About Us

Shepherds, Inc. was co-founded in Fairfield County, Connecticut in 1998 by Barney Phillips, a partner at a major NYC-based international law firm and Brendan Fisk, a former FBI Special Agent and Connecticut businessman. It was modeled on the successful NYC Student Sponsor Partners.

Shepherds’ pilot school, Kolbe Cathedral High School in Bridgeport, had five students. Today, Kolbe Cathedral remains a core Shepherds school partner and provides educational opportunities to young men and women in the Bridgeport area.

Notre Dame West Haven High School was added as a partner school in 2000 to serve the needs of qualified male students in the West Haven and New Haven area. Over our history, several other private schools in Fairfield and New Haven counties also participated as Shepherds school partners.

Since its inception, over 350 Shepherds students have successfully graduated from high school and gone on to institutions of higher learning or pursued in careers in military and civil service.

Shepherds has relied heavily upon the great work of volunteers who serve as mentors and often as sponsors of Shepherds Students. As a non-profit organization, Shepherds also depends on the financial generosity from many individuals and organizations, including our Board of Directors, family foundations, corporations, churches and community funds.

A key to our success has been an engaged and dedicated Shepherds Board of Directors who bring their professional experience, skills, significant time commitment and energy to building, shaping and guiding students.

Together, the Shepherds team and staff, Board of Directors, school partners and volunteers work to fulfill our mission in making a difference in the lives of underserved students and their families and ultimately in our own families and communities.