Our Founder
SHANDA BROWN
Shanda is a Mom, multi-faceted Entrepreneur, Creator and licensed Social Worker in Maryland. Shanda has held leadership roles– developing and implementing programs which have served and continue to serve marginalized youth and vulnerable Seniors in Maryland in addition to entrepreneurship roles in the Fashion and Real Estate industry.
Shanda has worked in the helping profession for over 15 years providing services to individuals with developmental and physical disabilities, foster youth, victims of trauma and adults with mental health diagnoses and chronic illnesses. She also serves as a Field Instructor and Alumni Board Member for the University of MD School of Social Work.
Currently, Shanda works full-time as a Regional Director for The Community Builders – a National Real-Estate development company that develops housing for families and Seniors and works to strengthen neighborhoods. Shanda, is Baltimore based but her work in this role covers the Mid-Atlantic Region from North Carolina to Pennsylvania.
Shanda’s personal development and experience includes growing up in the inner city of Baltimore in affordable housing, assisting in raising her two late brothers who were both diagnosed with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus which inspired her to pursue a career in the helping profession.
Lived experience, education, and a passion to create has inspired Shanda’s vision for Zen LATELY Shanda understands that “self-care can be confused with self-indulging. Getting a facial, massage, and hanging with friends regularly shouldn’t be your definition of self-care! Self-care is a form of personal and professional development — an investment in yourself”. Shanda’s education and experience in trauma, chronic health conditions, social work, affordable housing, has ignited her interest in self-care, stress reduction, healing, and preventing burnout amongst helping professionals, front-line workers, moms, and those living in affordable housing across the nation.