Phillip Jones

As the son of two Air Force pilots, Phillip uniquely grew up around the globe. He was blessed to develop friendships that extended across cultures, religions and creeds, defining an ever-evolving worldview. However, his heart always counted Hampton Roads, Virginia as its home; the place where his parents retired from active duty and where Phillip learned the true meaning of duty and sacrifice.

After 9/11, Phillip resolved to follow in the footsteps of his family and attended the U.S. Naval Academy where he served as the brigade sergeant major and graduated as a Burke Scholar with a bachelor of science in history. Upon graduation, Philip was honored to be designated an infantry officer in the Marine Corps and led his Marines on deployments on multiple continents.  

Returning home from his deployments, Phillip witnessed a widening economic disparity between his hometown and the rest of Virginia. He believes that the importance of local city governance cannot be understated and that critical economic issues must first be solved at the municipal level.

Phillip is currently pursuing a joint degree between the Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School to facilitate his transition to a civilian leader with the ability to speak to private and public sector issues, as well as the marriage of the two. He remains a native son of Virginia who wants to play a part in constructing policies that will help to uplift the downtrodden.