Dr. Vicki Phillips is President and CEO of the National Center on Education and the Economy where she leads NCEE’s work to help states, districts, and schools discover, design and deliver high performing education systems. At NCEE, Dr. Phillips guides a team of globally recognized researchers, experienced policymakers, and expert practitioners who collaborate with leaders around the world to create education systems that prepare young people for the modern demands of work and life.
Driven by a fierce determination to help all students realize their dreams, Dr. Phillips has championed students’ rights to a high-quality education as a teacher, superintendent of schools, state-level policymaker, nonprofit leader, and K-12 education director for the world’s largest foundation.
Before becoming CEO of the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), Vicki served as Executive Vice President and Chief Education Officer at the National Geographic Society where she led transformation of the organization’s education efforts—expanding from a small U.S.-focused program to a global strategy that reimagined learning for millions of educators and youth.
She previously served as Director of Education, at the Gates Foundation, where she focused on ensuring all students graduate prepared to thrive in college, career, and life. Earlier in her career, she held two superintendent roles—first in Pennsylvania’s School District of Lancaster, and then in Portland Public Schools in Oregon. She also served as a state level policy maker—in her home state of Kentucky, helping to implement the sweeping changes demanded by the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990, and later as Pennsylvania’s State Secretary of Education (K-12, higher education, and public libraries), working to pass legislation and implement innovations in education, economic development, and the environment.
Vicki began her career as a middle and high school teacher. Raised on a small farm in Kentucky and the first in her family to attend college, she brings a personal understanding of the trajectory-altering power of education. She holds a Doctor of Education from the University of Lincoln in the UK, a Master’s in school psychology, and a Bachelor’s in elementary (K-8) and special education (K-12) from Western Kentucky University.
Her leadership extends globally, as she has advised education system designers, served on numerous boards, and coached emerging leaders across sectors. She currently serves on the boards of Renaissance Learning, Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity, and the Ocean Exploration Trust, and is a member of the Education Committee of Greater Share.
Vicki has been recognized for her lifelong work to advance educational opportunity with a Social Impact Award by the British Council and three honorary doctorates in education, humane letters, and public service.