For 17 of the 19 years she served on the Board, Ellis served as chair of the academic affairs committee. She was on the long-range planning committee that wrote Vision 2020, which continues to direct the seminary’s work. She served on countless search committees and on the steering committee for the self-studies required periodically by the seminary’s two accrediting agencies: the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Association of Theological Schools. Ellis serves now as co-chair of the advisory council for the Center for Lifelong Learning, through which she completed the Certificate in Spiritual Formation.

Ellis is a member of First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, where she served two terms on the session and then an additional seven years as clerk of the session. She has taught Bible studies there for many years, is a Stephen Minister there, and with her husband recently co-chaired a successful capital campaign. For the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, she has served as moderator, as chair of the presbytery council, on the long-range planning committee, in the Ambassador Program and Presbytery Resource Partners, and is on the examinations committee. She was a commissioner to the General Assembly twice and has served three times on the board of the Outreach Foundation of the Presbyterian Church.

She serves on the board of the Fund for Theological Education. She has also served two terms on the Board at Trinity School, chaired the board of the FCS Urban Ministries, served on the board of the East Lake Commons, as a trustee for Renewal Ministries, on the advisory committee for the Year for the Common Good, and as a mediator at the Justice Center of Atlanta.

Presenting the Lay Leadership Award, President Laura Mendenhall cited Ellis’s years of service to the seminary, as well as to the church at the local, presbytery, and national level, and quipped, “All this is particularly impressive since Florida probably would have been perfectly content as an Episcopalian had she not married Doug Ellis, a lifelong Presbyterian.

“One of the definitions of a leader is someone who takes you to places you cannot go without a leader . . .

“You have helped to shape and form what God is doing here to prepare pastors and leaders for Christ’s ministry in the world today and tomorrow. . . we thank you, Florida. We thank God for you.”