Championing Local Growth and Entrepreneurship: Insights from Terrell Ellis

Terrell Ellis is a West Virginian by choice. She believes that our state has tremendous untapped potential to be the best place in the country to live, work, and play. She has dedicated her professional life to helping communities realize this potential.

 

Terrell Ellis's career path is unique and impactful. She began her journey focusing on downtown revitalization, working locally and statewide with the state’s capital city, Charleston, and the WV Main Street program. Her work involved directing and providing technical assistance for diverse projects, from riverfront development to historic preservation and financing programs. This early experience laid the foundation for her future success in community and economic revitalization. 

 

Subsequently, Ms. Ellis served as the Principal of Terrell Ellis & Associates, a consulting practice that provides support to the public and private sectors on issues related to community and economic revitalization.  She worked nationally on community and economic development initiatives, emphasizing small to medium-sized rural communities.  

 

In 2023, Ms. Ellis made a significant career move, closing her consulting practice to become the President & CEO of Advantage Valley, a 9-county regional economic development organization. In this role, she has successfully leveraged millions of federal funding to support regional business attraction and retention, entrepreneurship, development of outdoor recreation assets, and industrial site development efforts. Her unique collaboration with regional partners has led to the creation of hundreds of new jobs and millions of private reinvestment in the region, demonstrating the tangible impact of her work.

 

In addition to her Bachelor of Arts degree in urban affairs from Virginia Tech, Ms. Ellis is also a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional. She volunteers in leadership roles for numerous local, state, and national organizations. Ms. Ellis is the proud mother of four daughters.