Meet Phillip Palacios

Director of Communications

Though I’m a West Michigan native, I have a global heart. I’m so thankful I’ve been afforded the experiences to match. My path to serving as the Communications Director at Calvin Theological Seminary originated 22 years ago on the Big Island of Hawaii, where my wife, Allison, worked at Haili Christian School. We followed her call to be a 2nd grade teacher, and as a result, I had the opportunity to build a video production agency focused on marketing and campaign development.

After our time in Hawaii, we returned home to West Michigan, and knowing I wanted to engage more in the local film community, I went through the program at Compass Film Academy and built many professional relationships that continue to this day.

As a long-time photographer, I initially gravitated to the camera department but became increasingly engaged as a director, writer, and producer. After over a decade of experience as an independent contractor, including work for national brands, local non-profits, and PBS documentaries, I was called to lead the media team at Our Daily Bread as Creative Director and Executive Producer, with a particular emphasis on storytelling.

In this role, I was responsible for developing projects, processes, people, and systems. I had the opportunity to help create and lead projects that demanded increasing cooperation and coordination between departments and teams, all while keeping the element of story within all that we did and our brand voice central. This role took me all over the globe, growing my understanding of and storytelling skills for a global audience.

I left Our Daily Bread Ministries after six years, returning to the commercial realm with an opportunity to work as a contract Creative Director for IDEOLOGY, a video agency based in Ada, Michigan. At IDEOLOGY, I used my story and strategic skills to work for global brands. I had the privilege to be at the forefront of merging technology and storytelling.

I am excited to join Calvin Theological Seminary. The basis for all good communication is storytelling, and what a great story is stewarded here. I hope to bring a streamlined process and unified voice across our resources and publications as a Seminary.

Outside of work, I have a passion for bluewater ocean sailing, having spent much of my time in the Caribbean captaining a monohull sailboat. I love music and art, with a very broad appreciation across genres. My wife and I have four children who are enthusiastic runners, climbers, sailors, and artists.