"We are thrilled to welcome Phil to WSSDA," said Laffey. "Phil’s experience in education and dedication to community engagement make him a strong addition to the WSSDA team. He brings with him an impressive set of talents and skills, which no doubt will be a great benefit to our membership."

Phil may already be a familiar face to many WSSDA members. He served as a member of the Riverview School District Board for more than five years, during which he participated in NSBA and WSSDA activities and served as a member of the association’s Nominating Committee.

As a pastor of community churches on the West Coast for the past 20 years, Phil has worked with church denominations in several leadership areas. With a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in management from Northwest Christian College in Eugene, Phil describes himself as a "lifelong learner." He has taught college statistics and developed online curriculum for statistics.

In addition to his school board service, Phil has served his community as a member of Rotary and local chambers of commerce and as a board member of Encompass, a non-profit children’s services agency. He also has worked as a coach and teacher.

Phil is married with three children: a daughter who is a senior at Washington State University, a daughter in her second year at Bellevue Community College, and a son in eighth grade. In his free time, he enjoys music, mountain climbing, and spending time with his family.