Karrah Herring, J.D.
Indiana's Chief Equity, Inclusion & Opportunity Officer
Karrah (Miller) Herring is a native and resident of South Bend, IN and a proud graduate of the South Bend Community School Corporation. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications/Public Relations from Purdue University (’05) and her Juris Doctorate from Valparaiso University School of Law (’11). On November 19, 2020, Indiana governor, Eric Holcomb announced his appointment of Karrah to his cabinet as Indiana’s first-ever Chief Equity, Inclusion and Opportunity Officer for the state. In this role, she works with the governor and his team to improve state government operations as well as remove hurdles in the government workplace and services the state provides. During the foundational phase of the office, Karrah engaged with over 300 stakeholders, built the infrastructure of the office, and in conjunction with other agencies rolled out the State of Indiana's first ever Equity Data Portal. Her team's work focuses on growing statewide access and opportunity in education and economic development and enhancing employee experiences within Indiana state government’s executive branch.
Prior to joining Governor Holcomb's team, Karrah worked for the University of Notre Dame for nearly a decade and served as the Director of Public Affairs in the Office of Public Affairs and Communications. Prior to her role with Public Affairs, she served on the University of Notre Dame’s Office of Human Resources Senior Executive Leadership team as the Director of the Office of Institutional Equity and University Title IX Coordinator.
Karrah has received a number of awards and recognition and serves on various boards and commissions. Most recently, Mayor James Mueller of the City of South Bend, IN, honored Karrah with the “Key to the City.” Karrah’s Alma Mater, Purdue University honored her as a 2022 College of Liberal Arts Distinguished Alumna. She was named to the Indianapolis Business Journal’s prestigious Forty leaders under 40 2022 list and IBJ's inaugural 250 most influential leaders 2022. In 2021, the South Bend Regional Chamber named her their 2021 Woman of Influence. In October of 2021, the chief justice of the Indiana Supreme Court, Justice Rush, asked Karrah to serve as the executive branch’s representative on the Indiana Supreme Court’s Commission on Equity and Access within Indiana Courts. Karrah not only served on the commission but also chaired the subcommittee within the commission which examined pathways to the legal profession’s bench and bar for historically underrepresented groups. She is also a member of the Center for Digital Government’s Digital Equity Advisory Committee, the NASHP Population and Public Health Steering Committee, a member of the Board of Governors for the Indiana Economic Club and she a member of the Board of Directors for Sunz Insurance and Sunz Holdings LLC (Bradenton, Florida).
Karrah is married to Ray Herring (graduate of the University of Notre Dame ’09) and they have three children, Bryce, Brianna and Ja’Mari.
Anthony Phillips II
Deputy Chief & Executive Director of External Equity
Anthony Phillips II received his Bachelor of Arts from Purdue University in 2011, majoring in English and minoring in African American Studies. In a complete 180° turn from his plan to become an English teacher, Anthony instead spent his career in the Data & Analytics field. In 2015, he received his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Indianapolis, with an initial concentration in Finance and, later, an additional concentration in Applied Analytics.
Prior to joining Chief Officer Herring’s team as Deputy Chief & Executive Director of External Equity, Anthony worked for KIPP Indy as the Director of Data & Instruction. He was a facilitating member of the KIPP Indy Equity Working Group, leading small group discussions designed to uncover unconscious bias and center the role of KIPP Indy in combatting systemic inequities and discrimination for the sake of its students, most of whom are BIPOC.
Anthony also serves as an Adjunct Professor in the same UIndy Evening MBA program from which he received his degree. In addition, he manages Phillips Consulting, LLC, a small consulting business in which he sells calculations that increase rental revenue projections to developers in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit industry.
For Anthony, working for the State of Indiana is a common family thread. Prior to retiring, his father worked for the Department of Revenue. His mother currently works for the Auditor of State. His wife, Jennifer, currently works for the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority. Prior to his current role in the Office of the CEIOO, Anthony’s previous State Government experience includes stints in the Department of Transportation, Adjutant General’s Office, and Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
Anthony enjoys golfing with friends, fishing with his dad, basketball with his brothers, attending events hosted by his mother, and exploring local/state parks with his wife.
