Andy Ellis Biography

Steven Andrew (Andy) Ellis was born in Washington, DC on July 28, 1976. He lives in Northeast Baltimore with his wife, Dana; four cats; and a small brood of chickens. He and Dana enjoy gardening in their yard and visiting farmers’ markets.

A long-time Maryland resident, Andy went to Governor Thomas Johnson High School in Frederick and attended St. Mary College of Maryland and Towson University. He is currently studying business at the University of Maryland Global Campus.

A Debate Expert

Enthusiastic about the power of language to inform, educate and persuade, Andy has been active in debating for three decades. He competed on debate teams at high school and college levels and has coached college teams at universities around the country as well as at Towson’s Loyola Blakefield High School. His coaching career produced two national college debate champions in 2004 and 2008, respectively. 

Helping Young People

Leveraging his skill and knowledge, Andy initiated and helped operate middle school, high school, and college debate programs in Long Beach California and Baltimore and authored a textbook on high school debate coaching. He has received debate awards from educational organizations for his work with young people, having mentored students and coaches, some of whom are leaders in civic affairs, politics, and education.

A Path to Politics

With a commitment to effective and compassionate public policy, Andy has been active in Maryland politics for 10 years. He served as Baltimore City Green Party Co-Chair from 2015 to 2017 and Maryland Green Party Co-Chair from 2019 to 2020. In addition, has served the Green Party of the United States a member of its Presidential Campaign Support Committee, 2020 -2021; Co-Chair of its Accreditation Committee, 2019-2022; a member of its Ballot Access Committee 2023-2025 and Chair of that Committee’s Legal Policy and Legislative Working Group, 2024-2025.

In 2018, Andy represented the Green Party as a Delegate candidate for the Maryland General Assembly from the 45th District, earning a higher percentage of votes than any previous Delegate candidate from that area. As Chair of Baltimore for Democracy in 2024, he led a successful city-wide campaign to defeat a well-financed effort to decrease the size of the Baltimore City Council.

Civic Minded

Andy is a recognized civic leader. Mayor Brandon Scott appointed him to the Baltimore City Charter Commission during its 2023 session, he has served as a board member of Dewmore Baltimore, and as an organizer for Harford Road civic and development promotions. 

Varied Work Experience

Andy has had an array of jobs that have given him a broad perspective on what it takes to make a living.

He has been part of the kitchen staff at multiple seafood houses and a part-time janitor at a Southeast Baltimore elementary school. 

In a differently focused job, he was a ticketing manager for Pete Seeger’s “Clearwater Music Festival.”

As a program coordinator for the Baltimore Urban Debate League, Andy initiated and led a series of instructional courses for Inner-City Baltimore young people, where he stressed that using one’s mind to express deep emotions in a constructive forum is a viable alternative to gang involvement to “be heard, be counted, and to make a difference.” 

Now Transforming Operations in International Media Audience Measurement

He is currently a Business Intelligence And Strategic Operations Lead for Nielsen Media Data, coordinating a multi-country team, charged with assuring IT efficiency for this global leader in measuring audience viewing-and-listening habits for the world’s leading broadcast, cable, and online media companies. 

In his 15-year career there, Andy, who started as a call-center operator has risen in the company, receiving senior management recognition for his creative technical innovation, collaborative and collegial management style, strategeic and transformative vision, and successful commitment to finding solutions to complex international operational challenges.