Phebe, was born and raised in Liberia, West Africa. She is the descendent of American slaves and the niece of one time President Tolbert. Her family was from Careysburg City, Liberia. When her uncle was assassinated in 1981, Phebe left the country and came to the US. Her first job was with Healthtex, a childrens clothing's company.Phebe also started working on her US residency through the Immigration and Naturalization Agency. For variuos reasons Phebe moved to California. Phebe worked at the African Safari, braiding hair in San Francisco, she also began studying nursing to become a nursing assistant. Careers for Phebe were varied. From training as a switchboard operator to working at the San Francisco Opera, to working for Chase Manhattan Bank.

Phebe still longed to return home to visit all her family. Upon her father's request, she retuned to Liberia in 1989 for a month's visit. After her visit her family was displaced (forced out of their home). Her father was killed in the war, her mother also died needlessly. Upon her return to the United States she became the Director of Personnel at a security company. In 1993 she met her husband Ronald A.J.Fortt. She married Mr.Fortt in 1998 and moved to Modesto after building Tracy Toyota and a new home. They now have a set of  5 year old twin boys. During this time one of Phebe's sisters got shot and went into a coma. When she came out of the coma. Phebe re-united her with other family members in Liberia. Another sister has been missing since 2002.

Before long Phebe began to realize that the 14 1/2 year war in her homeland was devastating her family and friends. There had to be something done. In 2002, she founded Relief,Inc., a 501 (C)(3) humanitarian non-profit. Relatively quickly she collected enough cloths, food and medical supplies to fill at 40-foot container. She also found an NGO (non governmental organization) with volunteers to help in Liberia, as doctors and managers. Then she began her quest for funding. Eventually Relief will phase out the shipments and begin to teach the Liberian people to become self sufficent.

Phebe spends most of her life investigating how to make Relief Inc. an organization that can have a profound positive impact for the thousands of Liberians that suffered during the past wars. Her Board of Directors is made up of several prominent people who help her cause.