Gwendolyn Henderson, District 5

Biography

A Tampa native, Gwendolyn Henderson was born on October 5, 1964, and grew up in the working-class Carver City neighborhood.  She attended Roland Park Elementary, Morgan Woods Elementary, West Tampa Junior High School, and Pierce Junior High School.  After graduating from Jefferson High School, she received her Bachelor of Science degree in education from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) and received a Master of Education and Education Specialist degree in educational leadership and higher education administration from Saint Leo University.  She is an accomplished and highly effective educator with Hillsborough County Public Schools and owner of Black English Bookstore. 

Henderson is the proud daughter of the late Asbury Henderson, a Korean war veteran. She considers it an honor to be the primary caregiver for her 92-year-old mother, Gladys Austin Henderson. She has one favorite daughter, Ariel Amirah, a graduate of Jefferson High School and Howard University. Henderson is a 32-year resident and pioneer of the revitalized historic Tampa Heights neighborhood, which she purchased with the support of Tampa Preservation, Inc., and the Mayor Sandy Freedman's Challenge Fund.

Henderson has been a member of Delta Sigma Theta, an international public service sorority for 29 years and serves on the Entrepreneurship in Education Advisory Board.  She is a life member of the Florida A&M University Alumni Association, Saint Leo University Alumni Association, and American Booksellers Association. 

In her newly appointed role on City Council, she also serves on the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, Public Safety Coordinating Council and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Committee, as well as being appointed board chair for the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).