Mark Phillips, Board Member

President & CEO, Catholic Charities West Virginia

Mark Phillips is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Charities West Virginia, the state’s largest nonprofit social services agency. With a deep commitment to community well-being and equity, Mark leads a statewide team working to alleviate poverty and injustice across West Virginia’s most underserved regions.

Mark joined Catholic Charities WV in 2019 as the Northern Regional Director and quickly rose through the organization, serving as Chief Operating Officer before being named CEO in 2023. His leadership is grounded in compassion, strategic thinking, and a lifelong dedication to building systems that serve those too often overlooked.

Prior to his work at Catholic Charities, Mark served as Vice President for External Relations and Chief of Staff to two university presidents at Wheeling Jesuit University. He also led operational efforts at Family Resources, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit focused on preventing and treating child abuse. Across every role, he has remained focused on building strong partnerships, leading with integrity, and putting people first.

Mark’s personal story fuels his professional purpose. After losing his younger sister, Angela, to an overdose in 2016, he embraced the opportunity to serve marginalized communities as both a mission and a calling. He brings that heart-centered leadership to every board he serves on, including Grow West Virginia, West Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, the Regional Economic Development Partnership, CHANGE, Inc., and the WV First Foundation’s Region 1 Expert Panel.

A native of southwestern Pennsylvania, Mark holds a B.A. from St. Vincent College and an M.A. from Duquesne University. He lives in West Virginia with his wife, Dr. Amy Criniti Phillips, and their son, Benjamin. Whether in the boardroom or the community, Mark leads with humility, hope, and a relentless belief in the power of service.