Dr. Vicki Phillips has been a longtime champion of young people as a teacher, superintendent, state-level policymaker, and nonprofit leader at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, National Geographic, and now, the National Center for Education and the Economy. She is propelled by a growing urgency as rapid acceleration in technology, connectivity, work, and society transform the world. The time is now to design education systems that prepare young people to navigate, shape, and thrive in an uncertain future.. Raised on a small farm in Kentucky, Vicki was the first in her family to go to college. She holds a Doctor of Education from the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom; and a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Science from Western Kentucky University.Vicki serves on the boards of Renaissance Learning, Inc., Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity, and the Ocean Exploration Trust.