From Sisterhood to Strategy.
From Healing to Liberation.
Sister W.E.L.L.S. Counseling, Coaching & Consulting, PLLC was born from sisterhood—and has evolved into a national movement for holistic wellness, leadership development, and authentic liberation. A shared calling upon sisters to reimagine what healing, leadership, and wellness look like—especially for those historically left out of the conversation. Founded by three Black women educators, clinicians, and truth-tellers, Sister W.E.L.L.S. stands at the intersection of wellness, equity, leadership, liberation, and strategy. Our name isn’t just a brand—it’s a blueprint.
Founded in 2017 by Dr. Charla Blumell, Dr. Shawnté Elbert, and Dr. Sherrá Watkins, Sister W.E.L.L.S. emerged from a shared desire to merge well-being, empowerment, and leadership into one transformative platform. What began as a conversation after a Minority Leadership Conference in 2014 has since become a thriving ecosystem of healing, strategy, and education.
Our services integrates:
Clinical and coaching expertise
Leadership and organizational strategy
Culturally responsive, trauma-informed practice
Together, they created a home for those seeking not just services, but soulful solutions.
OUR MISSION
To enrich lives and leaders through transformative wellness, empowerment, and strategy—helping individuals, teams, and organizations cultivate balance, authenticity, and sustained growth.
OUR VISION
To create a world where wellness and leadership coexist, and where healing-centered practices transform how we live, lead, and connect.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
At Sister W.E.L.L.S., we believe that wellness is liberation. Healing is not a luxury—it’s leadership in action. We center the emotional, cultural, and spiritual dimensions of wellness while helping individuals and organizations build sustainable systems of care that lead to growth, clarity, and purpose. True transformation happens when well-being becomes the foundation—not the afterthought.
Our Roots: The Founding Sisterhood
Today, Sister W.E.L.L.S. is led by Dr. Sherrá Watkins, who continues to carry the flame forward—infusing every keynote, curriculum, counseling and coaching session with deep purpose, personal integrity, and professional excellence. Sister W.E.L.L.S. has expanded beyond its origins to embody a reimagined mission: empowering women and leaders to integrate wellness into every dimension of their lives—personally, professionally, and organizationally.
With over 20 years of experience in counseling, higher education, and public health leadership, Dr. Watkins has transformed Sister W.E.L.L.S. into a brand that bridges the science of healing with the art of strategy. Her work spans counseling, executive coaching, and organizational consulting, helping individuals and institutions develop cultures of authentic well-being.
Sister W.E.L.L.S. is more than a company—it’s a commitment to healing forward. Through our W.E.L.L.S.™ Framework (Wholeness. Empowerment. Liberation. Leadership. Sustain & Shift.), we curate experiences, trainings, and tools that center the whole person—because leadership and healing cannot exist apart from one another.
We remain grounded in our roots, yet visionary in our reach—elevating the voices of women, leaders, and communities who are ready to do the work of becoming whole.
What We Offer
Sister W.E.L.L.S. offers dynamic, culturally responsive solutions in:
Executive & Leadership Coaching
Wellness Workshops & Masterclasses
Curriculum & Program Design
Speaking & Facilitation
Affirmation Decks, Journals, and Self-Guided Resources
Whether we’re working with individuals, institutions, or entire communities—our goal remains the same: to help you lead from a place of wholeness.
The Founders & Owners
Dr. Shawnté Elbert, Ed.D., MCHES, TTS, CWHC
Dr. Shawnté Elbert is a strategist, speaker, and visionary leader in public health, higher education, and organizational wellness. With nearly two decades of experience, she blends data-driven strategy with compassionate leadership to help people and institutions unlock clarity, alignment, and impact.
She is the founder of Elbert Innovative Solutions, co-founder of Sister W.E.L.L.S., PLLC, and creator of Dr. E Speaks!, a storytelling platform focused on emotional well-being and faith-informed leadership. Her frameworks—the W.E.L.L. Approach™ and PRIME Method™—guide organizations in embedding wellness, equity, and sustainable change.
Dr. Elbert’s work is grounded in cultural responsiveness and shaped by her belief that words can heal and inspire. Whether in the classroom, the boardroom, or on stage, she leads with boldness, empathy, and a deep commitment to advancing equity and transformation. She resides in Columbus, OH, with her husband and two boys.
COACHING, CONSULTING, FACILIITATION, TRAINING, SPEAKING
Dr. Charla Blumell, Ed.D., MA., CHES, TTS, CWHC
COACHING, CONSULTING, FACILIITATION, TRAINING, SPEAKING
Charla Blumell, is a Connecticut born, North Carolina resident, working in higher education in the Piedmont area. Charla’s role expands student knowledge and experiences in regards to the dimensions of wellness, attentiveness to inclusivity, addressing health equity, resiliency, and prevention efforts.
Charla’s wellness experience includes over a decade of teaching in public health at the collegiate level and in addition to this experience, she has been presenter for several local/regional colleges and universities, as well as the surrounding community, since 2001. Charla brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Sister WELLS working with adults on behavior change, through motivational interviewing and health coaching, individual and group. She is a subject matter expert in the areas of sexual health, healthy relationships, stress management, and self-care.
Charla is a certified health education specialist (CHES®), as well as certified health and wellness coach. In 2015, she completed her doctorate in Adult Education, with a concentration in health from North Carolina State University. Charla is a member of NASPA and SOPHE, and has also received personal honors from Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., UNC-Chapel Hill Student Affairs Partnership Award (2017), and ECU Leadership Awards: 40 under 40 (2018)