It became a focus as she pursued her master’s and doctoral degrees in communication focused on ministry and theology. After serving as a professor at Southern University, she returned to Walla Walla University to teach and develop a master’s degree program in Cinema, Religion and Worldview. She also returned to the Blue Mountain Broadcasting Association as its board president. 

Ellis found the lesson of listening applies in her personal life and her leadership journey too.

“I’m learning to listen, listen first,” Ellis said. “How can you know what will be meaningful if you haven’t listened first? It’s core to everything. If you are going to understand other people, you have to listen.”

She’s also had to learn to listen to herself and recognize when she’s feeling overwhelmed, struggling with the ideas of not being enough or being too much. Being able to identify those feelings and express them with her family has helped guide her and establish boundaries. It has also helped her turn to God in times of need. 

“God values us so highly, infinitely more than what we can wrap our minds around,” Ellis said. “… He can’t value me and love me because I am a great person. He values and loves me because I am His child.”