Katie Ellis joined the Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute (KECI) during the summer of 2006 while working toward her Master's in Community and Leadership Development.  Her background in agricultural communications and interest in rural communities brought her to the Institute where she works with a cohort of grassroots leaders working to foster entrepreneurial friendly communities throughout tobacco-dependent communities across Kentucky.   

As Program Coordinator, Katie works directly with the current class of Fellows throughout South Central Kentucky and serves as a resource for program alumni.  The Institute’s current class of Fellows within South Central Kentucky is just beginning the journey of cultural transformation.  They are being equipped with the tools necessary to foster entrepreneurship and to help their communities thrive.  The Institute has an alumni base that is 54 members strong throughout Northeastern Kentucky that continue to serve the region as entrepreneurial leaders, advocates and coaches.  Fellows and alumni of the Institute are unified in their effort to transform Kentucky into the destination of choice for entrepreneurs.     

Katie serves as a resource for KECI Fellows and works to integrate local entrepreneurs, arts and culture into each seminar.  Katie is responsible for promotion of the Institute throughout the state and oversees the program budget.   She has an interest in the area of social entrepreneurship and is exploring the overarching themes that foster social entrepreneurs (such as KECI Fellows), the role of social venture creation in the engagement of rural communities, social capital and its relationship to new social ventures that foster an entrepreneurial culture and the sustainability of social ventures. 

 As an alumnus of the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program (GSP), Katie serves as a member of the GSP Agri-business Scholarship Selection Committee where she has the opportunity to work with youth throughout the state who are pursuing careers in the industry.  She has served as a Royal Six Ambassador to the American Royal, the most historic livestock, horse show and rodeo in the nation.  During her time with the Royal, Katie was able to meet with and learn from some of the greatest entrepreneurs and corporate leaders in the greater Kansas City area.  During this time she also taught inner-city youth about the heritage of agriculture and the impact that it plays on our economy and daily lives.  Katie’s interests also have an international flavor.  She has spent a semester studying media and communications at Macquarie University outside Sydney, Australia, explored agricultural markets throughout Mexico and taken part in an entrepreneurial study-tour throughout rural Scotland.   

Katie can be reached by phone at (859) 227-0911 or by e-mail at katie.ellis@uky.edu