Sherie Luevano, a US national, is pursuing an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Trinity Washington University. Sherie, 44, was born and raised in New Mexico and has three children, two now adults. She moved to the DC area to join her family and become a licensed counselor. She plans to provide mental health counseling in the area and eventually open a therapeutic daycare center.

Sherie obtained a BA in psychology at New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas. She worked for the Santa Fe County Corrections Department, becoming Acting Director for the Adolescent Residential Treatment Center. As a Lead Life Skills Worker in Corrections, she managed over 20 employees. While raising her third child, she opened a child daycare program where he and other families’ children could enjoy quality, affordable care. She worked with the State of New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD) division of Child Protective Services, as a Program Manager in the Domestic Violence Unit, advocating for victims of domestic violence. At CYFD, Sherie also helped implement statewide Family Peer Support Services. She was recognized by her peers as a compassionate and positive professional focused on the safety of women and children.

In addition, Sherie was a foster mother. She offered life-skills training to children graduating from foster care, supported foster care and adoption events, and helped raise funds for children and youth.

Experienced in male-dominated fields, Sherie views her struggles in life as positive experiences from which she learns ways to overcome and help other women.

Evelyn Sands, a 2023 MMEG grantee, was born and raised in Washington, DC. As of 2026, she is pursuing a BA in psychology at Trinity Washington University as a full-time student while also working at SOME, Inc., where she supports those in recovery with mental health and substance abuse disorders move toward stabilization. A few years ago, she was selected to advocate as a volunteer on the DC Behavioral Health Council for quality services to groups in underserved neighborhoods with mental illness, trauma, and substance abuse.

Evelyn's career goal is to help women become self-sufficient so they need not remain in abusive relationships or depend on broken systems to obtain care. She hopes to become a life coach to motivate families to their full potential and to start a wellness center—Destined 2 Spark—after she graduates to provide counseling to those who need it in her community. She expects to graduate in 2027.

Evelyn is recognized as having uncanny abilities to connect with people who have mental health challenges. Her own life struggles—a painful childhood and raising children with special needs—have helped her gain exceptional skills in handling her high stress profession while exercising self-care. She has gained a reputation for leadership and commitment to her community. She also finds ways to support wellness programs for mental health professionals in services like hers, and is currently writing her autobiography.