THE FOLLOWING IS A MESSAGE FROM CALIFORNIA DUI LAWYERS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT LARA GRESSLEY

Please Welcome Samantha M. Phillips, CDLA’s New Executive Director

The California DUI Lawyers Association is pleased to welcome Samantha M. Phillips as our new Executive Director.

Samantha joined CDLA in August and had the opportunity to meet many of our members, partners, and leaders at the 2026 Annual KUWATCH Conference in Monterey. Since then, she has worked closely with Dr. Roger C. Andersen through an intentional leadership transition. Roger will retire at the end of September after five years of exceptional service to CDLA, and we are deeply grateful for the leadership, stability, and commitment he has provided to the Association.

Samantha brings more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in nonprofit, community-based, and mission-driven organizations. She has led organizations through growth, transition, expansion, and organizational transformation, with strengths in executive administration, strategic planning, operations, communications, partnership development, and building strong systems for sustainable success.

Known for bringing vision and administrative excellence together, Samantha will work closely with CDLA’s President, Board of Directors, committees, members, and partners to strengthen operations, enhance member engagement, support outstanding educational programming, cultivate strategic partnerships, and help position CDLA for continued growth and influence within California’s DUI defense community.

Samantha holds a Bachelor of Science in Nonprofit Leadership from Johnson University and a Doctor of Divinity. She is also a United States Air Force veteran whose leadership development includes formal Air Force leadership training and recognition for excellence in service.

Samantha and her husband, Michael, live in Los Angeles with their twin teenage daughters and three Shih Tzus. They are also the proud parents of four adult children.

We are excited to welcome Samantha to CDLA and look forward to the experience, energy, leadership, and fresh perspective she brings to the Association.

Samantha may be reached at [email protected].

Please join me in giving Samantha a warm welcome to the CDLA community!