Executive Leadership

Society President Philip E. Phillips is associate dean of the University Honors College and Professor of English at Middle Tennessee State University, where he teaches American, British, and early European literature. His research interests include American Studies, literary history, English poetry, spatial literary studies, and ecocriticism. In 2025, he was appointed to the prestigious Fulbright Specialist Roster in American literature, reflecting his international reputation as a scholar and educator.

An active leader in both academic and professional organizations, Phillips is serving a fourth term as president of the Poe Studies Association and is executive director of the International Boethius Society. He has organized international scholarly conferences and taught or delivered lectures throughout Europe and Asia. His scholarship has received international recognition, including the Poe Studies Association's J. Lasley Dameron Award for his books Poe and Place and Poe Spaces: Within and Beyond the Spatial Turn.

A longtime leader within Phi Kappa Phi, Phillips currently serves as president of the Society. He previously served three terms on the Board of Directors and chaired Phi Kappa Phi's first Strategic Planning Taskforce. Through his scholarship, leadership, and service, Phillips has distinguished himself as an advocate for honors education, scholarly engagement, and excellence in higher education.

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Bradley Newcomer assumed stewardship of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi in January 2022 as its 12th executive director. He was initiated into the Society at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2012.

Newcomer previously served at James Madison University where he directed the process of establishing the Honors College. Under his leadership, the College’s enrollment grew almost 60 percent and was recognized by the Fulbright Program as a Top Producer of Fulbright U.S. Students for consecutive years.

Prior to his time at JMU, Newcomer served at UAB in a variety of positions.

As executive director and CEO, Newcomer works with the Society’s board of directors to develop a strategic plan for Phi Kappa Phi that supports its mission “to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.” He also oversees the day-to-day operations of the Phi Kappa Phi national office and participates in field activities such as campus visits and chapter installations.

Newcomer earned a bachelor of science in physics from Juniata College, a master of physics and Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from Wright State University and a master of business administration from UAB.

To request Dr. Newcomer as a speaker at your event, please complete this form.

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