User:Easteducation/Todd Phillips (Australia)

Todd Anthony Phillips - Australia

Born in the town of Lismore in New South Wales, Australia, Phillips is a member of the Bundjalung and Gumbayygirr Aboriginal Nation Groups and is the oldest of six siblings.

Growing up Phillips went to various schools throughout New South Wales in Grafton, Lismore, Port Macquarie, Armidale and Sydney. In 2000, Todd completed a Research and Marketing traineeship and later that year was awarded the National NAIDOC Trainee/apprentice of the year award for his work with VIBE Australia, an independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media and public relations company based in Sydney, Australia.

Todd has work extensively across Aboriginal communities across Australia in research, employment and education fields through his work with Queensland University of Technology and Thiess. But it has been his work in improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educational outcomes and retention levels that he has made his biggest contribution. His work has seen him receive several accolades including awards from the Vice Chancellor of Queensland University of Technology, former president of the United States of America, Bill Clinton when Phillips met with him in New Orleans, USA in 2008 to discuss what can be done internationally to improve educational outcomes for Aboriginal peoples across the globe and strategic ways to bring about international awareness and from the Queensland Premier, Campbell Newman for his work with Thiess for the 'Closing the Gap' Program.

Phillips continues to speak at educational conferences around the world voicing his research findings on what he believes is required from btoh governments and Indigenous communities to improve the quality of life of Aboriginal people in the areas of employment, education, health and housing.

Phillips is currently completing a PhD in Education at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane.