs if they are available, or some low tables with cushions. Loot Rentals has all that is needed to create the perfect back-to-school pancake breakfast, including matching blankets and vintage cafeteria trays. If you want to take the stage to the next level, Loot Rentals also has cushions, biergarten tables and benches. A rented teepee is a fun addition for a kid-centered setup. We also threw in some vases with greenery from around the yard to liven up the tablescape. Asking your children to forage and fill the vases is another great way to get them involved.

SIGNAGE Simplified: A welcome sign and menus add warm touches to your affair. Use a chalkboard to enhance the theme.

Next level: We used Loot’s professor chalkboard, as it has a dual purpose as a backdrop and menu signage. We also created a wordsearch puzzle as a clever way to display the menu while including an interactive element for the kids to enjoy. There are many sites online that will create word-search puzzles if you provide the words. Just type “create word search” into your search engine to check out the free website options. Once the puzzle is created, print it out and recreate it on the chalkboard. Kids and parents alike will have a great time finding the words.

GET THE LOOK: ITEMS FROM LOOT RENTALS

DOUGHNUT POPS Ingredients Store-bought mini doughnuts or doughnut holes

Professor chalkboard

Kantha blankets

Gage table

Moroccan cushions

Pegboard

Biergarten tables

Leather poufs

Directions

Teepee

Vintage globes

Pierce the doughnuts or doughnut holes with the cake-pop sticks, display them and enjoy.

Ludlow tables

Cake-pop sticks

ATXWOMAN.COM | 45

Fostering Grace

46

46 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

Former foster child Stacy Johnson draws on her own turbulent past to heal others at her Round Rock, Texas, shelter, Central Texas Table of Grace.

BY RACHEL RASCOE | PHOTOS BY RUDY AROCHA STYLED BY ASHLEY HARGROVE | MAKEUP BY GERTIE WILSON SHOT ON LOCATION AT LONE STAR COURT

47

ATXWOMAN.COM |  47

LONE STAR COURT Kick your boots off and stay a while. If you’re nostalgic for the bygone days when travel was a true adventure, set your sights on Lone Star Court. Like the motor courts of yesteryear, this local boutique hotel features an aesthetic epitomizing Austin and the Texas Hill Country.

Located in The Domain near Rock Rose, Lone Star Court is a true piece of Americana, with attractive room décor and relaxing outdoor courtyards. Come on over and kick off your boots at Lone Star Court.

10901 Domain Drive, 512.814.2625 lonestarcourt.com

48 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

ATXWOMAN.COM | 48

At 14, after being shuffled between foster homes and family members, Stacy Johnson sought stability.

“After my ninth placement, I asked my social worker, ‘Can I go to a group home?’ ” Johnson recalls, “because I thought, ‘I’m just sick of moving around. I can take care of myself better.’ ” Her social worker warned Johnson of strict rules and limitations, but the self-driven teenager persisted.

“I was like, ‘But if I do my chores and I follow the rules, I could stay there, right? That’s where I want to go.’ ” It was there, in a group home in California, that Johnson first developed the dream of one day opening up a shelter of her own.

A therapist in the home helped her achieve emancipation by age 16, an outcome that completely reframed the teen’s outlook.

“I wanted to be there for kids in the same way my therapist was for me,” Johnson says. “He was in my life for less than six months, but it changed the trajectory of my entire life. I thought, ‘What if I could do that for a lot of kids?’ ” Today, Johnson serves as the CEO of Central Texas Table of Grace, an emergency children’s shelter in Round Rock, Texas.

In her leading role, the former foster kid and nonprofit founder builds on her past to provide a loving home for those in need.

“I can relate to what they’re going through,” Johnson says.

“There’s that element of trust that I get automatically. When they can begin to trust, they can begin to heal.”

Her Start

Johnson entered the foster-care system at just 2 years old.

Her grandparents, unable to care for her themselves, were concerned the toddler was being neglected because of her mother’s alcoholism. After that, Johnson ended up in an abusive foster home until age 11. When she found out her mother had been trying to contact her, she requested to be moved to Chico, Calif., so the two could visit. There, Johnson developed a relationship with her mom for the first time.

“She was my best friend,” Johnson remembers. “She was living in the park, and I would ride the city bus to hang out with her. We would go in the grocery store with her food stamps and get spinach dip, bread and éclairs.”

By the time she was 14, Johnson had been passed between nine foster homes, including unsuccessful arrangements with various family members. Throughout her tumultuous early years, Johnson credits her success in school to her voracious love of reading.

“The one thing I did consistently throughout my whole life is read books,” she says. “That’s what allowed me to get through a lot of what I was dealing with. If I read a book, I could be there instead of here. It was like magic.”

Her Realization

After moving to a group home in Paradise, Calif., at the age of 15, Johnson set her sights on achieving legal emancipation. The self-starting teen wanted out of the system, and she turned to her group-home therapist, Russ Hansen, for help.

Hansen ended up being an influential force in Johnson’s development. He helped her get a job at a nursing home and allowed her to work full time while finishing her high-school coursework.

Page 47: Alexis Olya sleeveless striped embroidered dress, $583, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com.

Drawing on her love of reading, Hansen gave Johnson the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. She says the book completely flipped her mindset.

“It was like he gave me the secret formula to life,” Johnson remembers. “It was this incredible lesson in taking responsibility for your own actions and feelings. It was about just being able to put the work in.”

At 16, Johnson went before a judge and asked to be emancipated.

“It was another defining moment in my life,” Johnson insists.

“The judge said, ‘All I ever see in this courtroom is heartache, pain and suffering, but you’re a success story. You’re going to make it. I’ll be happy to grant emancipation.’ ”

Her Stepping Stones

Living on her own, Johnson devised a plan to fill in the gaps of her disrupted childhood. Inspired by those seven habits, she devoured self-help and self-improvement books.

“I’ve probably read, like, every self-help book,” Johnson admits. “I love it because it’s showing me that I have control.

I can make my mind work for me.”

She remembers struggling to cook for herself and clean her apartment, having never learned how to successfully complete such chores in her childhood homes. She ate fast food for every meal until seeing an infomercial for P90X, a series of workout videos with accompanying meal plans. The recipes taught her the basics of cooking, and she later hired a life coach to assist in her self-designed path to a successful adulthood.

Johnson now attempts to teach these essential life skills to the kids at her emergency shelter. Upon arrival at Central Texas Table of Grace, every child receives a welcome basket, which includes The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, as well as toiletries, a flashlight, an MP3 player and, for girls, a makeup bag.

Her Dream

After working as an account manager at Kinko’s, Johnson began an almost decade-long career as a financial advisor in Oregon. At 29, she sold everything and moved to Austin with her newborn daughter.

While working long hours at a car dealership, Johnson found herself revisiting her childhood ambition of opening a shelter for foster children.

After settling into her new life in Austin, Johnson met Bill Krassner through match.com. On their third date, she told him about her experience in foster care and her dream of starting a shelter. The two have now been together for almost five years.

“We were in the middle of dinner, and he was like, ‘If that’s your dream, I think you should just do it,’ ” Johnson recalls. “I just laughed at him like, ‘I’m a single mom. I can’t just quit my job and start a nonprofit, but thanks.’ At the end of the date, he walks me to my car and goes, ‘Look, I really can’t stop thinking about this.’ ” Later that night, Krassner emailed Johnson an e-book with a step-by-step plan for how to open a shelter. Johnson read the whole book overnight.

“I was on step five by 10 a.m.,” Johnson says. “I knew this was what I was supposed to do. When I started doing those steps, it didn’t feel like work. It felt exciting, and I felt passionate about it.”

Page 48: Corynn one-shoulder eyelet dress, $398; Aforleen leather heeled sandals, available at Joie, 11700 Domain Blvd., 512.982.3261, joie.com; Mietta turquoise drop earrings, $42, available at baublebar.com.

Page 51: Kate Spade hibiscus off-the-shoulder cotton dress, $398, available at Neiman Marcus, 3400 Palm Way, 512.719.1200, neimanmarcus.com; black tiered tassel earrings, $42, available at baublebar.com.

ATXWOMAN.COM | 49

To begin her journey of building a home for foster children, Johnson needed a job with more flexible hours. She connected with Lisa Copeland, a local powerhouse figure in sales, marketing and fundraising. At the time, Copeland was a managing partner at the local Nyle Maxwell Fiat dealership.

Won over by Johnson’s story and infectious earnestness, Copeland gave her a job with specially reduced hours at Fiat.

Johnson also credits Copeland as an integral source of support and guidance in the formation of Central Texas Table of Grace.

“She was larger than life,” Johnson says. “She had plenty on her plate, but this woman stopped her life multiple times to do things for me. She always built me up. I looked up to her, and I believed everything she told me to do.”

Her Climb

“That was confirmed literally two weeks after I opened, when I got my first sibling group of three,” Johnson recalls. The siblings lived at Central Texas Table of Grace for two months while a family member got approved as a licensed foster parent. “They were only together because they were with me. They got to stay together in the most traumatic experience of their entire life, and I think that made a huge difference on the effect the trauma had on them.”

Johnson is also passionate about helping teenagers, who can have an especially difficult time getting placed into foster homes.

Johnson’s bright, clean shelter houses as many as 13 children at a time. Outside of school, the kids enjoy frequent trips to Austin’s Park n’ Pizza, outdoor activities like hiking and swimming, as well as an annual outing to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. After trying it one year, Johnson says she will always get the kids Flash Passes that allow them to skip the lengthy queues for rides.

“When I watched them walk to the front of the line with their heads held high, you could tell that they felt so special,” Johnson says. “I remember thinking, ‘This is probably the first time they’ve ever felt like they were first in line for anything.’ ”

To get the ball rolling, Johnson applied for nonprofit designation and began crowdfunding through social media.

“From being in sales, I literally thought I was going to go from business to business, tell them what I was doing and they were just going to write me checks,” Johnson recalls, “It took me a long time to With her frequent public-speaking gigs and laughing. “That’s not how it works.” learn that vulnerability fosters fundraising efforts, Johnson knows her Copeland advised Johnson to strength is in her story. She candidly shares get a building for the shelter space connection. If you can be open about the times she almost gave up along the so she would have something to with someone, they’ll open to you. way to opening the shelter. show people during her fundraising If you’re not closed off, other “It took me a long time to learn that efforts. The stars began to align for people won’t be closed off.” vulnerability fosters connection,” Johnson Johnson when she found the perfect says. “If you can be open with someone, space, a commercial building in they’ll open to you. If you’re not closed off, Round Rock with the welcoming other people won’t be closed off.” appearance of a house.

Johnson often tears up when speaking about her love and concerns In a meeting with the building’s landlord, Randell Casey, for the children at Central Texas Table of Grace. She encourages Johnson remembers bemusedly telling him her concerns. them to use their own stories to build connections with others, and “The first thing is there’s no showers for the kids,” she had said. to be open about their status as foster children.

“The other thing is, well, I don’t have any money.”

“If you can begin to not be ashamed of your story, you can use that Casey, the CEO of local security service CyberDefenses Inc., to your advantage,” she says. “The more that you tell your story and offered her a special deferred-rent plan. Doors continued to open people tell you their story back, it’s a connection and it’s healing.” for Johnson when John King Construction covered the cost of In recalling her journey, Johnson sees Central Texas Table of Grace’s the building’s renovation, and Austin’s Couch Potatoes donated path to opening as a series of miracles rooted in her Christian faith. Last furniture for the facility. year, the shelter’s reception of a True Inspiration Award from the ChickIn a final, nerve-racking effort, Johnson needed to raise $75,000 fil-A Foundation fit right into Johnson’s miraculous narrative. to cover three months of operational costs, required by the state At the award ceremony, the company surprised Johnson by for approval of the shelter’s opening. Johnson received just enough bringing Hansen, her former group-home therapist, onstage. The funds in donations from friends and strangers to move forward. two hadn’t seen each other since Johnson was a teen in foster care.

“I’ve always had a pretty good outlook on life, despite my “My entire life has come full circle,” Johnson says of the childhood,” Johnson says, her eyes watery with tears. “I knew experience. “If this one man never entered my life, it would be very there were good people out there. I just hadn’t met any of them. I different, and not in a good way.” had never had such overwhelming love and support. It’s literally healed my heart of every abuse that I’ve ever suffered.”

Her Story

Her Home

Central Texas Table of Grace has now been open for three years.

The emergency shelter is intended to provide a transitional home for displaced kids ages 6 through 17 for as long as 90 days. Because of a shortage of crucial housing for foster children in Texas, Johnson says the kids often stay much longer.

“I have not met a single one that I don’t just love with all my heart,” Johnson gushes. “They all have value. They didn’t ask for any of this to happen to them, and any damage that is caused by what has happened to them is truly not their fault. We’ve just got to help fix it.”

When opening Central Texas Table of Grace, it was especially important for Johnson to accept both boys and girls so brothers and sisters could stay together.

50 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

Her Daily Inspiration

As the CEO of Central Texas Table of Grace, Johnson shares her nonprofit’s message with multiple groups every week, as well as on grant applications to fund the shelter’s efforts.

Johnson balances her administrative duties with her goal of obtaining a college degree. She’s currently finishing up a degree online in public administration.

“I can’t tell my kids how important education is and then tell them that I never went to college a day in my life,” Johnson says. “I want to show them that the choice is yours.”

In the mix of paperwork, homework and hiring employees, Johnson found herself so bogged down in tasks outside the shelter that she hadn’t visited Central Texas Table of Grace in weeks. She quickly identified the problem and put herself on the schedule to work every Friday night.

“It reminds me every week that this is why I’m doing it,” she says. “Those kids matter so much. They are our future. There’s a lot of foster kids out there. We’ve got to raise them up.”

Johnson hopes to one day open a supervised living facility to continue supporting individuals who have aged out of the foster system, many of whom Johnson says unfortunately experience “failure to launch.”

Supported by Central Texas Table of Grace’s online crowdfunding community, Johnson recently helped fulfill a large Amazon wish list of baby supplies for one of the shelter’s former residents.

Johnson keeps in contact with many of the more than 200 kids who have lived at Central Texas Table of Grace. In remembering her

own childhood feelings of abandonment when former foster moms wouldn’t stay in touch, she struggles a lot with the impossibility of keeping up with every single child. Overall, she wants to think big to make sure every foster child feels individually supported.

“A lot of my foster moms have now told me, ‘I knew you were going somewhere,’ ” Johnson says. “I’ve discovered all of these things that I never knew were being thought about me. I need to make sure that these kids know what I think about them, which is that they’re all so special and they all have something to make it. If I do anything to change their lives in a positive way, then I’ve done what I needed to do.”

STACY JOHNSON’S FIVE FAVORITE RESOURCEFUL READS 1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens

by Sean Covey “This is the book that was given to me by Russ Hansen, my group-home therapist.

It absolutely changed my life. I recommend this book to anyone with a teenager.

Read it with them!”

2. Think and Grow Rich

by Napoleon Hill “This book was written in 1937, but it is incredible how relevant his teachings are to this day. It really drives home the fact that our thoughts control our actions. Garbage in, garbage out.”

3. The Art of Thinking

by Bob Proctor and Sandra Gallagher “I am very fascinated with how the human brain works.

Simply controlling your mindset is a skill you can fine-tune to bring amazing results to your life.”

4. Relentless

by Tim S. Grover “Talk about a motivator.

This book was amazing, a reminder that we can always be better. I was on fire after reading this recently. When I was done with it, I started it over!”

5. Crushing Mediocrity

by René Banglesdorf and Lisa Copeland “I am lucky enough to know Lisa and René personally.

I learned all of these principles firsthand from Lisa herself, but I can always go back to the book for a quick shot in the arm.”

ATXWOMAN.COM | 51

Hope

O UTR E ACH Four woman-backed nonprofits are lending a helping hand to those most in need in the Austin community.

OF

BY SHELLEY SEALE

Melissa first saw adult life on the outside of prison walls in June 2015. She was behind bars for 15 years, having been convicted as a teenager and sent to prison by the time she was 21. She basically grew up imprisoned. When she was released into society, she had never used a cellphone, had a driver’s license or rented an apartment.

Despite the odds, Melissa created a happy new life for herself. With patience and maturity, she built healthy relationships with her two teenage children, who had been infants when she went to prison, and is now thriving in a managerial job in the hospitality field, overseeing a small staff and a departmental budget.

Melissa largely credits her success to a program she participated in while incarcerated. Truth Be Told, a local nonprofit service organization, provides the transformational programs that encourage community

building, communication skills, creativity and self-care for women behind and beyond prison walls.

“Truth Be Told is a no-nonsense, open, loving, forgiving place to breathe again, and I honor the program and I owe my life to the volunteers,” Melissa says. “Through all of my searching and longing, through my walk with God, through my education and my family and friends, this class, by far, touched me and opened my soul and allowed me to heal myself, to be my own friend, to love myself, to be free of the pain and burdens that had held me down for so long. The resentment and the betrayals, I finally could let them go. I still, to this day, use this experience as a joy and a lifesaver.”

Truth Be Told is one of several woman-backed organizations carrying out truly life-transforming work through one unifying mission: to lend a helping hand to an overlooked portion of the population.

Melissa was a class member of Truth Be Told’s program called Talk to Me, a 16-week series that focuses on helping female inmates get in touch with their feelings and own their stories, and encourages sharing those stories with others through expressive writing, expressive movement and public speaking.

These classes, like the others offered by Truth Be Told, are meant to build a safe and healing community.

Executive Director Katie Ford says Melissa effectively utilized the self-care, communication and community-building skills she learned through Truth Be Told to create a flourishing life after prison.

“I’ve witnessed over and over again the transformation that takes place when a woman discovers her personal worth,” Ford says. “When a woman understands her worth, her whole world changes—because she has changed.”

Ford, who comes from a journalism background, says she wasn’t traditionally groomed to be the executive director of a nonprofit. However, she realizes “her gifts as a storyteller and a communicator” are exactly what she needed to inspire people to become change-makers for justice-involved women.

Ford initially became involved in the organization when she agreed to be a “respectful witness” at a Truth Be Told program graduation inside Lockhart Correctional Facility.

“It was life-changing in that it opened my eyes to a population I’d never considered before,” she recalls, noting she was moved to become a volunteer facilitator for the Talk to Me course. “It only took a semester of listening to the women’s stories to hear the common narrative thread of abuse, addiction and incarceration.

Once I was awake to this reality, I couldn’t go back to sleep, so to speak. I knew that empowering women to change this imprisoning narrative would be my life’s work.”

For the incarcerated women served by Truth Be Told programs, a key aspect comes in breaking these cycles of abuse and addressing the unique risk factors that lead women into the criminal-justice system, namely elevated rates of interpersonal 52 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

violence, controlled-substance abuse and histories of childhood sexual and physical abuse. Studies show about 75 percent of incarcerated women were abused as children. But after listening to the stories of incarcerated women for almost nine years, Ford estimates that figure is closer to 95 percent.

“Truth Be Told addresses a documented service gap in the correctional system for gender-responsive programs, or programs designed by women for women,” Ford says. “The correctional system was designed mostly with men in mind. We incarcerate about 2.3 million people in the United States, and women only make up about 220,000 of that population. However, women are getting incarcerated at nearly twice the rate of men.

The number of women under custody has skyrocketed 834 percent since 1978.”

Empowering these women on a path to healing their trauma has a ripple effect for the next generation because seven of 10 women served by Truth Be Told are mothers. And when a child has an incarcerated parent, the likelihood of that child being incarcerated in his or her lifetime escalates to 70 percent, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

“Trauma not transformed is trauma transferred,” Ford says.

“When you empower a woman, you empower a community.”

She saw this come full circle when she accompanied Melissa back into Lockhart Correctional to speak to Talk to Me graduates as a free woman.

“It was amazing to experience this moment with Melissa, she and I entering and leaving the prison together as free citizens, volunteering our time to uplift the women inside,” Ford says.

“Who better to speak on the need for gender-responsive programs and policies in women’s facilities than the women who have been impacted by the system? It was so powerful for our graduates to see one of their own in a leadership role and achieving a milestone in her life. We want them to realize that their stories—their voices—continue to matter out here in the free world.

* The names of the women helped by the nonprofits featured in this story have been shortened or changed to protect their identity.

Photo courtesy of Truth Be Told.

TRUTH BE TOLD

“”

TRAUMA NOT TRANSFORMED IS TRAUMA TRANSFERRED. WHEN YOU EMPOWER A WOMAN, YOU EMPOWER A COMMUNITY. —KATIE FORD

ATXWOMAN.COM | 53

FREEHAND ARTS PROJECT This is another nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the creative arts to people incarcerated in Texas jails and prisons.

Freehand Arts Project seeks out and trains highly qualified teaching artists to hold weekly or biweekly creative-writing and visual-arts classes inside correctional facilities, where students are encouraged to express themselves by creating stories, poems and visual art among a safe community.

Kelsey Shipman founded Freehand Arts Project in 2014 after she spent time volunteering at the Travis County Correctional Complex teaching poetry. A poet since childhood, Shipman was inspired by some of her favorite writers who had worked inside jails, and longed to share the power of the written word with people incarcerated locally.

“Though I was working alone, there was so much interest from inmates that I decided to reach out to some friends to see if they wanted to teach with me,” Shipman recalls. “After a few years, interest snowballed and the organization grew. I realized that it was important to serve as a supportive bridge between the jail and our volunteers in order for our programming to be successful.”

Unlike Truth Be Told, Freehand Arts Project serves both men and women, but does put an emphasis on reaching out to female inmates with consistent art programming since it’s a population Shipman says is largely underserved.

“When women go to jail, children and families still in the outside world suffer tremendously,” she says. “Our program strives to address the deep wounds found in the incarceration system by providing a safe avenue for self-reflection, the opportunity to develop emotional awareness and a supportive community. Our classes give women an experience of control and introspection through art, allowing them to engage in the world more confidently and authentically.”

Shipman and her fellow volunteers work to give women the confidence to realize their stories are worth telling. They teach these women they’ve got something worthwhile to give, and help them develop a sense of worth within themselves.

Vivian is one of Shipman’s most memorable students, focused and cheery and serious about making the most of her time in jail.

Vivian attended her first poetry class on a whim and ended up staying for six months.

“She became very engaged in class,” Shipman says, “asking for additional readings, always sharing her work and encouraging other inmates to attend. We developed a strong bond that continues to this day, and I am happy to say that she really is a success story. Our classes not only gave her time outside of the cramped jail dormitories, but gave her an avenue of selfexpression that she’d been craving. She’s been out of jail for a long time now and has a successful career in the medical industry.”

—KELSEY SHIPMAN

54 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

Photo courtesy of Freehand Arts Project.

“”

OUR PROGRAM STRIVES TO ADDRESS THE DEEP WOUNDS FOUND IN THE INCARCERATION SYSTEM BY PROVIDING A SAFE AVENUE FOR SELF-REFLECTION, THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP EMOTIONAL AWARENESS AND A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY. OUR CLASSES GIVE WOMEN AN EXPERIENCE OF CONTROL AND INTROSPECTION THROUGH ART, ALLOWING THEM TO ENGAGE IN THE WORLD MORE CONFIDENTLY AND AUTHENTICALLY.

AUSTIN ANGELS LOVE BOX Carol was a loving and devoted foster mother to five children who were distant relatives, two of whom she had never met until they were placed in her care. She raised them on her own since they were toddlers and came to the decision to adopt them. In spite of her commitment, she quickly ran into obstacles.

Because the children were in Carol’s care as a kinship placement, she did not receive the same financial support an unrelated foster parent would. And the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services would not allow the adoption to take place because of the living conditions of Carol’s home. As a single mom, she had just enough money to break even every month, and if anything was left over, it went to the kids. Her home desperately needed some repairs or the children would most likely be removed and enter the foster-care system once again.

In stepped Austin Angels, a nonprofit that supports children in foster care and their caretakers through intentional giving, mentorship and relationship building. Its Love Box program matches foster families like Carol’s with volunteers who provide much-needed financial and emotional support. Five months after Carol was matched with a Love Box group, $26,000 was raised in support of her family, allowing for the purchase of a new manufactured home in the children’s school district. It was a gift that enabled Carol to adopt the kids so they could become a forever family.

“My Love Box group is like family. It feels as if they are fostering me,” Carol says. “They are an answered prayer. I prayed for a miracle, for an angel, and he sent me my angels, my Austin Angels.”

Susan Ramirez, CEO and founder of Austin Angels, says the gift allowed Carol to focus on what she does best: being a loving mother. It also meant she didn’t have to worry about her children being pulled from her because of the conditions of her home.

“There is a beautiful margin of people who are called to adopt, and a beautiful margin of people who are called to foster, but then there is this huge portion of people who see this big need but don’t know how they can be a part of the solution,” Ramirez says.

“So, we created a nonprofit that gives people the ability to walk alongside children in the foster-care system and truly change how they experience care. Every single day, we are actively fighting for the children in our community, as well as the 400,000-plus children nationally who are in the foster-care system.”

While not everyone is called to foster or adopt, Ramirez believes everyone can still make a vital difference in the lives of children in the system.

“Being a foster parent is such a hard job,” she says. “We have created a space where volunteers can come alongside these families, support them, lift them up and ultimately, make a difference in the lives of the sweet babies they care for.”

More than 40 percent of the foster families Austin Angels serves are headed by single mothers like Carol, and an even higher percentage of the group’s volunteers are women.

“It is a well-known fact that women are more philanthropic.

They give more money and spend more time on charitable causes than men do,” Ramirez says.

Her organization’s two main goals are to strengthen families and help the children it serves develop a sense of identity. After having been separated from their families—sources of comfort and familiarity, regardless of whether they are actually safe— and moved from home to home, children usually aren’t able to form a clear identity and often feel as if they don’t really matter to anyone.

“These goals go hand in hand,” Ramirez says. “We believe that every child deserves to grow up to be great, and are passionate about giving our children the tools to do so. We strengthen the family by building community and by providing support so families know they’re not in the journey alone.”

This creates opportunities for these children to know their greatness.

“We are creating opportunities to erase the identities they’ve been labeled with,” she says, “and giving them the chance to be known instead as beloved, special, unique and worthy.”

Photo courtesy of Austin Angels.

“”

MY LOVE BOX GROUP IS LIKE FAMILY. IT FEELS AS IF THEY ARE FOSTERING ME. THEY ARE AN ANSWERED PRAYER. I PRAYED FOR A MIRACLE, FOR AN ANGEL, AND HE SENT ME MY ANGELS, MY AUSTIN ANGELS. —CAROL

ATXWOMAN.COM | 55

IMAGINE ART For Debbie Kizer, founder and executive director of Imagine paintings, drawings, digital art, ceramics and fused glass. Daily life Art, the organization’s offerings developed out of her personal at the studio is “controlled chaos,” with people coming in and out, experiences. Newly in recovery for drug addiction, Kizer was making art, gardening, eating meals together and showing off their diagnosed with a mental illness in 1996. She had previously dabbled talents on the gallery walls. in the arts and went back to the arts to help on her journey to heal.

“Over 21 years, the Imagine Art community has grown to “Imagine Art’s formation came as a result of my exploring my be a strong and diverse group of artists, both with and without own needs, desires, dreams and wishes,” Kizer says. “The nonprofit disabilities,” Kizer says. “And together, they are making a became a saving grace for me personally. It became my own significant impact in and beyond the arts.” community of authentic family. I consider myself to be a first fruit The organization has grown organically, evolving to provide of the organization.” services that meet needs as they arise. For example, hunger was an Previously, Kizer worked in the disability community, serving as issue among those it serves, so Imagine Art began providing free a consultant in the areas of developmental disability, employment hot lunches for as many as 30 artists each day. Members’ needs for and systems change. This background, along with her personal transportation, residential support and specialized services such as experience and passion for art, intersected in the creation of counseling and nursing led to contracts with Medicaid, Medicare, Imagine Art as a faith-based community for artists with and and Health and Human Services, which offer long-term care. without disabilities. The organization offers an inclusive space “The provision of long-term care has been an unexpected where all artists thrive. service of the organization, and I am finding it to be vital to While Imagine both the community and Art’s programs are to the maturity of the open to anyone, the nonprofit,” Kizer says. “We group’s mission—and are employing transformed BRIDGING THE ARTS, MINISTRY, LONG-TERM Kizer’s openhearted artists with and without CARE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SUCH A enthusiasm for artists disabilities to be caregivers with disabilities—puts for long-term care services.

WAY THAT IS INNOVATIVE AND PROGRESSIVE, a focus on providing Our services are progressive INCLUSIVE AND CREATIVE IS A VITAL ASPECT TO and innovative because they additional support services to ensure those driven by people who THE WORK THAT IMAGINE ART IS UNDERTAKING. are particular artists are have been transformed by the —DEBBIE KIZER successful. Artists with work of Imagine Art.” disabilities have access Affordable housing is the to the organization’s studio and professional art supplies free of next pressing need, and Imagine Art is now positioning itself for charge, and also receive support from an artistic director and the development of a 5-acre live-and-make campus in East Austin. volunteer mentors. Non-disabled artists keep the space balanced “Bridging the arts, ministry, long-term care and affordable and inclusive. They are given the opportunity and community housing in such a way that is innovative and progressive, inclusive resources to grow and transform as well, and can rent studio space, and creative is a vital aspect to the work that Imagine Art is volunteer or become residents by bartering in exchange for free undertaking,” Kizer says. “The organization is pioneering and studio space. cutting a path to demonstrate change that will impact long-term The Imagine Art studio is an open-model space. Here, artists care systems, art-space development, economic development for work without walls. Throughout the gallery, displayed are hard-to-employ people and affordable housing.”

“”

Ceramist Traci Ward joined Imagine Art as a non-disabled artist in 2016 to volunteer in the ceramics studio. Her natural skills in marketing and public relations led her to develop workshops for the organization, and she is currently working to launch a ceramics series using Imagine Art’s studio space as a launch pad.

Ward’s line of artistic pottery and statement jewelry can be found at the Blanton Museum of Art and in many stores throughout Austin, as well as at her Little Clay Studio.

“Imagine Art embodies the spirit of creativity and community in its daily functions,” Ward says. “As a volunteer, you naturally help when a need aligns with your skill. As an artist, your craft grows within the freedom to explore the spacious studio, and as a member, you’re embraced as a part of the Imagine Art family.

Imagine Art is an Austin gem for local artists and art enthusiasts.”

56 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

Photo by David Carrales.

WORKING WITH IMAGINE ART

AUSTIN WOMAN’S 2018 ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

PRESENTED BY:

WESTIN AT THE DOMAIN | OCTOBER 5, 2018 | 9 A.M. TO 6 P.M.

JOIN US FOR A FULL DAY OF

empowerment

MORNING WORKSHOP

NETWORKING HOUR

LUNCHEON & PANEL

AFTER PARTIES

TICKETS ON SALE AUGUST 1 SPONSORED BY:

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE. PLEASE CONTACT SALES@AWMEDIAINC.COM OR CALL 512.328.2421

G

OURMET

RECIPE REVEAL

TURN THE BEET AROUND

Add some zest to your summer crudités with Irene’s beet hummus.

BY LAUREN JONES Irene’s Executive Chef Andrew Curren shares this tasty and healthy recipe for one of the restaurant’s summertime staples.

ROASTED BEETS Ingredients 1 pound beets, chopped 1/2 cup sherry vinegar Zest of 2 lemons 1 bunch thyme 1 bunch rosemary 1/2 cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Directions 1. Clean the beets by removing the stems and leaves.

Wash them thoroughly.

2. C oat the chopped beets in sherry vinegar, lemon zest, thyme, rosemary, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

3. A rrange the beets on a sheet pan covered with aluminum foil.

4. Roast the beets in a 375-degree oven until they’re tender.

HUMMUS Ingredients 8 cups cooked chickpeas 2 cups tahini 8 cloves garlic 4 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon ground cumin, toasted

ROASTED-BEET HUMMUS

2 cups olive oil

Ingredients 2 cups hummus

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups roasted beets

Directions 1. Mix everything except the olive oil in a food processor.

2. S lowly add in the olive oil until the right consistency is met. (You may need to add water.)

3. Taste to check the seasoning.

58 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

1 tablespoon Good Flow Honey 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon salt Directions Combine all ingredients in a food processor and mix until blended. Serve with crudités and enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Resplendent Hospitality.

3 tablespoons chili flake

E BRING BACK TH

JOYS

OF SUMMER

Help us raise 1 million meals for families in need.

Together, we can end summer hunger.

DONATE TODAY

centraltexasfoodbank.org formerly Capital Area Food Bank

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

—

2 or More 750ml Bottles of

SPANISH WINE

*

July 9th–28th • Mix & Match

Be cool. Deliver a hot meal and a warm smile this summer.

Email volunteer@mealsonwheelscentraltexas.org or call us at 737-218-4260 to get involved.

TwinLiquors.com *Spanish Wine Sale runs 7/9/2018 - 7/28/2018. Discount off regular priced 750ml bottles of wine from Spain. Excludes Twin Deals, Bargain Barrels, EDLP, Ends in "2" pricing and sale items.

Some exclusions apply. Please drink responsibly.

G

OURMET

FOOD NEWS

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON CRUNCHING

Courtney Ray Goodson aims to bring people together with her family’s tried-and-true recipe for peanut brittle.

BY KAITI NEUMAN The first thing most people do when they have a bite of something delicious is turn to a friend and say, “You’ve got to try this!” Courtney Ray Goodson, founder of Uncle Ray’s Peanut Brittle, is well aware of this and firmly believes in the power of spreading love and togetherness through food. She hopes to encourage these same feelings in others through her great-uncle’s peanut-brittle recipe, which she believes was created as a way to spread happiness and liven up any conversation or gathering.

“He is Mr. Peanut Brittle himself,” Goodson says of her great-uncle.

Goodson launched Uncle Ray’s Peanut Brittle in November 2017. After a successful first holiday season, she decided it was time for the next step. Armed with hope, a vision and some seriously tasty brittle, Goodson approached various stores, knowing few, if any, would be interested in a product from such a tiny and new company. But then she caught the attention of Central Market, which featured her products in May for its Go Local event. She hopes to eventually expand by landing her product in as many stores as possible, but right now, Goodson is focusing on bringing her many flavor ideas to life. (Spice lovers be on the lookout!)

As far as product appearances go, Goodson sought to combine the old with the new. The brittle itself looks and tastes as though it could be fresh from your

Courtney Ray Goodson and Uncle Ray

Photos by Melissa Glynn.

Bacon pecan brittle

grandmother’s baking tray, except for maybe the bacon pecan brittle, which packs so much flavor that Goodson says it’s “the gift that keeps on giving.” Her brittle’s brown-paper packaging is simple and classic, with the slightest suggestions of modernity, giving the treat inside even more of the homey, old-fashioned feel that Austinites love. With a crunch that can be heard easily across a quiet room—something Goodson worked hard to achieve—this is a snack meant for laughter and lively conversation.

Goodson has not been alone on her journey of creation, receiving support from friends and family in pursuing this dream, especially from her mom, her mentor and Uncle Ray himself. She attributes much of her success throughout what she says sounds like “the most overwhelming I’mprobably-going-to-fail endeavor in the world” to the people she loves believing in her.

Goodson aims to pass on that support through the company’s Crunch for a Cause campaign, the goal of which is to raise awareness and funds every year for a different philanthropic cause. This year’s cause is cancer research and was developed in memory of Clayton Prawl, a longtime fan of Uncle Ray’s Peanut Brittle.

“The spirit of the brand, to me, is very hardworking, gumption and connection,” Goodson says. “And I feel like he was a person who had all of those things.”

After so much success in only a few months, Uncle Ray’s Peanut Brittle is just getting started.

“It’s kind of been a whirlwind, but it’s been moving,” Goodson says proudly. “Now I’ve got to keep it moving.”

60 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

Sponsored Content

DON’T LET THE WEATHER RUIN YOUR ROAD TRIP

BY CHELSEA BANCROFT

Texas is known for its crazy weather patterns. One minute, it’ll be freezing cold and the next, miserably hot. It will seem like a bright, sunny day, then an hour later, it’ll be pouring down rain. Mother Nature seems to have a mind of her own, especially during Texas summers. Be prepared for any kind of weather situation that might come your way by following these tips.

THUNDERSTORM If you find yourself in heavy rain, first and foremost, slow down and turn on your car’s headlights.

Rain can significantly decrease visibility, so turning on the headlights not only helps you see what’s in front of you, but it also helps other vehicles see your car. Replace the windshield wipers every six months or so to be sure they work effectively when needed.

FLOODING If you come across any kind of flooding, the safest choice is to turn around. Many times, drivers don’t realize just how strong running water can be. Less than a foot of flowing water is enough to move your car, and less than 2 feet of standing water can float it. If you can’t tell how deep the water is, assume the worst and don’t risk driving through it. More than one-third of flood-related deaths happen in a vehicle. If you absolutely have to drive through or think the water is shallow enough, drive as slowly and steadily as you can.

FOG When you drive into fog, do not turn on the high beams. High-beam headlights reflect off water vapor and actually decrease your visibility. Turn on the appropriately named fog lights instead.

Also, any time you have decreased visibility, you should increase the space between your car and the car in front of you.

HAILSTORM If you get stuck driving in a hailstorm, the best plan is to find shelter, whether it’s under an overpass or bridge or at a rest stop. You should also stay inside your vehicle. Hail the size of even a dime can cause serious injury, especially when blown by the high winds that typically come along with a hailstorm. If you can’t find any shelter for your car, angle it so the hail hits the front windshield. Windshields are made to withstand impact from objects better than side or back windows.

Photo by Shelly Borga, Dakota & Co.

TORNADO The most important thing to remember when encountering a tornado while driving is to never try to outrun a tornado. Get out of the car and find shelter. If you can’t reach a safe structure, your best bet is to lay down in a ditch or low-lying area, not under a bridge or highway overpass. Winds are actually higher under there and offer little to no protection, so only use these as a last resort.

HURRICANE In the event of a hurricane, don’t wait until the last minute to evacuate. Always go when officials say you should. Leave low-lying areas, as flooding is often the most dangerous part of a hurricane, and fast-moving floodwaters can be deadly. There is also the threat of high winds and debris, which can be especially dangerous to moving vehicles.

Chelsea Bancroft is the strategic-partnerships and social-media manager at Roger Beasley Mazda and a blogger at onechelofanadventure.com.

W

ELLNESS

WAITING ROOM

WHIFF OF WELLNESS

Find balance and harmony through aromatherapy.

BY MARY MURPHY

Imagine sniffing away your pain, smelling a headache to nonexistence or taking a bath that reduces feelings of anxiety and depression.

Does it sound too good to be true? It’s not! Aromatherapy, or essential-oil therapy, is the science of utilizing essential oils and other aromatic plant compounds to create balance and promote physical and emotional health. While it seems like aromatherapy is currently gaining momentum, it has actually been a viable practice for thousands of years.

The backbone of this ancient tradition is essential oils. According to the International Organization for Standardization, the international standard-setting body for proprietary, industrial and commercial standards, an essential oil is defined as a product obtained from raw plants through either distillation with water or dry distillation. Simply put, essential oils are the fragrant essences of plants.

So, how do they work? How you apply essential oils plays a crucial role in their healing capabilities. The most common ways essential oils are used are through inhalation and absorption. Inhaling essential oils sends a signal to the brain that aids in stimulating blood flow, improving mood and reducing respiratory complaints. Absorption, on the other hand, allows oils to disperse to alleviate specific systems and is most effective for pain relief.

While there are hundreds of types of essential oils used in aromatherapy today, there are core oils that are effective on their own and that can be used for various results. Some of the most common include stress-relieving bergamot, moodboosting chamomile, eucalyptus, lemon and lavender. Combined oils, referred to as blends or recipes, create a more powerful effect than any one oil would have on its own.

62 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO USING ESSENTIAL OILS Use a diffuser or apply the oil directly to the skin for best results. Note: While aromatherapy does not provide a cure to aliments, it can be used as complementary therapy to support conventional treatment plans.

FOR ACHES AND PAINS 10 drops rosemary 6 drops juniper berry 8 drops lavender FOR HEADACHES AND MIGRAINES 4 drops lavender 2 drops peppermint 2 drops lemongrass FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION 8 drops sandalwood 4 drops bergamot 4 drops rose 2 drops orange

Be Smart About (your child’s) Wisdom Teeth Wisdom teeth problems can really spoil your summer vacation fun. If your child or teenager needs their wisdom teeth extracted, choose wisely.

The oral surgeons at Austin Oral Surgery have over 45 years of experience and the newest surgical technologies to make wisdom teeth problems quickly a thing of the past.

Best of all, with 12 convenient locations in Central Texas, expert oral surgical care is never far away.

Don’t let wisdom teeth take a bite out of your summer activities.

Choose wisely.

Call 512-591-9557 today.

AustinOralSurgery.com/wise Cedar Park Central Austin

Dripping Springs Georgetown

Harker Heights La Grange

Lakeway Marble Falls

Enhancing Life.

Excelling in Care.

200

$

Summer Discount

Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation

Good thru 8/1/2018 www.austinobgynrwg.com

N. Central Austin San Marcos

South Austin Temple

Dr. Neyman is highly trained in in-office gynecology procedures and minimally invasive surgeries.

She offers a full range of gynecology services including: ●

Annual gynecology exams

●

da Vinci® robotic-assisted surgery

●

MonaLisa Touch® treatment for painful intercourse

●

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy

●

Endometriosis diagnosis and treatment

●

ACESSATM uterine fibroid therapy

●

Pelvic prolapse treatment

Sherry L. Neyman, MD, FACOG Specialist in gynecology/women’s health

(512) 425-3810

W

ELLNESS

EAT THIS, NOT THAT

TO GHEE OR NOT TO GHEE

Sidestep high cholesterol and opt for this healthy alternative to traditional butter.

BY CHELSEA PRIBBLE

It’s difficult and maybe even unsettling to imagine bread without butter. Based on a report from the United States Department of Agriculture, Americans consumed 940,000 metric tons of butter in 2017.

Yet the known adverse health effects of consuming too much saturated fat, including high cholesterol and heart disease, have led many to cut the creamy, fatty kitchen staple from their diets. If you can’t quite quit butter, there’s an alternative. Locally owned Tin Star Foods makes a lactoseand casein-free product that preserves the rich flavor of butter while filtering out the bad stuff.

64 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

Eat this: Tin Star Foods’ 100 percent grass-fed ghee or brown-butter ghee Not that: traditional butter Says who: Hima Pal, founder and CEO of Tin Star Foods, decided to launch her company after suffering a Crohn’s disease flare-up. After healing her gut with a diet of nutrient-dense foods and healthy fats, she launched Tin Star Foods to offer consumers healthier alternatives to traditional fats like butter.

Why: Ghee is essentially clarified butter that is heated until all the milk solids can be removed. As a result, ghee is safe for those with dairy allergies, lactose intolerance and chronic inflammatory disorders like Crohn’s disease. Tin Star Foods offers both cultured and uncultured ghee. Its cultured ghee is infused with lactic-acid bacteria cultures before the churning process begins, allowing it to last on shelves for more than a year after opening. Tin Star Foods’ ghee has a creamier and lighter texture than butter and possesses a high smoke point, making it perfect for cooking.

Keep the doctor away: Although ghee is beginning to appear on more grocery-store shelves throughout the United States, it has existed for thousands of years in India and parts of Asia. Not only is ghee an important staple of Indian cuisine, but it is also a key element of Ayurvedic medicine, used for its many healing properties. Chock-full of vitamins, as well as butyric acid and conjugated linoleic acid, grass-fed ghee can help reduce inflammation, balance hormones and cholesterol, and potentially even fight cancer.

A versatile fat: Despite ghee’s varying consistencies, it can be used exactly like butter or other cooking oils.

It hardens in the refrigerator and easily spreads onto proteins and vegetables. Ultimately, Tin Star Foods’ Pal advises not to overthink it, have fun experimenting and reap the innumerable health benefits of ghee!

Come inside the Bullock Museum for three FREE evenings celebrating culture, community and Texas history.

Art Night | July 13, 6–9 pm Discover local visual artists from Atelier Dojo as they create pieces in the Museum’s galleries. Hands-on activities include silhouette portraiture, weaving and stitch instruction, blind contour drawing, and other experiences inspired by Comanche Motion: The Art of Eric Tippeconnic.

AUSTIN’S ORIGINAL WIG SALON. SERVING CUSTOMERS ALL OVER TEXAS FOR OVER 50 YEARS. PROFESSIONAL STYLING

CUSTOM FITTING PRIVATE ROOMS

PERSONAL APPOINTMENTS

HAIRPIECES

WE SPECIALIZE IN WIGS FOR CHEMO & RADIATION PATIENTS

Presented in partnership with:

NORTHWOOD PLAZA 2900 W. Anderson Ln., Ste H | 512.323.9220 O P E N : M-F: 10am-5:30pm | Sa: 10am-4pm

Experience the Bullock Museum!

n Ln.

Burn

pa c Mo

Anders o

et

Exhibitions | Films | Programs

N

www.SERENITYWIGANDSALON . com

.

1800 N. CONGRESS

The Bullock Texas State History Museum is owned and operated by the State of Texas through the State Preservation Board. Additional support of exhibitions and programs is provided by the Texas State History Museum Foundation.

W

ELLNESS

HER ROUTINE

MAKING A RACKET

Hard hitter Bianca Turati is the force behind the University of Texas women’s tennis revival.

BY GRETCHEN M. SANDERS

Her victories have put Texas tennis back on the map. No Longhorn has earned the top singles spot in 23 years.

Turati, whose serve can reach 105 miles per hour, grew up in Italy and started playing tennis at age 6. Eventually, she would compete in every major Grand Slam junior tournament.

Her twin sister, Anna Turati, also took to the game, and their reputation as talented hitters traveled far.

One day, out of the blue, Howard Joffe, the University of Texas head women’s tennis coach, contacted the sisters’ parents through Facebook and asked if he could visit their home near Milan.

“I really liked him as a person and as a coach,” Bianca Turati says.

She and her sister, who enjoy playing doubles together but dread playing singles against one another, agreed to try Texas for a year. After an initial struggle with English, they found fast friends in their Longhorn teammates and new lives in Austin.

Tennis remains their driving force.

“I love the game because you can always turn a match around,” Bianca Turati says. “You can be down a set and 4-3 in the second, and you can win.”

She does plenty of that. Last spring, Bianca Turati was named the Big 12 Player of the Year and was the top seed of the singles draw in the NCAA championships in WinstonSalem, N.C. UT finished sixth overall, its highest team ranking since 2005.

In May, Bianca Turati was one of four women nominated for the Honda Sport Award for Tennis. The winner of that honor has a shot at becoming Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. Bianca Turati will also earn All-American honors this summer.

Here’s how this Wimbledon hopeful keeps her eye on the ball.

66 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

THE A.M.:

“I wake up at 7:30 a.m., look at my phone, and get breakfast; it’s the most important meal for me. I usually have an omelet.”

THE WORKOUT:

“We have team practice for two hours a day, six days a week. On every weekday but Wednesday, we do either a weightlifting or a conditioning session, which includes running. Before classes on three mornings a week, we have private lessons with Coach Howard. We don’t do anything on Sundays.”

THE DIET:

“I get super hungry because of my training. I try to eat carbs at every meal, whether it’s rice or pasta, and I also eat plenty of protein and vegetables. In Italy, I drink white wine with my family at dinner. I tend to cramp during matches when they get long and when I get nervous, so I like to have salt and electrolytes that I put in Gatorade. I drink water at every changeover during a match, and I make sure I get those electrolytes.”

THE GEAR:

“I play with a Head Instinct racket, and I use Head Pro Grip Overgrip so I can hold it when my hands sweat. Of course, shoes are important.

Nike sponsors UT, but I got permission to wear Asics shoes instead. I like them because they’re lighter, they don’t give me blisters and they allow me to slide on the court better. We wear Nike skirts and tank tops for matches and Nike shorts and T-shirts for practices. I wear a headband because it makes me look like a fighter on the court.”

THE MOTIVATION:

“I just love tennis. I expect a lot of myself and I want to do the best that I can in whatever I do. I enjoy being on the court and I want to be the best in the sport.”

THE MINDSET:

“Working hard every day in practice pays off in the matches. That’s my strength, to never give up at any point in the match, to stay focused and to try to win every single point.”

THE P.M.:

“I like to get enough sleep, at least eight hours. If I have to play a match, then I get 10 hours. When I don’t sleep, I’m not focused enough to do well in practice. Sometimes I watch sports or Pretty Little Liars before bed. My bedtime is 11 p.m.”

Photo courtesy of UT Athletics.

University of Texas athlete Bianca Turati takes care of business on the tennis court. The sophomore won 28 of her 32 singles matches last season and held the No. 1 ranking in women’s collegiate competition for nearly three months.

Ashley Alaniz-Moyer, ’14

documentary wedding and event photography

Ashley knew she wanted to earn her MBA and Concordia was the right fit. She learned to fine-tune her management skills and was given realworld experience, such as a capstone project with Student Loan Genius. Now, she is serving as the Executive Director of the Hispanic Scholarship Consortium.

BE A TORNADO

Take the world by The Concordia MBA

coreys-photos.com

ABBA WIGS

WE ARE RECOMMENDED FOR A REASON!

Maegan: one of our many satisfied customers!

Abba Wigs is an upscale wig salon with a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

We are licensed Cosmetologists with over 20 years of experience, specially trained in wigs and hairpieces.

We specialize in chemotherapy, alopecia, trichotillomania, and clients with medically-induced hair loss.

Highly recommended by oncologists, nurses, and social workers.

Private, individual rooms for our customers’ comfort.

1105 KRAMER LANE, AUSTIN TX 78758 • ABBAWIGS.COM • 512.371.3701

u

No GRE/GMAT required

u

One night a week or online - structured for working women

u

Locked-in tuition and financial aid available

u

Access to IncubatorCTX programming

512.313.4CTX concordia.edu/mba-awm

P

OINT OF VIEW

I AM AUSTIN WOMAN

FINDING PURPOSE IN COMMUNITY conscious of the dignity of every human being. I began to crystalFaith, family, leadership, learning and homelessness: My lize my priorities and how I wanted to live my life. life’s purpose is found in those five words. Each of us is on a Journalist and activist Dorothy Day once said, “We have all journey to discover our purpose. My journey has been filled known the long loneliness, and we have learned that the only soluwith twists and turns, ups and downs and even a few stalls, tion is love and that love but today, I know comes in community.” beyond a shadow Ever since that turnof a doubt why I’m ing point, I have been here and what I’m striving to live a life called to do with rooted in love and bound my life. My purpose by community. is crystal clear. But I returned to my it hasn’t always beloved Austin in 2006, been this way. deeply and irrevocably Sometimes in life, changed. Today, I am a we realize something woman of faith, a wife, a is missing but we mom of two kids I adore, have no idea what. a servant, a leader and Perhaps these moan unwavering believer ments come more in the power of comoften than we care to munity. Community admit. Occasionally, casts out fear, erases we reach a place in loneliness and creates our lives when we unbreakable bonds. are able to embark I have the honor of on a journey to find serving as the chief goodwhat we are missing, ness officer for Mobile and in doing so, find Loaves & Fishes, an ourselves. incredible organization I remember clearly that provides food and the moment nearly 15 cultivates comyears ago when I realI discovered depths of pain I never knew existed and clothing, munity and promotes ized something was dignity to our homeless missing in my life. It is the enormity of human need. I became more deeply brothers and sisters in a moment I will never conscious of the dignity of every human being. need. Mobile Loaves forget. In the weeks & Fishes also created that followed, I did a Community First Village, an innovative master-planned community lot of soul searching, praying and thinking. that exists to love and serve our neighbors who have been living on On the outside, I appeared to have it all together. I was in the the streets while also empowering the surrounding community into a final months of the MBA program at St. Edward’s University while lifestyle of service with the homeless. We believe housing will never also working full time as a high-tech marketer. I had a big future in solve homelessness, but community will. front of me. I was going places. Yet on the inside, I was lost, drifting, What does that mean exactly? It means every one of us is empowpurposeless. So, I set out on a journey to find my purpose. ered to serve. You are invited to be part of our mission at Mobile When I left Austin a few months later to become a full-time Loaves & Fishes. I invite you to tour Community First Village, volunteer at a homeless ministry in Phoenix, I found myself wonvolunteer with us, watch a movie under the stars at our outdoor dering whether I was running away from something or running Community Cinema and serve alongside our formerly homeless toward something. In hindsight, I can now clearly see all that I neighbors who call the village home. was running toward.

Who knows? While my journey took me out of state for a I found myself during my time in Phoenix, but that’s not all season of life, you may just find yourself and your purpose right I found. I found community. I learned to value my family and here in your own backyard as you experience the transformative friends more intensely. I discovered depths of pain I never knew power of community. existed and the enormity of human need. I became more deeply

Austin Woman features a reader-submitted essay every month in the I Am Austin Woman column.

To be considered for October’s I Am Austin Woman, email a 500-word submission on a topic of your choice by Aug. 1 to submissions@awmediainc.com with the subject line “I Am Austin Woman.”

68 | AUSTIN WOMAN | JULY 2018

Photo by Thomas Aitchison.

Woman of faith, wife, mom and community leader Amber Fogarty discusses her journey with Mobile Loaves & Fishes.

E X C L U S I V E LY AT B E N O L D ’ S

Austin’s one and only for more than 85 years.

2900 West Anderson Ln. | Wo m a n & L o c a l l y O w n e d | M-F. 10 am - 6 pm, Sat. 10 am - 5 pm | 512.452.6491 | Benolds.com

AUSTIN WOMAN MAGAZINE | JULY 2018

A hook. A door bin. A waste basket. A wireless charging mat. A 9” Sensus Touchscreen. They all seem simple, but they’re just a few of the design, storage and technology details that went into building the new XC40. And they were all created to show your personality, store your everyday must-haves and streamline your busy lifestyle.

Stop by to see our newest SUV at Volvo Cars of Austin and Georgetown.

VOLVO CARS OF AUSTIN | NEW LOCATION: 7216 N. IH-35 • 866-974-6096 • VOLVOAUSTIN.COM VOLVO CARS OF GEORGETOWN | 7501 S IH-35 (EXIT 257) • 866-455-9829 • VOLVOGEORGETOWN.COM ©2018 Volvo Cars of North America, LLC. The Iron Mark is a registered trademark of Volvo.

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” —Maya Angelou

THE ALL-NEW 2019 XC40 IS DESIGNED AROUND HOW YOU LIVE AND WHAT YOU WANT.