Walter Philips has had a passion to work with troubled youth that stems from his own immigrant experience growing up in Los Angeles. This passion led him to receive his Master’s in Social Work from SDSU. Since first working on the streets of Southeast San Diego with gang kids in the 1980s, he made it his life goal to save one kid at a time. Walter was fortunate to become the CEO of San Diego Youth Services (SDYS) in July 2000. SDYS serves over 20,000 homeless, abused and at-risk youth and their families each year. Walter has worked for almost 40 years in San Diego as a social worker, including over 30 years in administrative leadership positions in community based non-profits. In addition, he has served on numerous local and statewide committees and boards. This includes serving as the immediate past Chair of the California Coalition for Youth, which is the main voice and advocate for homeless youth at the State level. Because of his leadership in the San Diego community, Walter has received numerous awards, including Social Worker of the Year (2002), Most Admired CEO for large Nonprofits (2011), and Behavioral Health Person of the Year (2018). In addition to raising their own two biological children, Walter and his wife have been foster parents to a son who experienced homelessness and incarceration in the juvenile and adult correctional system. Walter is an avid endurance athlete who has combined his passions by raising funds and awareness for at-risk youth through several running/biking endurance events.
Walter is speaking during Successful Models For Serving Children With Complex Needs.