COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: “I am the race director of the Woodlawn Run for a Cause. The race was started in 2007 as a way to revive road running in the McLean Heights area of Yonkers and the Woodlawn section of the Bronx. In four years, nearly 600 participants have finished the 5K run/walk, and more than $12,000 has been donated to the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund, Montefiore Children’s Hospital, Compassionate Care Hospice and Part of the Solution. This year’s race will be held on Saturday, September 17 and all proceeds will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I volunteer each year with the Woodlean Boys and Girls Club as a boy’s basketball coach for grades 7-9. I also volunteer throughout the year with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, assisting at their Light the Night Walks and have raised nearly $10,000 for cancer research by running two marathons through their Team in Training program.”
PERSONAL: Ellis is 29 years old and currently resides in Astoria.
“I attended St. Barnabase Elementary School in the Bronx, Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains and Syracuse University where I graduated with a BS in public relations from the Newhouse School of Public Communications.”
OCCUPATION: Ellis is currently the Director of Advancement at St. Raymond High School where he strives to further enhance the mission of the institution through a combination of alumni relation events, fundraising programs, and public relations. Ellis is responsible for planning, organizing, and facilitating several annual events including regional alumni receptions, an annual dinner, a golf tournament, career day, homecoming, and class reunions.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE: “My biggest professional challenge was coming to grips with the fact that I started in a field that wasn’t truly to my liking. I majored in public relations and got my first post-college job at a public relations agency in the city, but I never really felt connected to my work there. After a year and a half, I decided to venture into the non-profit sector, despite having little prior experience or schooling in the field. It was a very difficult decision to make and a challenging search, but it ultimately worked out when I accepted a volunteer coordinator position at Junior Achievement of New York. I immediately felt at ease that I made the right decision to be able to work with children. Being able to still make a difference in the lives of young people has certainly made the career change worth it.”
FAVORITE MEMORY: “One memory that really stands out in my mind was at the completion of the First Woodlawn Run for a Cause in 2007. It had been a long and sometimes arduous process to make the race happen from scratch but after many months of planning and stress, it had finally happened, and was successful. The race has grown each and every year, and I look forward to it continuing to do so for many more years to come. And that feeling of having completed the first successful event a few years ago will always stay with me.”
INSPIRATION: “My inspiration has always been to do as much as I can with the life that I am given. I figure if I am going to do something, I might as well really do it, as opposed to just going half way. This is the case when it comes to doing the best I can do at my job day in and day out. It also carries over to the way I deal with relationships and how I spend my free time. Those that know me well know that I am never content to do just enough. If there’s a chance to do the most, be the best, or try the hardest, why not? I also have to credit the people in my life (my parents, brothers and my girlfriend) for being such wonderful influences that lead me to want to live life to the fullest.” – Bob Doda
