Chandra C. McPherson -Gibbs
Chief Chandra C. McPherson-Gibbs began her career in victims’ services at the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office as an advocate. Those early years provided the basis for the service she has rendered her entire career – ensuring that the rights of the victims are protected. McPherson-Gibbs currently serves as the Chief of Staff with the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office. She is responsible for assisting with providing the day-to-day oversight of the daily operations and adherence to policies and procedures of the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office.
Prior to returning to the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, McPherson-Gibbs was a Department Manager at the State Office of Victim Assistance (SOVA) a Division of the South Carolina Governor’s Office. She served as a liaison to the Victim Services Coordinating Council and provided non-partisan leadership in strategic planning efforts. She also prepared regular progress reports and annual reports that are submitted to the Governor and General Assembly. She coordinated and served on the Speaker’s Bureau to provide technical support to agencies on their Victims’ Services Programs. She conducted site visits and provided feedback on Victim/Witness Assistance Programs to Solicitor’s Offices across the State. During this time period McPherson-Gibbs experienced firsthand the plight of being a crime victim. She was a victim of an armed robbery at gun point and locked in the freezer. This experience further ignited her passion for the field and dedication to supporting crime victims.
Before she went to work for an extension of the Governor’s Office, McPherson-Gibbs served as the first civilian based Victim Services Coordinator for the South Carolina Highway Patrol developing a policy and procedure manual for the unit. She was responsible for providing services to victims of highway crimes to include DUI, reckless driving, reckless homicide, and hit and run. McPherson-Gibbs was instrumental in the implementation of a statewide program servicing the victims of highway incidents in South Carolina. McPherson-Gibbs served as an advocate for Highway Safety awareness in schools and local civic organizations across the state.
McPherson-Gibbs is a graduate of the first South Carolina Victim Assistance Academy. She is a member of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Victim Advocate Association and became credentialed by the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) in 2006 as a certified Crisis Responder and completed the Advanced Crisis Response Training of September 2019. She is a graduate of the 2020 FBI Elevate Program for Victim Services Providers and a recent graduate of the EMERGE Class of 2021 a program designed to train democratic women to successfully run for political office. Throughout her career, McPherson-Gibbs has conducted and attended numerous trainings and special conferences. She has a vast knowledge of victim services and the protection of victims’ rights. She has also been granted certification as a victim service provider by South Carolina’s Office of Victim Services Education and Certification. She has served as guest instructor at several colleges and high schools providing awareness and education in the field of victim services.
McPherson-Gibbs obtained her B.S. in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Business Administration from Liberty University. She is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. She serves on the Safe Kids Advisory Board, serves as a member of the Orangeburg First Steps Board of Directors, serves on the SCState 1890 Research & Extension Midlands Region Advisory Council and serves as the Vice President of the South Carolina Victim Assistance Network.