Tisha Erby is the proud parent of six kids, five boys and one girl. Born and raised in the South Side, Erby is a graduate of George Wythe High School, which was renamed Richmond High School for the Arts in 2023 (Erby was on the renaming committee). Today, people say she is one of the school’s most essential advocates.
“She’s a selfless supporter of the culture, the community, the sports teams, the fundraising,” says nominator John Murden. “I’ve taught in RPS, I’ve gotten to know the East End and South Side pretty well. She’s the unicorn parent, the community builder, the cheerleader.” Nominator Amy Wentz echoes this praise: “If you look up civic duty in the dictionary, a picture of Tisha Erby will likely accompany the definition. Her passion for our students, our elderly, or community as a whole is hard matched,” she says, adding that Erby has led at least three Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) since she’s known her, doing graphics and putting out useful info for parents and families about events, where to vote, city services, athletics, parks and recreation, you name it.
In other words, she’s a super-mom, the kind that makes the whole community better, which, in essence, is what the Top 40 under 40 award is about. Erby never went to college but did some training at East Coast Polytechnic Institute (ECPI) before starting a family with her husband. As soon as their kids began going to public school, she started advocating for better services for all children. “Just being present, listening, lending a helping hand. [Erby] may not run a nonprofit or lead some big-time company, but she is such a valuable person to us here on the South Side,” adds Wentz.
“Equity is my specialty,” Erby says. “Everybody has a different kind of background, doesn’t matter if you’re poor or rich or in the middle. I’m just there for the kids and families because everybody works, and they can’t always be there. I try to be that friendly face for all the kids.” She says her proudest moment was using her voice to advocate for a new building at Richmond High School for the Arts (“the kids shouldn’t have to learn in a building with mold, where the technology is not up to par,” she says.) The kids should be walking into their new building in fall of 2026, with a new athletic field in fall of 2027, Erby says.
