Gwen graduated from Texas Eastern School of Nurses as a 3-year diploma RN in 1972 and with an Associate degree in Science from Tyler Junior College, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), University of Texas at Tyler. 

She was born and raised in an all-black community in Tyler, Texas, lived in the Dallas area since 1991, and she presently lives in Grand Prairie with her husband Tom. Raised as a Christian, Gwen embraced the Baha’i Faith since 1979, where she found her true purpose in life, which is to be a servant of God and humanity. She still works very part-time for a home health company, and she is a founding member of the Grand Prairie Unity Coalition. She loves working with children and has volunteered for years at a recreation center. Gwen has done racial healing work with a group called Dialogue Racism and she wears a few other hats. Along with her husband Tom, they started a non-profit called “The Pupil of the Eye Network.” Their mission is to educate themselves and others on the importance of health and wellness, and they are also focusing on the math education of their children.