Galentine’s Day: the unofficial holiday for “ladies celebrating ladies.”
This Galentine’s Day we wanted to celebrate some of the strong, talented and remarkable ladies serving in our league. Better yet, we wanted to share stories of sisters serving in the league together. Meet some of our members below!

Alexsandra & Liz Martinez, New Members

When did you join Junior League and why? If you joined with your sister what prompted you to join together? 

Liz: Both my sister Alex and I joined JLSA in 2017. We both wanted to have a more active role in the community and with the recommendation by one of our best friends felt JLSA would be a great organization to join

What is the age difference between you two?

Alex: Lizzy takes the cake by being a 1 minute older than me.  Liz: No one can take that minute away. 😉

What is the best thing about being a member with your sister?

Alex: There’s a great comfort of having someone you know embark on your new member year with. We’ve both had our own experiences in the league, but to be out in the community volunteering together is special.

What other activities do you enjoy doing outside of the league with your sister?

Liz: We both love to travel and every year take a birthday trip together. During this time of year we have a tradition to try to see all the OSCAR nominated movies together before the awards ceremony.

Sara Briseño Gerrish & Rachel Briseño Bruno, Active Members

When did you join Junior League and why? If you joined with your sister what prompted you to join together?

Sara: Our mutual friend, Lorena Peña, had been talking about the all the awesome women in the League and their commitment to serving the community. I was in a point in my life where I was looking for more volunteer opportunities to occupy evenings because of my husband’s rotating work shift.   I had a lot of preconceived notions about the League and she really help me see past that.  Me being in my bubble and usually uncomfortable meeting new people, “dragged” my sister along for the ride. She is way more sociable  than I am.  I wish that I would have joined sooner.  We have really enjoyed our experience.

How does being a member with your sister add to your League experience?

Sara: We were put in the same cluster in our New Member year, it was nice to see a familiar face immediately in those meetings and be able to be comfortable enough to share thoughts and any concerns.  I can’t wait for the opportunity to work on a committee/council together.

Rachel: It definitely made our first year a lot easier! There was a lot to learn and it was great having a close relationship with someone figuring out the League too!

What other activities do you enjoy doing outside of the league with your sister?

Sara: We work together and our husbands also work together so we obviously see a lot of each other. When not volunteering for the League, you can usually find us at happy hour downtown, training for our next race or random adventures in our wonderful city.

What is the best thing about being a member with your sister?

Rachel: It’s great to be able to share the experience together. We both volunteer in different councils, but it’s great to be able to attend events together.

Favorite quote/saying about sisterhood that sums up your relationship?

Sara: My sister has the best sister.

Monica L. Trevino-Ortega & Veronica Trevino Tellez, Active Members

When did you join Junior League and why? If you joined with your sister what prompted you to join together?

Veronica: I joined JLSA in 2015. I was about to graduate from law school and I felt a need to get involved with my community. I also felt it was a great way to meet likeminded women now that I was embarking on my legal career.

Monica: My sister was the driving force behind my joining the Junior League and I thought this experience would be an opportunity to grow even closer while bonding over our shared passion to help others. I also knew if I didn’t join when my sister did, I probably wouldn’t have joined at all. She was the “safety net” I needed to dive into an “unknown” environment.

What is the age difference between you two?

Monica: We are 3 years apart.

How does being a member with your sister add to your League experience?

Veronica: My sister has really enhanced my experience. She’s held positions in the league I would have never learned about if it weren’t for her. Additionally, I always felt at ease at various Junior League events knowing my sister was going to be by my side. This ease helped my confidence and allowed me to engage more in the league.

Monica: It’s always great knowing someone at an event or shift you’re going to! Also, a lot of times our schedules are just so busy we aren’t able to hang out as often as we’d like – so when we have shifts and meetings together, I look forward to fulfilling my duties and spending quality time with my sister. It’s a win-win.

What is the best thing about being a member with your sister?

Veronica: My relationship with my sister has flourished and Junior League played some part in that. It’s a great opportunity to catch up with my sister when we’ve both been busy with work or various other obligations. Frankly, I always have a best friend to attend Junior League events with! She makes everything exponentially better.

But above all else, it’s humbling and inspiring to see my sister’s passion for community involvement and advocacy. She is an invaluable asset to the league. Her education, her drive, and her determination have created a leader and fierce advocate for causes and programs she passionate about. I get a front row seat to watch my sister impact our community in such a profound way through the league and  her career and through other businesses and nonprofit organizations she’s cofounded!

What other activities do you enjoy doing outside of the league with your sister?

Monica: We love brunching and exploring new wineries.

Favorite quote/saying about sisterhood that sums up your relationship?

Monica: “The best thing about having a sister is that I always have a friend”

Emily Gary & Sarah Wannarka, Active Members

When did you join Junior League and why? If you joined with your sister what prompted you to join together? 

Sarah: I joined the Junior League in Beaumont, Texas in 2005. In the middle of my new member year, I moved to Austin, Texas for my job. Austin required me to start my new member year over again. At the end of my (second) new member year in Austin, I moved to San Antonio for my job. My first year in San Antonio was in the Transfer Program. It took three years for me to be a regular active.  My sister, Emily Gary, joined the Junior League a few years later when she and her family moved to San Antonio. I joined the Junior League because I wanted friends that weren’t lawyers. I am a lawyer and wanted to have friends outside of work. Ironically, some of my best friends in JLSA are lawyers, but they are in different fields.

What is the age difference between you two? 

Sarah: I am 23 months older than Emily. I am 45 and she is 43.

How does being a member with your sister add to your League experience?

Sarah: My sister and I are best friends. I like everything more when she is there. So it is especially fun to do volunteer shifts with her.

What is the best thing about being a member with your sister?
Sarah: I am proud of the great work Emily has done over the past several years with the FAME Program. She helped to build the placement from the ground up.  I loved being able to see that. It is fun to have your sister to share the JLSA experience with- we go to Ole together, we meet up before the GMMs for a pre-meeting cocktail, we visit Goodwilll Stores together on Goodwill Sale Day, we go to I Love JLSA Day together, etc.

Sarah: Emily and I like to travel and take trips. We like to exercise and go to the gym. We love family time and family dinners. And of course, we like to sit on the couch and open a bottle of wine.
Favorite quote/saying about sisterhood that sums up your relationship?

Sarah: Emily and I are “sisters squared.” We were both Alpha Phis at Purdue University. So because we are both sisters and sorority sisters, we call ourselves sisters squared.

Compiled by Ashley Garcia,  Communications Publication Assistant