ALPHA CHAPTER

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK

DR. WANDAH GIBBS

ALPHA CHAPTER COORDINATOR

Dr. Wandah Gibbs is an enthusiastic supporter of SWI who brings with her a wealth of knowledge, experience, and expertise.  Throughout her life, she has often faced the need to adapt in dealing with various situations.

She was born in Canada, and travelled to every single European Country before she was 15 years of age.  She and her family lived in the South of France and Scotland for a number of years.

After returning to Canada, Dr. Gibbs married an American Air Force airman and moved to the US into a completely different culture.  She moved to California, started a family, and then on to Germany for seven years.  She had to adapt each time and did.  In fact, she was living in Germany when the Berlin Wall came down and the Cold War was over.

Dr. Gibbs has a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations and International Relations, a Master’s in Television/Radio and Film Production, and a Doctorate in Executive Leadership.

She was Director of Operations for a large Educational Company managing contracts during the No Child Left Behind era.  She spent several more years both as Director and Director of Operations of student-centered programs both in the for-profit and not-for-profit worlds.

Currently, Dr. Gibbs is Co-Owner of WGW Publishing Inc. in Rochester, New York (Wgwpublishing.com). Since the company’s inception in 2018, they have published 40 books with many more in the works.

Because Dr. Gibbs’ research surrounds the way we prepare urban youth for the trades, she is also involved in residential remodeling, construction, design, and décor.

Dr. Gibbs and her fellow SWI sisters manage the dissemination of the Elrita Warren Peace Scholarship funds.  In November of 2022, in conjunction with a local not-for-profit, SWI sponsored seven families facing food insecurity.  Additionally, also in the fall of 2022, two deserving students, X’zaya Ivy and Tahlia Henderson, were selected as recipients of a renewable academic college scholarship, also  in honor of the late Elrita Warren.

Elrita Warren Peace Scholarship Winner

X’zaya Ceirra Javoneia Ivy

Graduate Student at State University of New York (Fredonia)

​I was born on May 19, 1998, in Brockport, NY, but was raised in Rochester, NY, by my grandmother.  I went to General Elwell S. Otis School #30 for K-6, graduating in 2010.  I attended School of The Arts as a vocal major for 7-12th grade, graduating in 2016.  In the fall of that year, I started attending SUNY Fredonia: School of Music, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music with a concentration in Classical Voice & Jazz Studies, graduating in May of 2020.  I will be returning to Fredonia this fall to pursue my Master’s in Vocal Performance.  I intend to be a private voice teacher and to also pursue my dream of performing on opera’s biggest stages across the world.

Elrita Warren Peace Scholarship Winner

Tahlia Henderson

Freshman at Finger Lakes Community College, Canandaigua, New York

I was born in Rochester, New York.  I attended the World of Inquiry School #58, a school that encourages “youth to take responsibility for their own learning and become active citizens who advocate for equity in their school, community, and society at large.”  My favorite subjects in high school were health and cooking.  Throughout high school, I played volleyball and softball and went bowling.  In the summers, I worked in youth programs through the Community Place. I graduated from World of Inquiry in June 2022. I currently work at Wegmans Food Market and Highland Hospital.  I will be attending Finger Lakes Community College in the fall and hope to become a pediatrician or a labor and delivery nurse.