WBR Empowerment Legacy Foundation, Inc. was established in 2015 by Walter B. Ridley, former Director of the DC Department of Correction. Our foundation was reestablished in 2019 by Ghia Ridley Hobbs for the purpose of positively impacting the lives of persons returning to society from incarceration, their families and the community at large.

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 Ridley Hobbs is the President & CEO of WBR Empowerment Legacy Foundation, Inc. established in 2019 to honor the life and legacy of her dad, Walter B. Ridley. 

Ghia was mentored by and worked alongside her dad at The Ridley Group & Associates, LLC. (TRGA), which inspired the mission of the Foundation to positively impact the lives of formerly incarcerated individuals returning to society and their families. Ghia knew early on that she wanted to be impactful and in doing so, she determined that reducing recidivism through effective reentry was her calling and the key to successful reintegration. She has aligned herself with organizations with similar goals of empowering and improving the lives of those impacted by the Justice system. 

In addition to her work with WBR Empowerment Legacy Foundation, Inc. Ghia is the CEO for The Ridley Group & Associates², LLC. (TRGA²) a criminal justice and corrections consulting firm providing technical assistance, project management, training, assessments, auditing of jails, prisons, community-based organizations, and reentry support. A milestone accomplishment of TRGA was serving as the Prime Contractor on the design and construction of the Richmond City Justice Center to ensure that the programming and operational aspects were conducive to the successful reentry of incarcerated individuals. 

With a Criminal Justice and Corrections (Adult & Juvenile) career spanning over twenty-plus years and considered a notable subject matter expert; Ghia has provided guidance and leadership in the areas of evidenced-based correctional practice, training and leadership development, justice agency and facility assessments, gender-responsive programming, mental health, trauma, and reentry practices. 

Ghia is active in several professional associations such as The American Correctional Association (ACA), Association of Women Executives in Corrections (AWEC), The National Reentry Network (TNRN), National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ), Middle Atlantic States Correctional Association (MASCA), American Jail Association (AJA), Correctional Education Association (CEA), American Probation and Parole Association (APPA), Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence (MNAD), National Anger Management Association (NAMA)  and the Project Management Institute (PMI). She holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from North Carolina Central University, an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Bowie State University as well as National Certifications in Anger Management, Domestic Violence, and Project Management. Ghia was the 2014 recipient of the North Carolina Central University Alumnus Award for Excellence in Corrections. 

Presently she is active in advocating for criminal justice reforms across the spectrum. Tirelessly she promotes, educates, and speaks about the challenges and changes that are necessary to reduce recidivism thus increasing the probability of successful reintegration after incarceration.