Education
Ohio University.
Ohio University.
She serves as assistant minority whip. A graduate of Ohio University, Phillips sat on Athens City Council where she chaired the Planning and Development Committee. She was also the executive director of the Ohio Fair Schools Campaign.
Phillips initially ran for the Ohio House in 2006, when incumbent Jimmy Stewart was vying for a third term.
In a contested race which proved to be undecided on election night, Stewart narrowly defeated Phillips with 51.08% of the vote. In 2008, Phillips opted to run again.
Instead, she faced Athens County Auditor Jill Thompson in the general election, who proved to be a viable candidate. In 2010, Phillips was a top target for House Republicans, who saw her as vulnerable in the Republican leaning district.
Fielded was Mike Hunter, a retired lieutenant colonel with the State Highway Patrol.
After the election and with Democrats now in the minority, House colleagues chose Phillips to serve as assistant minority whip. She also is serving on the committees of Rules and Reference, Finance and Appropriations and its Primary and Secondary Education Subcommittee, Education, and Agriculture and Natural Resources. Phillips is barred from running for another term in 2016 due to Ohio term-limit laws.
Education
Phillips has been critical of state schools Superintendent Stan Heffner, stating that he influenced state contract awards to benefit a business that later offered him employment.
She has also threatened legal action if Governor John Kasich does not offer actual budget numbers regarding his education funding in the biennium budget. Collective bargaining
Phillips is a staunch supporter of continuing collective bargaining for public employees.
She has stated that she"s "amazed" at how enthusiastic residents have been about repealing SB5.