A sense of purpose drives Dr. Carrie Phillips' work in advancement and higher education. As Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, U.S., Phillips supports a "campus that empowers students to dream big," she says. 

Here, Phillips—longtime CASE volunteer, CASE District IV's Chair-Elect, and recent Currents author—shares her best career advice, why she's passionate about learning and building connections, her advice for managers, and more. 

In April 2022, you became Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. What’s the best part of your job there?

I am drawn to the mission of access at UA Little Rock. So many of our students are first-generation students who need support to graduate. Being part of a campus that celebrates these students and empowers them to dream big is incredibly special.

My grandfather only had a middle school education. My dad, uncle, and I all earned terminal degrees. I firmly believe that the education my dad and uncle earned changed the trajectory of my family. I feel a strong sense of purpose to help others do the same. That passion aligns beautifully with UA Little Rock.

On your blog, you’ve written about learning and connecting with colleagues at conferences. What professional learning experiences are you looking forward to this year?

I firmly believe that we have to be continually growing and learning from one another. I am so excited to have the opportunity to be back at in-person conferences. A few that are on my radar this year are the CASE District IV Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas, in April 2023, along with the CASE Summit for Leaders in Advancement in July 2023, and the American Marketing Association conference.

What has your service as a CASE District IV volunteer meant to you?

CASE has made the difference in my career. The networks I have formed and the relationships I have built continue to help me solve challenges in our field, challenge me to continually improve, and assure me when I struggle. The CASE network has become a family. As Chair-Elect for CASE District IV, I want to help carry that forward so that others experience the strong network that I have benefitted from.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?

Treat everyone like you want to be treated and strive to always do the right thing. So many times as a leader, I have to make hard decisions. When I’m torn on how to respond, I find myself reflecting on how I would like to be treated in that scenario. That leads me to the right thing to do.

You recently wrote a piece for Currents magazine about lessons for new managers. Why was that topic important to you?

Advancement professionals often take on management roles without formal training or insights on how to lead a team. As I’ve reflected recently about my own leadership journey, I’ve thought about internal promotions and transitioning to management, and I wanted to offer help to new managers.

Frankly, I could have used good advice during my initial stint as a manager. The skills of new leaders and middle managers can be overlooked in professional development, but building their abilities is critically important. Providing insight to new leaders is good for our profession and can help them—and their teams and institutions overall—succeed.