Rhonda is committed to value-added learning experiences, combining educational, research and engagement opportunities in experiential, transformative environments. She provides interdisciplinary teaching and research experience across a range of diverse topics including community development and well-being studies, economic and technology-based development, and urban and regional planning. Dr. Phillips is the 20th president of Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is Inaugural Dean Emerita of the John Martinson Honors College at Purdue University and held the rank of professor in the Agricultural Economics Department. She joined Purdue from Arizona State University where she was Associate Dean for Barrett, The Honors College. Additionally, Phillips served ASU as professor and director of the School of Community Resources and Development, and Senior Sustainability Scientist at the Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability. Earlier, after returning home to the University of Southern Mississippi upon graduating with a doctorate in city and regional planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology (the first woman to do so), she served as director of the planning program in the Geography and Economic Development Department. Her work in technology-based development and incubation led to her serving as USM’s faculty liaison to the Stennis NASA Space Center. Phillips is a three-time Fulbright recipient including serving as the 2006 Fulbright UK Ulster Policy Fellow in Northern Ireland. Recognition includes induction into the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners (FAICP), recipient of the 2021 Distinguished Quality-of-Life Researcher Award and selection as an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow for 2019-20. She is author or editor of over 30 academic books, including the textbook, Introduction to Community Development, used by students and practitioners around the globe. Prior to joining the academy, Phillips worked as an economic developer with the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and other nonprofit, private and public economic development organizations. She held the Certified Economic and Community Developer (CEcD) designation for 17 years and continues her passion for fostering local and regional development via applied research and engagement with her students and colleagues.