Rhonda Phillips

Phillips was raised in Santee near Bassfield, Mississippi.^[1] She earned a bachelor's degree (1983) in geography and master's degree (1986) in economic development from the University of Southern Mississippi (USM).^[2] She completed a master's degree (1992) in economics and a Ph.D. in city and regional planning from Georgia Tech in 1996.^[3][2]

Phillips is an economic development and sustainability expert.^[3] Phillips was the associate director for economic development at the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.^[4] She worked at the University of Florida and USM.^[4] At the Arizona State University (ASU), Phillips served as the associate dean for Barrett, The Honors College and was a professor and director of the school of community resources and development.^[2][4] She was also a senior sustainability scientist at the ASU Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability.^[4]

In 2013, Phillips joined Purdue University as the inaugural dean of the John Martinson Honors College and a professor of agricultural economics.^[2][5] She was a finalist for the presidency of College of Charleston in 2018 and New College of Florida in 2021.^[3] On April 18, 2023, she was named the twentieth president of Chatham University, succeeding David Finegold.^[4] On April 28, 2025, it was announced that Phillips would become the president of St. Mary's College of Maryland, starting July 1, 2025.^[6] Phillips stepped down as the president of Chatham University on June 1, 2025, and was succeeded in interim by Lisa Lambert.^[7]