Ken Phillips lives in Corbin, Kentucky. His grandfather, who lived on the Eastern Band Cherokee Reservation, was a huge influence on his Cherokee education. Ken is a Cherokee Shaman and the president and CEO of the Kentucky Native American Heritage Museum, where he conducts tours, teaches classes, and provides training sessions. His passion is offering the public the opportunity to learn more about the Cherokee and their traditions. His wife passed away in 2018, leaving him behind with two grown sons, three grandchildren, three dogs, and a cat.
Ken holds a BS degree in Police Administration from Eastern Kentucky University, as well as a MS in Criminal Justice from EKU, and is a graduate of Wake Forest College of Law. Ken is a trained Cherokee Shaman and an enrolled member of the Eastern Band Cherokee, and he has served for 22 years on the board of the Kentucky Native American Heritage Museum.
Ken was a Major in the U.S. Army Infantry for 24 years, a Kentucky State Police Trooper for 8 years, and has been the President/CEO of the Kentucky Native American Heritage Museum for 22 years. He has also been a Cherokee shaman for 40 years and a shaman with the Foundation for Shamanic Studies for 35 years.