Rick Phillips is renowned for his expertise and extensive work in the field of school safety and school climate improvement. He is the founder of Community Matters and is an expert on a variety of topics surrounding school climate improvement and school safety efforts and can provide keynote addresses on maximizing collaborative efforts to increase school performance, bullying and violence prevention, restorative measures, and how to integrate complex and competing initiatives. Rick speaks on the effectiveness of a multi-tiered system of support through a whole school climate framework, and can offer perspective on pro-social ways and competencies for students to find success using their student voice. Rick is an expert on the inside-out approach which focuses on the interpersonal dynamics among students and adults on campus as the fundamental way to improve safety and climate.
Rick is recognized as a thought leader and a nationally sought-after educator, speaker and trainer. He has been a keynote presenter and workshop leader at more than 500 national and state conferences and many regional educational services centers.
Rick is a dynamic presenter who engages the audience in a variety of ways to underscore the topic at hand and leverage the ideas for action. Audience members will come away with a clear understanding of the topic and feel inspired and motivated to act.
Rick has appeared on The Today Show, CNN Headline News, NPR, and many print, radio and regional/national interview shows. Rick is the lead author of Safe School Ambassadors: Harnessing Student Power to Stop Bullying and Violence, which was endorsed by Deepak Chopra who called Community Matters’ approach “the only sane solution for ensuring security in our society.”
Keynote topics include:
- School Safety and Climate Improvement
- Youth Empowerment
- Restorative Practices
- Bullying, Mistreatment and Violence Prevention
- Waking Up Courage in Your Community
- LGBTQI Sensitivity
- ATOD
- Parent/Community Engagement
Rick has presented at the following:
- National Association of Secondary School Principals Convention
- Boston Safer School Forum
- Texas School Boards Association/Texas Association of School Administrators Conference
- Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development Annual Conference
- National School Board Association Conference
- Clinton School of Public Service, Speaker Series
- California School Boards Association Conference
- Oregon Medical Alliance Association Conference
- End Violence Against Women International Conference