A NOTE FROM OUR EDITOR: It's our hope that these e-mail communications provide you with useful information and resources to be part of the movement to generate solutions for West Contra Costa students. Share your opinions, ideas, and content suggestions by sending a note to me, Tiffany Kang (Communications Manager), at tkang@gopublicschools.org. Thanks a ton!
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Mister is a fourth generation resident of West County. He lives in Richmond with his wife Angela. They have three young children. Professionally, Mister is an attorney at law and former educator in the West Contra Costa Unified School District, San Francisco Unified School District, and Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District. He served in the U.S. Navy Reserve and AmeriCorps. Mister Phillips was elected to the Contra Costa County Democratic Central Committee in 2012. He was re-elected in 2016. He currently serves on the executive board and the platform committee of the California Democratic Party (CDP). Mister has served on public and private boards, including the Richmond Promise Ad-Hoc Committee (co-chair), California Democratic Council (trustee), First 5 Contra Costa Children and Families Commission (member), Rotary Club of Pinole (past president), and Providence Missionary Baptist Church (deacon). Mister is a former Consumers Union Esther Peterson Fellow and graduate of The Washington Center for Academic Internships and Seminars. He obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of California Hastings College of the Law; Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Political Science, with honors, from San Francisco State University; and Associates of Arts in English, Liberal Arts, and Social Science from Solano Community College. Mister is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society. Mister was inspired to public service by his parents, Tommie and Cynthia Phillips. Tommie was a police lieutenant with the City of Richmond. Cynthia was a deputy sheriff with the County of Contra Costa.
Tom Panas, parent of two boys who attended WCCUSD K-12, has lived in West County for more than 40 years. He serves on the Black Minds Matter Strategy Team and works with the Latina Center. Since the 80’s, he has volunteered with educational organizations, library, food pantry and historical society. Tom is a retired Chief Financial Officer and has an MBA from UC Berkeley. He is Chair of our school district’s Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee. Tom has been active in the community for many years. In recognition of the nature and duration of his service, the El Cerrito City Council added Tom to the city’s Wall of Fame in 2014. Tom’s efforts in West County have always focused on expanding the legitimacy and influence of local organizations, documenting and giving a voice to marginalized populations, handling the compliance and financial reporting required for small non-profits, and bridging the differences to create solutions that benefit all parties.
