Phillip Cease has joined the Children’s Trust staff as the new director of policy and advocacy.
A former policy advisor to Gov. Mark Sanford, Cease educates policymakers and legislative staffers at the local, state and federal levels on issues that affect children. As part of the Children’s Trust mission, he works to advance policies that reduce child abuse and neglect. The current legislative session for the South Carolina General Assembly began the second week of January.
“Phillip has a true commitment to healthy children, strong families, stable households and thriving communities,” Children’s Trust CEO Sue Williams said. “His previous leadership experience, in policy and advocacy, will guide us as we continue our work to support the best programs and policies we know that can prevent child abuse and neglect in South Carolina.”
The Columbia native is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and political science. Prior to joining Children’s Trust, he played a key role in the strategy to pass legislation that expanded a tax credit for special needs students. More recently, he was the research director for a think tank.
“Growing up in a family that fostered children, I lived alongside children who had been removed from their homes,” Cease said. “The same policies and programs that Children’s Trust supports help prevent this same neglect and abuse. Working here as an advocate for children is an exciting opportunity to strengthen the state’s prevention system.”
