Wanda Barnard-Bailey, PhD, LCSW, ACSW Biography

Dr. Wanda Barnard-Bailey, Deputy City Manager for the City of Chesapeake, Virginia, was appointed to her position in August of 2005. Dr. Bailey earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Recreation Administration (Recreation Therapy) and her Master’s Degree in Social Work at the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill. She graduated from Norfolk State University’s Doctor of Social Work Program in 2001 after defending her dissertation entitled “An Exploratory Study of Cognitive Behavioral Group Treatment Outcomes of Males Who Abused Their Female Partners.” She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with the State of North Carolina, a graduate of the University of Virginia’s Leading Educating and Developing Program, and a graduate of the Hampton Roads CIVIC Leadership Institute.

Dr. Barnard-Bailey’s career began as a hospice social worker and later, Home Health/Hospice Coordinator with Albemarle Home Care in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. She was the first school social worker for Currituck County Schools in North Carolina. For five years, she served in that capacity which included the responsibilities of the Dropout Prevention Coordinator and Alcohol/Drug Prevention Coordinator. Dr. Barnard-Bailey served as the Navy Mid-Atlantic Region Counseling and Advocacy Coordinator for Fleet and Family Support Programs. As the Regional Coordinator, she had the responsibility of overseeing policy implementation for the Family Advocacy Program (Child and Spouse Abuse), Counseling, Sexual Assault Violence Intervention (SAVI), and Victim Advocacy programs for eight installations in three states: Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

During her career, Dr. Barnard-Bailey supported the USS Cole Family Assistance Center as part of the Navy’s Fleet and Family Services Program, facilitated the Hampton Road Military and Civilian Family Violence Prevention Task Force in which she later served as the Chair of the Hampton Roads Military/Civilian Council on Family Violence Prevention, and assisted in the development of Chesapeake’s Comprehensive Plan for Youth and Children and Chesapeake’s Comprehensive Plan for 55 and Better. She is a member of the Chesapeake/Virginia Beach Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Her awards include: the Famous Former Girl Scout Award in 2014, Chesapeake Medical Reserve Corps Outstanding Champion Award in 2013, Hampton Roads YWCA Women of Distinction Award, the Chesapeake Department of Human Services Thirteenth Director’s Visionary Award in 2011, Ignite Chesapeake – Making a Contribution (MAC) Award, and the Martin Luther King Leadership Award in 2007, and the Department of the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Medals in 2003 and 2005.