Boston Connector Colette Phillips on Finding Purpose, Advancing DEI and the Power of Connection On Chai With Manju

BOSTON–For Colette Phillips, communication has always been about more than words. It is about connection, creating opportunity and opening doors — particularly for people and perspectives that have too often been left out of the conversation.

In her Chai With Manju celebrity series interview, Phillips reflects on the journey that has shaped her work as a communications leader, entrepreneur and longtime advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. She speaks candidly about her passion for DEI, the importance of effective communication and the experiences that have fueled her commitment to making workplaces and communities more inclusive.

To watch the full interview, please clic here, or on the image below.

Phillips is President and CEO of Colette Phillips Communications, Inc., as well as Founder and President of Get Konnected! and The GK Fund. For three decades, she has been a powerful voice and effective agent of change in Boston, one of America’s oldest and most deeply rooted cities.

An immigrant Black woman from Antigua, Phillips has built a career around bringing people together and expanding the possibilities available to individuals, organizations and businesses. Her influence has earned her recognition from some of Boston’s leading publications. Boston Magazine has described her as “Boston’s Great Connector,” while The Boston Globe has recognized her for “changing the conversation about diversity in Boston.”

That ability to connect people and perspectives is central to Phillips’ professional philosophy. Through Colette Phillips Communications, she has brought her expertise in communications to boardrooms and organizations around the globe. Through Get Konnected!, the multicultural professional and business networking organization she founded, she has created spaces where professionals and entrepreneurs can build relationships, exchange ideas and discover new opportunities.

Her work is also grounded in a larger purpose: making workplaces more inclusive and opening them to new markets, talent and possibilities.

During the Chai With Manju conversation, Phillips offers insight into the experiences and convictions that have guided that work. Her passion for DEI is not simply a professional focus; it is closely connected to her belief in the power of people, relationships and inclusive communities.

When asked who she admires most, Phillips points to one of history’s most influential leaders: Nelson Mandela.

“Nelson Mandela is an embodiment of peace, wisdom, heart, compassion, and spirit of openness,” she says.

The answer offers a revealing glimpse into the qualities Phillips values — and perhaps the qualities that have informed her own approach to leadership. Peace, wisdom, compassion and openness are also essential to the kind of communication and connection she has championed throughout her career.

From her beginnings as an immigrant from Antigua to becoming a respected communications executive, entrepreneur and advocate, Phillips has spent 30 years using her voice to create connections and challenge the status quo.

Her story is ultimately one of purpose: a belief that when people are brought together, when different perspectives are welcomed and when communication is used as a bridge rather than a barrier, new possibilities emerge.

In her conversation with Manju, Phillips shares that journey — and the values that continue to drive her forward.