Rita Phillips

Chief Operations Officer

Mark 9:23 states, “All things are possible for those who believe.” Rita Phillips embodies this belief, which has propelled her throughout her life’s journey. Her transformative leadership has advanced community initiatives towards sustainability, challenging the limits of perseverance, patience, and promise.  Rita holds the conviction that when passion aligns with purpose, genuine change emerges.

Early in her career, Rita focused on recruiting minority, female, and physically impaired candidates for job opportunities. She championed corrective measures and policy changes in instances of discrimination and monitored adherence to Federal and other legal standards to guarantee equal opportunities for the marginalized

As a results-oriented leader, Rita boasts over forty years of experience across public, private, and governmental sectors.  She excels in relationship marketing and business management, providing vision, strategic direction, and goal setting. Her reputation is solidified by her ability to forge business and community partnerships, turning challenges into triumphs.

A seasoned entrepreneur and former U.S. Army Reservist, Rita obtained her Bachelors of Health Science degree from the University of Kentucky and her Masters of Science in Community Development from the University of Louisville.

The Center for Women and Families awarded Rita the Joan E. Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award for her community service, and she was named one of Louisville’s 100 Fascinating Women by author Nancy Miller.

Rita and her husband, Joseph, have two daughters, two son-in-loves and seven amazing grandchildren.