Biographie
Ms. Ellis is the Managing Partner of PROVENANCE VENTURES, a media company and parent to PROVENANCE MEDIA and PROVENANCE FILMS. The company packages, produces, and develops content, series, and films through shaping stories that resonate in the modern culture, with particular emphasis on music and women subjects. The company currently has a full slate of television series and two features in development.
Until January 2010, Ellis was the Executive Vice President, Sony Music Entertainment, Inc, based in New York, New York. Billboard Magazine named Lisa Ellis one of the "Most Powerful Women In Music" in the years of 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. In 2009, Ellis joined Fireman Capital Partners as Operating Partner. Ellis was #50 on Fast Company Magazine's List of 100 Most Creative People. At Fireman Capital Partners, she was involved in the first portfolio operations, marketing and sales aspects, including Hudson Jeans, Serena & Lily, Idea Paint, Pilla Eyewear and Evolution Fresh Juices.
Career Beginnings Lisa Ellis began her career as a Public Relations intern at Pepsi-Cola Company in Washington, D.C in 1991 for Publisher and Entrepreneur, Earl G. Graves, the founder of Black Enterprise Magazine. She then was offered a position as Event Marketing Manager, while attending college at night at the University of Maryland. Ellis accepted a position in 1992 at Cook Inlet Radiostation, WPGC, in Washington, D.C. as Event Marketing Director, the station was soon after purchased by CBS Radio. It is at WPGC where Ellis grew in Marketing, Promotion, and Sales in broadcast radio as Event Marketing Director for the station. In 1993, Ellis was offered a position at Reebok as Marketing Manager for the Mid Atlantic Region. At Reebok, Ellis oversaw and managed Pepsi-Cola National campaigns on the regional level with retailers, colleges, and managed the regional Marketing and advertising budgets. At Reebok is where she began to work with NBA All-Star, Shaquille O'Neal, and also worked with Reebok founder, Paul Fireman's son, Dan Fireman on the 1996 Olympic projects. In 1995, Ellis joined Sony Music Entertainment and Columbia Records as Promotion Manager. Her immediate assignment once joining was to regionally promote to radio Bruce Springsteen's Ghost of Tom Joad Tour. She then went on to tour with artists such as: Tony Bennett, Aerosmith, Mariah Carey, Alice In Chains, The Fugees, Lauryn Hill, Shawn Colvin, James Taylor, Neil Diamond, and Train.
Sony Music Entertainment Ellis held numerous executive posts and in 2004 was named General Manager, Sony Urban Music. As General Manager, Ellis retooled and re-engineered the structure of the newly merged division that controlled the Artist & Repetoire of the R&B, Crossover, Hip Hop, and Gospel rosters for both Columbia Records and Epic Records". The division was created as a result of down-sizing in the company and establishing one organization within to serve the genres. In restructuring, Ellis signed new artist John Legend and label deal with Kanye West's Good Music. , and had Platinum releases by Beyonce, Three 6 Mafia, Omarion, Lyfe Jennings, Nas, Mary Mary. She later was promoted to the post of President, Sony Urban Music in December 2005 . The same year, Ellis was on the cover of Black Enterprise" magazine's "40 Power Players Under 40"issue . During Ellis' leadership at Sony Urban Music the division received 48 Grammy Nominations, and 27 Grammy Awards. This included 8 Grammy nominations for John Legend in 2006, including his wins for Best R&B Song, Ordinary People and a Grammy for Best New Artist. Ellis also lead the return of the artist, Prince, with 2 Grammy wins for his album Musicology, and Best R&B Male Vocal Performance for the song Call My Name in 2005. In 2006, Three 6 Mafia wrote and produced the song Hard Out Here For A Pimp for the Grammy Award nominated film Hustle & Flow". It was during this time that Ellis met actor, singer-songwriter, Terrence Howard'. Three Six Mafia won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for a Motion Picture. Three Six Mafia', their attorney/manager, Aaron Rosenberg, and Ellis went on to create the MTV Production 'Adventures In Hollywood which began airing in July 2007. Ellis also signed Terrence Howard producing a soul-folk album for Columbia Records. In 2007, Lisa Ellis was named one of Ebony Magazine's Power.
Extracurricular Ms. Ellis has served on the Advisory Boards of many philanthropic organizations such as: Lalela Project , Computers For Youth, and Howard Theatre Restoration, She is a Voting Member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, and a Member of the Producer's Guild. Lisa Ellis is a Term Member at the Council On Foreign Relations , and is an Equestrian and Member of the United States Equestrian Federation. She attended the University of Maryland and completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2011.
