Stacia Philips

Stacia Philips is Chair and Distinguished Professor of Practice in the Department of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs at SMU's Meadows School of the Arts. She has spent more than 30 years at the intersection of media, power, and public narrative, leading organizations through crisis, rebuilding departments from the ground up and advising governments navigating some of the most volatile moments in recent history.

Before joining SMU, Philips served as Executive Vice President and Executive Editor of ABC News, where she helped lead a nearly $500 million division within The Walt Disney Company and managed workforce transformation across a global team of more than 1,000 employees. She oversaw editorial and strategic direction for the network's most iconic programs, including Good Morning America, World News Tonight with David Muir, The View, This Week with George Stephanopoulos, 20/20, Tamron Hall Show, and Nightline, along with the network's special events coverage and its medical, business, climate and Race & Culture units. Earlier in her ABC tenure, she served as Vice President and General Manager of ABC Audio and as Deputy Bureau Chief in Washington, leading a team of award-winning journalists covering the White House, Congress, Global Affairs, Transportation and Law & Justice.

Philips spent the prior 20 years at CNN, directing political and White House coverage from Washington, Atlanta and Dallas. Her work has earned Peabody, Edward R. Murrow, Alfred I. duPont-Columbia and Emmy Awards. Her career also includes service as Public Information Officer and Chief of Television for the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, where she designed and executed strategic multimedia campaigns, contributed to crisis communications and led media training for journalists in the newly formed government during a period of intense international scrutiny. Most recently, through her company Philips Strategic Insights, Philips advised governments and institutions on strategic communications, crisis messaging and narrative management in high-stakes environments, with recent clients including the U.S. Department of State and Bangladesh's Interim Government. She brings this real-world editorial judgment, operational discipline and strategic clarity into the classroom, translating complex, fast-moving situations into clear, credible communications strategy for her students.

Philips holds bachelor’s degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Religious Studies from Southern Methodist University and a master’s degree in Strategic Communication and Leadership from Seton Hall University.