Phyllis Edmonds has always worked diligently in order to achieve her goals. For her early education in Savannah, Georgia, Edmonds attended both Adventist and public schools. She won an oratorical contest and enrolled in Pine Forge Academy with the scholarship she received. She graduated in 1964 with honors.

Edmonds then moved to California to attend Pacific Union College. While at PUC, Edmonds worked as an assistant to the dormitory deans during the school year, and during the summers she worked as part of the custodial department. She graduated from PUC in 1969 with a bachelor's degree in home economics.  "PUC gave me a tremendous start to my career and laid the foundation to be successful once I left there," she asserts. She returned to her high school alma mater, Pine Forge Academy, in Pennsylvania and taught PE, religion, and was the dean of women.

Phyllis married Ronald Edmonds, and while her husband earned his master of divinity at Andrews University, Phyllis served as the university's associate dean of women for two years. Eventually, the Edmonds family moved to New Jersey. Phyllis began working for a public housing agency as the administrator of public housing. While she worked for the housing agency, Phyllis decided to pursue a career as an attorney. Her family supported her decision, and with this support system, she realized she could be of greater service to her community with a degree in law.

Phyllis attended night classes at Seton Hall School of Law, commuting more than 100 miles round trip every day after working all day. After nearly four years, she graduated in 1988 with a Juris Doctor degree and was admitted to practice in four states: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. She was hired as a clerk by the Eastern District of Virginia and clerked under a prominent judge.

After working for Kaplan and Kaplan in Baltimore, US Airways, and Baltimore County public schools, Edmonds took a position as the director of claims and legal services for Adventist Risk Management in Silver Springs, Maryland where she supervises 15 insurance staff, including four attorneys. Edmonds served as an employment and labor attorney for US Airways, the Baltimore County Board of Education, and Manor Care Health Services and Choice Hotels International. While with Manor Care, Edmonds represented the company in cases with 98 percent success.

Edmonds has been a board member for several organizations: Pine Forge Academy Foundation, Columbia Union College, Operation Reachback, and is president of the Allegheny East Conference Ministers' Wives Association.

Ronald and Phyllis Edmonds have opened their home to more than 100 people with need of temporary housing. Each year they organize a Thanksgiving retreat for family and friends as part of an effort to combine camping and evangelism - as many as 125 people have participated.

Phyllis and Ronald currently live in Laurel, Maryland, and have five children and twelve grandchildren. "God has given me tremendous opportunities beyond my wildest expectations," she says.