WBR Empowerment Legacy Foundation, Inc. was originally established in 2015 by Walter B. Ridley, former Director of the DC Department of Corrections and a lifelong advocate for dignity, justice, and rehabilitation. In 2019, the Foundation was reestablished and expanded under the leadership of his daughter, Ghia Ridley Hobbs, to carry forward his vision.

Grounded in legacy and driven by compassion, the Foundation exists to positively impact the lives of individuals returning home from incarceration, while also supporting their families and strengthening the communities to which they return. Through advocacy, empowerment, and connection, we seek to ensure that healing, opportunity, and second chances are not only possible—but prioritized.

Our Vision
Create a guided pathway from a past of incarceration to a future of promise and purpose.

Our Mission
Pave the way to successful reintegration for those impacted by the criminal justice system through Empowerment, Community Collaboration, Mentorship and Academic Engagement.

Ghia Nichol Ridley Hobbs is the President & CEO of WBR Empowerment Legacy Foundation, Inc., which she founded in 2019 to honor the enduring life and legacy of her father, Walter B. Ridley—a respected corrections leader known for his compassion, fairness, and advocacy for second chances.

Mentored by and working closely alongside her father at The Ridley Group & Associates, LLC (TRGA), Ghia gained a first-hand understanding of the deep and lasting impact of reentry support. This experience became the seed of her own calling—to reduce recidivism and restore lives through effective, healing-centered reentry. From that passion, the mission of the Foundation was born: to walk with justice-impacted individuals and families as they rebuild their lives, reminding them they are more than their past.

In addition to leading the Foundation, Ghia serves as CEO of The Ridley Group & Associates², LLC (TRGA²), a criminal justice and corrections consulting firm that provides technical assistance, strategic project management, assessments, training, and audits of jails, prisons, and community-based organizations. One of the firm’s landmark accomplishments was serving as Prime Contractor on the design and construction of the Richmond City Justice Center, where Ghia helped ensure the facility was built with reentry, dignity, and human-centered programming in mind.

With more than two decades of experience in both juvenile and adult corrections, Ghia is recognized as a national subject matter expert in reentry, trauma-informed care, evidence-based practices, and system reform. She has guided agencies and institutions across the country in strengthening their approaches to leadership development, gender-responsive programming, mental health, and community reintegration.

Ghia is affiliated with several professional associations that align with her values and mission, including the American Correctional Association (ACA), National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ), Middle Atlantic States Correctional Association (MASCA), American Jail Association (AJA), Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence (MNADV), National Anger Management Association (NAMA), and the Project Management Institute (PMI).

She holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from North Carolina Central University, a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Bowie State University, and national certifications in Anger Management, Domestic Violence Intervention, and Project Management. In 2014, she was honored with the NCCU Alumnus Award for Excellence in Corrections.

Today, Ghia continues to be a powerful voice for criminal justice reform, traveling nationally to speak, teach, consult, and advocate for fairer systems and stronger reentry pathways. Tirelessly, she promotes a vision of justice that is redemptive, humanizing, and deeply rooted in legacy.

Her mission is clear: to restore dignity, reunify families, and create the kind of community we all deserve—one where second chances aren’t rare, but expected.