Anne Phibbs, PhD

Dr. Anne Phibbs (she/her) is a seasoned practitioner of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access. She is gifted in translating organizations’ intentions for lasting change into self-awareness and concrete steps towards sustainable growth. A respected practitioner with over 30 years in the field, Dr. Phibbs is adept at helping organizations at any stage of their journey move towards inclusivity, with increased reality testing and clarity of the status quo (assessment and audits), education (trainings, workshops, retreats, and multi-year training programs), leadership (executive development, DEIA committee direction, train-the-trainer, and coaching), and growth (strategic planning, change program creation, hiring and retention practices, and measurable ROI). She is skillful at assessing an organization’s strengths and challenges, tailoring her approach to each client’s context, culture, and goals.

With extensive experience locally and nationally, Dr. Phibbs has developed and delivered hundreds of DEIA trainings, facilitated change development for thousands of participants in corporate, government, higher education, non-profit, healthcare, small business, and faith community settings, and offered train-the-trainer opportunities in multiple settings.

Dr. Phibbs’ approach to this work involves an emphasis on Emotional Intelligence (EQ); she is an EQ Practitioner in the EQ-i2.0 and EQ360 methods. She believes that awareness and ongoing examination of one’s social identities is a central component of using a DEIA lens. Dr. Phibbs uses an ongoing examination of her own social identities to inform both her work and relationships.

Dr. Phibbs earned her PhD in Philosophy and Feminist Studies at the University of Minnesota. Among other positions before founding SDI, she served as first Director of Education in the Office for Equity and Diversity at the University of Minnesota. She considers it an honor to practice this work amongst some of the best and brightest leaders in the field. She is the mother of three beloved children, two of whom have launched into their adult lives. Dr. Phibbs resides with her wife, youngest child, and two adorable misbehaving pups in Minneapolis, Minnesota.