"Dr. Phillips was selected from an outstanding field of candidates. He has demonstrated the ability to build on the strengths of a school community by providing vision, leadership, and inspiration. Dr. Phillips has developed strong leadership teams focused on high expectations for all students and a commitment to continuous improvement," said Poway Unified's Board President Steve McMillan.

Dr. Phillips is presently the Superintendent of the Palo Alto Unified School District in Palo Alto, California. He assumed the position in 1997 after serving for seven (7) years as Superintendent of the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District. Under his leadership an innovative, after-school Saturday Academy program was developed to address the needs of struggling students in the primary grades.

Dr. Phillips has also proactively managed enrollment growth, focused on moving his district to the next level of educational excellence, implemented a strong staff development program for certificated and classified staff, developed partnerships with business, industry, and education, and provided strong financial planning to support the educational mission.

Dr. Phillips was selected in 1980 to become Principal of a new middle school in Salem, Massachusetts. He then moved to Lakeside, California where he became Principal of Tierra del Sol Middle School. In 1986, he accepted a position as Principal of Vista High School in Vista, California. In 1988, he became an Associate Superintendent in the Vista Unified School District. Then in 1990, Dr. Phillips was selected to lead the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District as its Superintendent. In 1997, he became Superintendent of the Palo Alto Unified School District.

Dr. Phillips earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Whitman College in 1972, a Master of Arts in Social Policy from Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1976, and his Doctorate in Social Policy from Harvard in 1984.

Dr. Phillips has been married to his wife Robyn for 29 years. They have two children; Reid, who is a freshman at Williams College, and Blake, who will be entering his sophomore year of high school this fall.

Dr. Phillips has accepted a contract offer from the Poway Unified Board of Education. The Board intends to approve Dr. Phillip’s contract at a public meeting of the Board of Education in August.