Gwendolyn E. Relf, wife, mother, Social-Entrepreneur, CEO, and Evangelist-Missionary (Church of God in Christ organization).

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Mrs. Gwendolyn E. Relf has 35+ years experience organizing and developing activities for at-risk youth, women, leaders, and others in religious organizations and the community.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA.  She has additional courses towards her Master’s Degree and Certification in Nonprofit Leadership Management at Arizona State University. Gwen has been married to Wesley 39 years; she is the mother of 4 children and grandmother of 4 grandsons and 3 granddaughters. Prior to taking a leap of faith 18-years ago into the nonprofit sector, Mrs. Relf worked as an Office/HR Manager for Cintas First Aid & Safety in Tempe, AZ. 

Gwendolyn is Co-Founder and CEO of Rehoboth Community Development Corporation (RCDC), a faith-based non-profit organization and a ministry of Rehoboth Saints Center, Inc.  RCDC exists to Create Equitable, Healthy, and Sustainable Communities that impact and build intergenerational prosperity within Maricopa County, Arizona  and Canyon Corridor Neighborhoods

In 2004, Gwen founded Daughters of Destiny Ministry and PEACE – classes for teenage mothers and youth aging out of foster care that provided mentoring and taught self-sufficiency, independent living skills, personal and career development prior to launching RCDC. Gwen previously served as a member of the City of Phoenix Faith Based Initiatives Workgroup and PASSAGE Transitions Coalition of Maricopa County Advisory Council; she was appointed to the City of Phoenix West Phoenix Revitalization Community Advisory Board in November 2009 and JP Morgan Chase National Community Advisory Board in January 2010. In February 2012, she was appointed to serve as Co-Chair of Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton’s Neighborhood Advisory Committee. As part of her passion to promote economic and social justice, in April 2007, Gwen launched the Canyon Corridor Neighborhood Alliance to develop visioning and planning strategies, helping to revitalize and improve the quality of life of residents, business owners and stakeholders within the Canyon Corridor Community. Gwen is also co-developer of Rehoboth Place, a $7.3 million dollar 47-unit Multi-family Affordable Housing Complex. In June 2021, during a pandemic, Gwen secured funding to develop a 66-unit $21 million affordable housing complex, Rehoboth Place II.

 

Recent Awards & Achievements:

• Appointed to serve on the West Phoenix Revitalization Community Advisory Board by Mayor Phil Gordon, November 2009 - June 2017

• Appointed to serve on the JP Morgan Chase Bank Community Advisory Board, January 2010

• Appointed to serve as Agape Fellowship District Missionary (in support of Supt. Admin. Asst. Jonathan Logan) by Arizona Church of God In Christ Jurisdictional Supervisor, Emma J. Bowen and Bishop Harvey Young, Sr., May 2010

• Appointed by Mayor Greg Stanton to serve as Co-Chair of the Neighborhood Advisory Committee, February 2012 - 2016

• Serves as Chairperson of the Canyon Corridor Neighborhood Alliance, April 2007 to present

• Serve as vice-chair/board member of the Phoenix Community Development Investment Corp., Nov 2016 - December 2022