Wintley Phipps

Wintley Augustus Phipps was born in Trinidad, West Indies and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He attended Kingsway College, a Christian Academy; Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama where he received a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Theology; and earned a Masters of Divinity Degree from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. He also holds an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Waynesburg University and MidAmerica Nazarene University; an honorary degree of Doctor of Education from Wheelock College; and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Oakwood University. Phipps is married to Linda Diane Galloway Phipps, an RN, and they have three adult sons: Wintley Augustus, II, Winston Adriel, and Wade Alexander.

Phipps is a pastor, world-renowned vocal artist, motivational speaker, and education activist. He is the founder, president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Dream Academy, Inc., a national after-school program that aims to break the cycle of intergenerational incarceration by giving children the skills and vision necessary to lead productive and fulfilling lives. The Dream Academy program offers skill-building, character-building and dream-building activities in a safe after-school environment utilizing both one-to-one mentoring as well as state of the art technology to deliver on-line academic enrichment to children of incarcerated parents and those falling behind in school.

Phipps has brought his considerable skills to a number of organizations where he served formerly including the Scholarship of America Board of Directors; Miss America’s Outstanding Teen; and Prison Fellowship Ministries. For his work at the U.S. Dream Academy Mr. Phipps has received numerous service awards, among them: Promise Hero Award from America’s Promise; the Excellence in Mentoring for Program Leadership Award from MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership; the Oprah Winfrey Angel Network Use Your Life Award; Philanthropist of the Year from The National Center for Black Philanthropy, Inc.; 2019 AARP Purpose Prize; and the Distinguished Service Award from Loma Linda University. In recognition of his positive global impact through speaking, The National Speakers Association awarded Phipps the prestigious Master of Influence Award.

Phipps has been the featured speaker and performer for many notable occasions around the world. On Monday afternoon of July 27, we all paused to honor civil rights icon Congressman John Robert Lewis: the Conscience of the Congress. The Lewis Family requested Phipps serve as soloist and as he stood in the Rotunda singing, “Amazing Grace” and “It is Well,” his heart filled with gratitude for this remarkable life of one who answered the call to uplift humanity through advocacy for justice for all. In January 2009 and 2013, Phipps was privileged to serve as the guest soloist for the Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service of President Barack Obama at the Washington National Cathedral. On January 2nd, 2007 by special request of Oprah Winfrey, Phipps delivered an inspirational address and prayer for the opening of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. He has sung for Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, William Jefferson Clinton, and George W. Bush at distinguished celebrations. He has met the late President Nelson Mandela of South Africa; performed for the 2005 pre-inaugural swearing-in ceremony of President George Bush; both the 1984 and 1988 National Democratic Conventions; performed at Congressional Gold Medal Ceremonies in the White House for Mother Teresa of Calcutta and The Little Rock Nine; the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. television special; 13th and 14th annual European Prayer Breakfast in Brussels hosted by the European Parliament; the National Urban League; the Boston Symphony Pops; Billy Graham Crusades; the Vatican for Pope John Paul II; special guest soloist at the 1986 wedding ceremony of Diana Ross in Switzerland; the Rosa Parks Birthday Celebration at the Kennedy Center; and the Loma Linda University Centennial Celebration. He has also conducted lectures in Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa and North and South America.

Phipps served as senior pastor to several churches in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. He currently serves as the senior pastor of the Palm Bay Seventh-day Adventist Church in Florida. Phipps has performed on Saturday Night Live as well as Sunday Live and has been the special guest on the Emmy award-winning series Super Soul Sunday on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Phipps was nominated for Grammy Awards in 1988 and 1989. He is the author of "The Power of A Dream" (1996), "My Greatest Romance" (Love Notes to God) Volume I (2011), "Your Best Destiny" (2015), and founder of Songs of Freedom Publishing Company and Coral Records Recording Company. Phipps has attracted an entire new generation of fans as his performance of "Amazing Grace" has received 20 million cumulative viewers making him one of the most watched Gospel Music artists on YouTube.