Phil Gore served as a school board member in the Seattle area. He resigned from his board to begin working in leadership and school board development in 2007. Phil completed a master’s and PhD in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Washington in Seattle. His master’s thesis discusses the importance of balance between local and centralized control of public education, and his dissertation explores the factors and sources of information school boards consider when evaluating a superintendent. He co-edited Improving School Board Effectiveness: A Balanced Governance Approach, Harvard Education Press, 2015. Phil has worked for the National School Boards Association and state school boards associations in Idaho, Vermont, Texas, and Washington. He has led or contributed to development of school board standards in each of those states. Phil provides keynotes and consulting services nationally. His topics and consulting include strategic planning, good governance, organizational development, executive coaching, shared leadership, trust, and community engagement.