DeAndré Fernández Phillips
Washington Wizards
Washington, DC USA
"Don’t limit yourself. If you have to go to Siberia because that is the only [opportunity] you have, then go to Siberia."
Career Roadmap
DeAndré's work combines: Business, Sports, and Accomplishing Goals
See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.
Take Roadmap Quiz
Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
English Language and Literature, General
Old Dominion University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Grew up in a small, low-income area of Portsmouth, Virginia called Cavalier Manor.
2.
Was originally interested in becoming a reporter.
3.
In high school, he was a campus correspondent for The Virginian-Pilot newspaper in Norfolk, Virginia.
4.
Attended Old Dominion University, where he received his degree in English.
5.
While in college, he realized that being a reporter wasn’t what he really wanted, so he decided to use his background in journalism to pursue a career in public relations.
6.
He got the opportunity to intern for ESPN, the Carolina Panthers, the Detroit Lions, and in the Sports Information Department of ODU.
7.
His first job after graduating was working for one of the highest profile teams in professional sports history, the Miami Heat, as their Business Communications Manager.
8.
He then went on to become the Director of Communications for the New York Giants and now works as the Director of Media Relations for the Washington Wizards.
Defining Moments
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
Once I realized that reporting and journalism weren't what I wanted to do, it was a difficult transition and it was hard trying to figure out what to do next. A friend recommended that I look into public relations and the rest is history.
I've had financial struggles my whole life, but I tried not to let those impact my life too much. In college, I didn't have the financial support from family that would enable me to intern long-term, so I looked for opportunities that paid.
This career is really challenging when it comes to balancing a personal life. You spend a lot of time traveling, relocating, and in some instances when you are starting out you don't make a lot of money. I don't have any regrets though.
I grew up in a small, low-income area. It wasn't a great neighborhood to grow up in. There was five of us and my mom was always moving us around in order to give us a better life. I remember sometimes living in horrible conditions.