Phillip Leyva is an educator, actor, and US Army combat veteran originally from Los Banos, California. Phillip attended Modesto Junior College after four years of service as an infantry paratrooper, and he transferred to UC Berkeley in the fall of 2011. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, he attended Saint Mary's College where he earned his single subject teaching credential and Master of Arts in Teaching. From 2014 to 2020, Phillip taught English language arts in his own community of Pittsburg, California. In addition to instructing college preparatory and honors classes, he taught Puente English, including the bridge summer program for 8th graders. Until recently, he also taught acting classes in Northern California prisons with Marin Shakespeare Company's Shakespeare for Social Justice program. Phillip is a founder and board member of Berkeley Shakespeare Company. He currently serves as Puente's Middle School Teacher Training Coordinator.