Healing   ·

Transformation   ·

Sustainability   ·

Wellness   ·

Mindfulness   ·

Safety   ·

Healing   · Transformation   · Sustainability   · Wellness   · Mindfulness   · Safety   ·

Our Story

2020 was a year of extraordinary vision and evolution worldwide.

We remained agile and we elevated our commitment to self-care. From that experience, an opportunity to work towards helping others make health and wellness a priority in their lives and in the community was evident. Because of our wellness experience, we felt anchored in the midst of all the uncertainty. 

In 2022, the Spel~Well Foundation was officially established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a dedicated mission; to provide resources that benefit and elevate wellness in our community. 

In 2024, we will launch the Spel~Well 100 Inaugural.…

…and provide mental wellness therapy, by licensed therapists, to our first 100 women. Our wellness has always been the cornerstone of our mission to serve our community and our families. It is the anchor to support positive change in the individual and in their legacy.

Our Mission

“When the seed is well, so will its fruit be.” 

With proceeds from our annual fundraiser, we commit to giving to the education of women in our community and to enrich a legacy of wellness.

  • Through our collaboration with licensed mental health therapists, we offer resources to fund mental and emotional wellness therapy for women of color in the U.S.

  • We provide engaging resources that influence positive change in mental and emotional health.

Our WHY

Women of color face significant disparities in mental health care.

Understanding why these differences occur requires an appreciation for not only the multiple roles that Black women play in society but also for the racial and social injustices they have historically faced.

Some mental health providers believe that they are some of the most disadvantaged people in the United States, often simultaneously experiencing racism, sexism, and, at times, financial inequality. 

Others believe that this same concept makes Black women one of the most resilient groups around. Both may be true in different settings; consequently, it is important to navigate these concepts carefully to understand the state of mental health of Black women and to optimize treatment outcomes.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Founder & Advisors

Carla Byrd Simmons

Founder & Executive Director

  • Savannah, GA Native

  • Spelman College Alumna

  • United Way Coastal Empire BIPOC Symposium 2022

  • Nonprofit Learning Academy Training 2023

  • Over 10 years in Creative Strategy

  • Advocate for self care and wellness

  • Commitment to supporting and serving others

  • Wife, Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Friend, & Soror

  • Woman of Faith

Executive Director

Lesley D. Riley

Senior Advisor

  • Yale University-B.A., The University of South Carolina-M.Ed. & Ph.D.

  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)- Georgia

  • Counselor Educator & Supervisor

  • National Certified Counselor

  • Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor (CPCS)

  • Wellness presenter and advocate

  • Mother, Wife, Daughter, Sister, Aunt, and Friend

Senior Advisor


  • Karen Bass, CEO of We Will Walk

  • Karen Brown, Lead Advisor & LPC, NCC, ORDM

  • Davida Campbell, Advisor & Coordinator

  • Tihera Clements, LCSS, Licensed Holistic Mental Health Therapist, TBG

  • Cheri Dean, Vice President, United Way of the Coastal Empire

  • Angel Fisher, Wellness Advocate & Educator

  • Pia Forbes, Communications Strategist & SME

  • Brittin Heaps, Brand Development

  • Talisha McClaney, Executive Producer & Creative Strategist

  • Cytra Parker, Solutions Expert

  • Michelle Reed, Director & Physician Asst.

  • Angela B. Sims, Esq., Lead Counsel

Lesley D. Riley, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, CPCS, Sr. Advisor

Lesley is a licensed professional counselor, a certified professional counselor supervisor, and a nationally certified counselor. She is a faculty member in a graduate clinical mental health counseling program and maintains a private practice. Her work with clients integrates holistic wellness approaches with cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused interventions.

Advisors & TEAM

Founder’s Letter

In 2000, I experienced a robbery and my assigned company car was stolen while working as a sales representative. It was during the day and I was in the parking lot at a customer’s medical office. On that day, the company car was taken, but so much more. The incident triggered high levels of anxiety and ongoing depression. Alopecia returned from about 10 years, previously and I had ongoing complications from fibroids. Needless to say, I was emotionally exhausted. In the midst of it all, I felt alienated and experienced retaliation from my employer. The silence from people in my work life and personal life added to this depression.

The “silver liner” for me was Yoga and Talk Therapy; the divine universe led me to two places to detox and to restore…..which offered healing. This cleared my vision to see that I had been faking normal like so many women. It’s so incredibly taxing on us when the isolation and the need for validation will cause us to take on the imposter syndrome. For me, it was learned and enabled behavior that fueled overthinking and low self-esteem.

So 2020, I had time to reset and to really see myself, authentically. Who I am and what wellness would be best for me was a refreshing encounter. I discovered that I could spell wellness for Carla…just for me. Wow, if I can spell my wellness, I could share a wellness experience that would influence others to do that same self discovery and self care work, with intention. It begins with asking and answering the question, how do you Spel~Well?

Spel~Well requires us to remove the mask and to refuse to suffer well, as if it’s normal. Spel~Well is the difference between a good day and good living! It is healing and leading others into healing so that the legacy is well. It is birthing lives that will be nurtured and reared into a life they don’t have to heal from.

I’m grateful to be the guardian of that vision and I’m grateful for the community that supports this purpose!

With Gratitude,

Carla 

DISCLAIMER

Spel-Well, LLC and The Spel-Well Foundation, Inc. is not licensed to provide diagnostic or medical treatment. We encourage you to consult with the expertise of professionals before implementing any recommendations.