Janice Ferebee, MSW

Janice Ferebee, MSW, is an inspiring 70-year-old woman warrior whose multifaceted career spans more than four decades. Ferebee is an author, empowerment speaker, podcast host, public servant, youth development professional and chief woman warrior of Ferebee Enterprises International LLC, empowering the next generation of women warriors. She is the author of the popular personal development handbook series for girls, "Got It Goin' On," known as GIGO, and an engaging international speaker in the U.S., the Caribbean and South Africa. A two-time stage 2B fallopian tube cancer survivor blessed with more than three decades in long-term recovery, Ferebee has also endured the loss of all three of her sisters to lung cancer. Her life experiences and professional expertise have made her a sought-after expert in cancer advocacy, female empowerment, leadership and addiction recovery.

Ferebee's authenticity, humor and ability to connect with diverse audiences stem from a family legacy of service and have positioned her as a go-to figure in her fields. Her work emphasizes civic engagement, and she is a two-time D.C. elected official; cultural competence, as a former VIP docent at Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture; cancer education, as vice chair of the George Washington University Cancer Center's Community Action Council and a mentor; and addiction support and the empowerment of women and girls. She was the first African American models editor for Seventeen in New York City and has been featured on BET's "Teen Summit" and "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Ferebee is a 2003 Essence Award winner for the GIGO Empowerment Program for Girls.