Judith Ellis

Having graduated from the University of Michigan in music (Bachelor’s and Master’s) and attended Wayne State University in English with concentrations in philosophy and religion (PhD), Judith began her business career by teaching English on the college level and facilitating training materials for Fortune 500 companies. She combines her artistic knowledge and her corporate facilitation and design experience with technology to assist in the production of innovative on-line training materials for colleges and corporations.

Judith's passion is entrepreneurship, having developed several businesses and assisted other companies in business development. She is a principal of JDE Consulting, LLC, a firm that assist professional development firms in business development and marketing and branding services. Judith is skilled in producing business plans, proposals, work statements, product development, operating budgets, financial terms, technical writing, market research and strategies, and new operating practices to improve quality, increase productivity and reduce costs.

She assisted in the production of the arts and entertainment component of the Detroit 300, a yearlong tri-centennial birthday celebration. Various artists included Steve Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Mary J. Blige. Judith was a board member of the Detroit 300 Arts and Entertainment Committee.

Judith has traveled the world extensively and is proficient in four languages. She has been a trained singer since her youth, having been discovered by renowned opera founders and directors David and Karen DiChiera of the Michigan Opera Theater, Opera Pacific in California and Dayton Opera in Ohio. Judith began her performance career as an opera singer and later performed as a jazz artist and actor in theater productions and films.

She was a reader and editor of published manuscripts including Women and the Leadership Q by acclaimed business consultant Shoya Zichy, Embracing Destiny’s Crossroads by Dr. Lucile Richardson, Camus and Sartre: The Story of a Friendship and the Quarrel That Ended It, by renowned Sartrean scholar Dr. Ronald Aronson, and Woman Act Now! by life coach Anna McCoy.

Judith was a lead member of the team that brought the national premier of Rocky Balboa to Michigan in 2006 where she headed sales and marketing. Including her membership as a board member of the United Way Allocations Committee, she has served as a board member of the Detroit Women’s Forum, one of the oldest women business committees in Michigan. Judith is a licensed chaplain whose family has a great legacy in ministry and business. Having been taught to serve first, all of her eleven siblings were trained in ministry and are professionals and entrepreneurs.