Chaplain Dr. Victoria A. Phillips Bio
Chaplain Dr. Victoria A Phillips (Dr. V) is a Criminal Justice, Mental Health, Reentry & Organizational Behavior Consultant. A Certified Neuro Coach, Certified Reiki Master, Certified Crisis Response Chaplain & Death Doula.
Dr. V is a known and proven criminal justice reformer, social justice activist, invisible disabilities advocate, mental health professional, and facilitator with over 20 years of direct experience in the fields of medical, mental health and criminal justice.
Currently she is co-chair of the NYC Dept of Correction Young Adult Task Force. Previously serving six years on the Adolescent, Young Adult and Adults Advisory Board for the NYC Department of Corrections. The Frailty Myths Advisory Council, Shalom International Missions Advisor. In addition to being an active member of the Jails Action Coalition (JAC), Fair Chance 4 Housing Coalition, Justice for Women Task Force and Zero Profits.Holistically, she is a Reiki Master, Neuroscience Coach, Global Organizer and International Zumba Instructor.
Her propensity for advocacy, nation- building, and wellness, began in the late 1990’s when her dying foster mother challenged her to elevate social responsibility within the community. Through volunteer initiatives and social issues from dating violence to police brutality, Ms. V tackled the connection between home life, education and community.
Currently she is the Community, Health, and Justice Organizer, for the Mental Health Project (MHP) at a legal service agency in New York City, with advocating responsibilities for the current or formerly incarcerated and those with a mental health diagnoses.
Over her career Ms. V has worked with multitudinous populations in a range of settings. Prior to joining MHP, Ms. V was a cognitive behavioral facilitator & reentry coach on Rikers Island and led the way to reforming how adolescents and young adults are viewed and treated in the NYC Department of Corrections system.
Balanced, yet raised for years as an Army Brat, with demonstrated ability to transcend cultural differences, in 2015, she cofounded The DeProgramming Freedom School, as a direct response to the rising numbers of gun violence by law enforcement, arrests, housing evictions, rates of recidivism and lack of education on a multitude of issues within the NYC Black and Brown communities.
She has led civil rights actions across the nation. From standing at home in NYC with former political prisoners such as Seuko Odinga, to organizing groups and direct actions with Dr. Cornel West in Ferguson and beyond. She has assisted to raise funding for families and communities impacted from natural disasters, police brutality, broken windows policing, homelessness or just lacking in resources.
While recovering from her emergency brain surgery ( fall 2015) Ms. V often utilized her wellness tips of journalism, meditation and cognitive assessments for self. Prepping herself to re-enter society by acknowledging her disabilities, while once again being vocal on injustice and now opening her own holistic healing suite in Dumbo