Scholar · Strategist · Founder

Aerial Ellis.

Ed.D. · Scholar-Practitioner

I build the conditions for people, organizations, and ideas to create meaningful impact.

Explore the portfolio View selected impact

Distinguished ProfessorThree-Time Agency FounderGlobal CommunicatorCulture Advisor

01 · The Impact Dashboard

Career-wide impact.

3Agency ventures founded

1 mark = 1 venture

3Academic degrees

1 mark = 1 degree

250+Multinational leaders engaged in dissertation research

1 mark = 5 leaders · 250+ total

20+Years of entrepreneurial experience

1 mark = 1 year · 20+ total

18Years in Higher Education

1 mark = 1 year

328Client engagements

40,000Employees & leaders trained/coached

14Certifications

Selected Impact · Advisory 83 · Est. 2016

Strategy, Storytelling and Systems.

A boutique strategy consultancy partnering with organizations to navigate complexity, strengthen culture, align leadership, and turn strategic ambition into organizational action.

The full venture story

$4MTotal engagement value (contracted vs. recognized)

14Multi-year engagements

52Organizations served

10Training experiences delivered

84Employees / leaders reached

50,000Countries / markets served

Scholar-Practitioner

Academic credentials, business impact, and global work — given equal weight.

Scholar + Distinguished Professor

Wells Fargo Endowed Chair and Distinguished Professor of Public Relations at NCCU; ten years on the Lipscomb University faculty.

Three-Time Agency Founder

Bane Imagery, Dugard Ellis Public Relations, and Advisory 83 — more than 20 years of entrepreneurship.

III

Global Communicator & Culture Advisor

Teaching, speaking, and advisory work from London and Johannesburg to Hong Kong and Kathmandu.

Research & Thought Leadership

Intercultural competence, workforce participation, ethical AI, culture assessment, and wealth generation.

Board Service & Institutional Leadership

President of the PRSA Foundation, Plank Center Fellow, Echo Research advisory board, and more.

Selected organizations & client relationships

Learfield·
Starbucks·
Microsoft·
ICANN·
APLU·
Deloitte·
BNA·
Nashville International Airport·
National Museum of African American Music·
NBA·
NFL·
Burger King·
Procter & Gamble·

Featured Media · Speaking

On stage, in classrooms, and in boardrooms.

Dr. Aerial Ellis speaking at a lectern, from her official speaking page

Dr. Aerial Ellis seated in a black and white jacket

Photography from Dr. Ellis’s official website. Additional event originals pending.

The Portfolio

Six chapters of one integrated practice.

The Impact Dashboard

Signature accomplishments · Impact metrics

Entrepreneurship & Business

Bane Imagery · Dugard Ellis PR · Advisory 83

Academic Leadership & Education

USC · NCCU · Lipscomb · Degrees · Curriculum innovation

Global Engagement

International teaching · Global advisory · Cross-cultural experience

Research & Intellectual Contributions

Dissertation · Publications · Research agenda · Frameworks

Thought Leadership & Board Service

Boards · Fellowships · Institutional leadership · Service