Susan J. Ellis (March 18, 1948 – February 24, 2019) was an American trainer, presenter, researcher and consultant regardingvolunteerism. She founded the largest publisher of volunteer-related books, Energize, Inc., which has published more than 25 books and provided consultancy and training services for organizations worldwide that involve volunteers, including theEveryone Ready Online Volunteer Management Training Program. She wrote or co-wrote 14 books, wrote more than 100 articles for various publications and is cited in more than 150 articles and books re: volunteerism.[1][2] She was frequently called on by national media outlets for commentary regarding volunteerism and was quoted in stories inThe New York Times,Fortune Magazine, theChronicle of Philanthropy and many others. She is considered a pioneer regarding the promotion of themanagement of volunteers as a profession.[3] She was based inPhiladelphia.
Ellis graduated fromTemple University inPhiladelphia in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She received a master's degree in folklore and folklife in 1971 from theUniversity of Pennsylvania, producing a thesis on the history ofscrapple.[4][5]
She was the former director of special services atPhiladelphia Family Court, where she managed volunteers, many of them assisting youth in the court system.[5]
From 1981 to 1987 she was editor-in-chief ofThe Journal of Volunteer Administration (JoVA), a publication by theAssociation for Volunteer Administration (AVA). She wrote the column “On Volunteers” inThe NonProfit Times from 1990 to 2015.[6] She also wrote for other publications, includingThe Chronicle of Philanthropy.[7]
She founded Energize, Inc. in 1977 and in the 42 years afterward assisted nonprofits, non-governmental organizations, charities, universities and associations throughout the world to create or strengthen their volunteer engagement and support for volunteers. The company also sold hundreds of books related to volunteer engagement, not only those published by the company. Energize clients included theCorporation for National Service,Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), theAmerican Lung Association, theBoys and Girls Club of America,March of Dimes,4-H and variousUnited Way affiliates.[8][9]
Ellis is the author or co-author of fourteen books, several of which have been translated into Japanese, Taiwanese, French, and Italian. Since 2005, her best selling book isFrom the Top Down: The Executive Role in Successful Volunteer Involvement, 3rd Edition, which has sold more than 6000 copies in print and e-book.[10] She gave speeches regarding recruiting and supporting volunteers in more than 26 countries.[9]
Ellis co-authored, with Katherine H. Campbell,By the People: A History of Americans as Volunteers, New Century Edition, originally published in 1978 (when the co-author was called Katherine H. Noyes), and published in a third, updated version in 2005. She became a proponent ofvirtual volunteering in 1996 and was an advisor for the Virtual Volunteering Project, the first effort to document and promote online volunteering efforts.[11] She is a co-author withJayne Cravens ofThe Last Virtual Volunteering Guidebook: Fully Integrating Online Service into Volunteer Involvement, published in 2014.[12]
She was frequently cited in various national and international publications regarding volunteerism-related topics, such as
Ellis received theHarriet Naylor Distinguished Member Service Award from theAssociation for Volunteer Administration (AVA) in 1989.[20]
She was a passionate fan of the originalStar Trek television series and once taught a community college course in theRomulan language derived from a program by science-fiction authorDiane Duane. Her company name was derived from the phrase "Energize" frequently said on the show.[9]
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