About the Speaker

Dr. Phillip E. B. Byrd, Jr. is a native Virginian born in Richmond, Virginia, and raised in Bowling Green, Virginia. He grew up on a farm where he began helping with daily chores at the age of 8 years old. He attended local schools where his instructors recognized his aptitude for learning and science. While attending Union High School in Bowling Green, Virginia, he distinguished himself as a leader and outstanding student. Upon his graduation, Dr. Byrd attended Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia where he obtained his B.S. in Biology, graduating summa cum laude. Afterward, Dr. Byrd entered the Medical College of Virginia (“MCV”) in Richmond, Virginia in 1965. Dr. Byrd began his medical education at a campus where there were 8 African Americans in the graduate complex encompassing the schools of medicine, pharmacy and dentistry. Dr. Byrd graduated from MCV in 1969. He undertook his postdoctoral training at Misericordia Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. At the Johns Hopkins Hospital Dr. Byrd was the first African American resident in the Radiology Department.

Dr. Byrd was recruited for the post of Chief of the Interventional Radiology Section at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore. Later he also served as Chairman of the Department of Radiology at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster, Maryland. Before retiring in 2015, Dr. Byrd had privileges at several Baltimore area hospitals including Carroll Hospital Center and Baltimore Washington Medical Center. He was board certified in Diagnostic Radiology and CAQ in Vascular and Interventional Radiology. He retired in 2015, while serving as an Interventional Radiologist for Advanced Radiology, a corporation serving patients in hospitals and outpatient centers in the area around Baltimore, Maryland.

Dr. Byrd is a past board member of the McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland, a 1300 student independent school, a past board member of the Virginia Commonwealth Board of Trustees, and a past board member of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture in Baltimore, MD. He is a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

Dr. Byrd is now an Emeritus member of the Sigma Pi Phi fraternity, commonly known as the Boulé. The Boulé is the oldest African Americans fraternity. It was founded in 1904, as an organization for professional black men. Dr. Byrd’s dedication to the Boulé began with his initiation in Gamma Boulé in 1991. He is a proven and effective leader who has served the Boulé at every level of the Fraternity, including Grapter, Grammateus, Sire Archon, and Membership Data Manager for Gamma Boulé, Grammateus and Regional Sire Archon for the Northeast Region. He has served as a delegate to the Northeast Regional Boulé in 2007 and 2009 and the Grand Boulé in 2004 and 2006. Dr. Byrd has had the privilege of being consulted by members of the Fraternity across the nation concerning the concept of Membership Data Manager. For his extensive work on the development and implementation of the Membership Data Manager concept and its enhancement to Boulé service and organization, Dr. Byrd was recognized at the 49th Biennial Grand Boulé through an award for Distinguished Service. In 2023, Dr. Byrd was recognized at the Northeast Regional Boulé meeting for his years of dedicated service to the Boulé. He received a standing ovation and a Resolution of Exemplary Service Award.