By Dave Phillips

About Me

I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember. My parents will happily cite one of my first works,. entitled “French Fries Elliott” and meticulously cut into a potato shape on construction paper. An ode to a NASCAR driver, this second-grade assignment that apparently charged the class with using every possible pun about potatoes that an eight-year-old kid can think up.

My craft became more serious later, with journalism, radio and TV classes in high school serving as a launchpad to majoring in journalism at Oakland University. Each step of the way, I became more enamored with writing and creating content that captivates audiences.

When I began my professional career at the Paris (Tenn.) Post-Intelligencer, I was beaming with pride. It was better than going to grad school. I worked alongside a small but mighty staff with decades of experience who took me under their wings and showed me how to be a real reporter. I covered the local police beat during the day and high school and even middle school sports in the evening. It was perfect.

A few years later, out of a desire to move back home, I joined The Oakland Press in Pontiac. The bulk of my six years there were spent as the cops and courts reporter, but I also covered politics, city councils and plenty of general interest stories. There, I honed my skills, developing sources, working beats and sharpening my writing. I mastered the ability to tell a story concisely while hitting all the high notes.

Next up was a move to the nonprofit world, joining United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s marketing team. In my time at United Way, I’ve worn many hats — writing stories and contributing with video content, crafting mass marketing emails, producing a weekly staff newsletter and even overseeing an entire rebuild of our 180-page website. United Way plays an important role in helping people throughout Southeastern Michigan, and it feels great to be a part of that mission.

In my free time, I enjoy working on the board at Ferndale Radio, where I also host an occasional radio show. My wife and I have been blessed with the funniest, sweetest, most adorable daughter in the entire world, and I cherish every moment with our little family.