About Ben Phillip

Background

I grew up in the southeast section of Minneapolis during a time when the Twins were winning World Series and we were receiving record rainfalls and snowfalls. After spending 12 years in Duluth, I moved to St. Anthony Village in 2004 and I have been a resident for 15 years. I am humble and grateful for my lovely wife, Laura and our three awesome children, Xander, Linden, and Brannock, who attend the St. Anthony Middle School and Wilshire Park respectively. Currently, I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Higher Education with an Adult Education specialty.

I work at Summit Academy OIC, a vocational school in North Minneapolis, where I lead and manage a program to get underrepresented adults, primarily African Americans and women, into the IT industry. Having worked in higher education and IT for over 20 years, I have a firm understanding of the successes and struggles that affect educational institutions.

I am a systems thinker, a collaborator, a service learner, a project manager, and a servant leader.

Volunteering within St. Anthony

For a number of years, I have been involved with the World’s Best Workforce, a group of educators and parents who review and create initiatives based on five goals per Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.11:

  • All children are ready for school.
  • All third-graders can read at grade level.
  • All racial and economic achievement gaps between students are closed.
  • All students are ready for career and college.
  • All students graduate from high school.

In my spare time, I have helped with issues of equity and adverse childhood experiences through the St. Anthony Villagers for Equity and Community and Family Services Collaborative respectively. I have enjoyed volunteering in the community in association with the Wilshire Park Parents Association. I have also coached and kept stats for various teams through the St. Anthony Boosters. Outside of St. Anthony, I am a board member for my high school alma mater, Minneapolis Roosevelt.  The Roosevelt Foundation provides scholarships to students as well as classroom grants to teachers.