Deborah Hicks Ellis

Debbie Ellis and her husband Bert were one of the first donor families to join The Community Foundation’s Center for Family Philanthropy. For nearly 10 years, The Community Foundation has worked with the Ellis’ two daughters to identify organizations of interest and facilitate annual grant making to organizations.

After 17 years of management with Time Warner in New York and Time Warner’s HBO in Atlanta, Ellis is now retired and actively involved in her community. In addition to serving on The Community Foundation Board, Ellis also serves on the board of The Center for Puppetry Arts, The Women Leadership Committee of The University of North Carolina and is an active Stephen Minister with First Presbyterian Church.

Previously, Ellis served on the boards of The Trust for Public Land, The Board of Visitors of The University of North Carolina and The March of Dimes. She is a graduate of The Regional Leadership Institute, and Life Member of The Girl Scouts of American, having served as a Girl Scout Leader for more than 10 years. 

Ellis has also served as a committee leader on the Carolina First Campaign, raising funds to restore historic Memorial Hall at UNC and kickoff the school’s largest fundraising campaign in history. She is a past member of The Strategic Planning Committee of First Presbyterian Church and has served in numerous leadership roles as a parent at Morris Brandon Elementary and The Westminster Schools, including Westminster’s Parent’s VP of Community Service Activities.

Ellis earned her MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is also a graduate of Stephens College where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts.