Phillip Chen (born April 22, 1978) is an American politician and member of the California State Assembly. He is a Republican representing the 55th district, encompassing small parts of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties. The district includes the cities of Diamond Bar, Rowland Heights, Brea, Yorba Linda, and Chino Hills. Prior to being elected to the state assembly, he was a school board trustee for the Walnut Valley Unified School District. Early life Chen graduated from Servite High School in Anaheim. Education In 2002, Chen earned his B.A. in Communications from California State University, Fullerton. In 2005, Chen earned a Master of Public Administration degree from USC. In 2014, Chen earned a Doctoral of Educational Psychology from the USC. Career Chen is the owner of a property management company. In 2013, Chen became an Adjunct Faculty Professor at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. From 1999 to 2003, Chen was a member of USAWKF National Wushu Taolu Team and represented the United States at the World Wushu Championships and the Pan American Wushu Championships. He also became an official judge for the USAWKF. Chen also started the first Wushu Chinese martial art course for credit at California State University Fullerton. Chen is a former Los Angeles County Reserve Sheriff’s Deputy. Chen was appointed by former Governor Pete Wilson to the Governor’s Office of Criminal Justice Planning, overseeing California’s juvenile justice programs. He was a member of the State Advisory Group, Juvenile Justice Legislative Committee and Juvenile Justice Native American Committee. Chen was appointed to serve as a Board Member for the California Physical Therapy Board and worked as a health deputy to former Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich. Chen also served as adjunct faculty at California State Fullerton from 2007-2008 and at California State University, Los Angeles in 2016. Political career Chen was elected in November 2011 to the Walnut Valley Unified School Board and re-elected to a second term in 2015. In 2014, Chen ran for the California State Assembly. He narrowly lost the Republican nomination to Diamond Bar City Councilwoman Ling Ling Chang, who went on to easily win the general election. Chen was elected to the California State Assembly in November 2016, when Chang ran unsuccessfully for the California State Senate. He was appointed to serve in leadership as Deputy Whip to the Assembly Republican Caucus. His committee membership consists of