Kimberly Ellis

Ellis was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and attended nine schools during her childhood as her father moved regularly in his career as a military officer. She attended schools in six different US states and two countries before she graduated from Antilles High School at Fort Buchanan near San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Ellis attended Jacksonville University and earned a bachelor's degree in English. She then graduated from law school at John F. Kennedy University.

Ellis has worked in the private and non-profit sectors, and has experience in state government.{{Cite news|url=https://voteforkimberly.com/meet-kimberly/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203081742/https://voteforkimberly.com/meet-kimberly/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=February 3, 2017|title=Meet Kimberly {{!}} Kimberly Ellis for California Democratic Party Chair|work=Kimberly Ellis for California Democratic Party Chair|access-date=May 18, 2017|language=en-US}}

In 2009, the mayor of Richmond, California appointed Ellis to serve as a member of the Community Development Commission.

Ellis concurrently worked at Emerge America’s national headquarters as the National Affiliate Director, and in 2010 she became the Executive Director of the California chapter, Emerge California.

Ellis is a Truman National Security Project political partner.

Ellis has spoken in favor of progressive causes and has stated that Democrats need to do more to address poverty as well as push harder to adopt single-payer healthcare. Ellis actively supported Hillary Clinton during the presidential campaign.

Ellis formerly served on the California Democratic Party Finance Committee, and as the Recording Secretary of the party's African American Caucus.

Ellis was a contender for the Chair of the California Democratic Party in 2017. She was endorsed by seven members of US Congress, several unions and organizations including the National Nurses United union, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom,{{Cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-newsom-backs-ellis-for-state-democratic-1494974188-htmlstory.html|title=California politics updates: California's congressional delegation sounds off on Mueller pick, candidates for governor to drum up support at convention|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=May 18, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}} dozens of local elected and emeritus officials, and dozens of California Democratic Party leaders.{{Cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/315040-sanders-backers-take-over-california-democratic-party/|title=Sanders backers take over California Democratic Party|last=Weaver|first=Dustin|date=January 19, 2017|work=TheHill|access-date=May 18, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.nationalnursesunited.org/legislation/entry/ca-endorsements|title=California Endorsements {{!}} National Nurses United|website=www.nationalnursesunited.org|language=en|access-date=May 18, 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://voteforkimberly.com/endorsements/|title=Endorsements {{!}} Kimberly Ellis for California Democratic Party Chair|work=Kimberly Ellis for California Democratic Party Chair|access-date=May 18, 2017|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908044915/https://voteforkimberly.com/endorsements/|archive-date=September 8, 2018|url-status=usurped}} She was supported by progressive groups like California Nurses Association, which supported Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Presidential primary, and Our Revolution, which grew out of the Sanders campaign.

Ellis was narrowly defeated by party insider Eric Bauman, who has been described as a "consummate party insider." According to the Los Angeles Times, Ellis and Bauman were aligned on most issues, including support for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, abortion rights, single-payer healthcare, and stronger LGBTQ protections, and the contest was described as being between "old school" Democrats vs "new school" Democrats in the progressive spirit of Bernie Sanders. Although Ellis supported Clinton in the Democratic primaries and in the 2016 general election, she has been welcomed by Bernie supporters as "leading an insurgency against the party establishment." Despite such a strong showing in 2017, she was defeated again in 2019 by Rusty Hicks after Eric Bauman resigned following sexual misconduct allegations.

Ellis was the Women’s History Month Honoree by the San Francisco Commission and Department on the Status of Women in 2011 and 2015.

Ellis received honors on International Women’s Day in 2012 by the Global Arts and Education.

Kimberly was named one of CalNewsroom.com’s 100 Most Overlooked People in California Politics in 2014 for her work electing Democratic women in California. CalNewsroom.com’s John Hirabe lauded Ellis as “where the rubber meets the road in electing Democratic women” in California.

In 2012, Kimberly was awarded the Annie M. Powell Community Leadership Award by the Global Arts and Education and Women’s Intercultural Network in celebration of International Women’s Day for her work with Emerge California.

Kimberly Ellis, as a head of San Francisco’s Department on the Status of Women, was placed on administrative leave on March 2025 pending a city probe into the department’s activities and that she directed nearly $1 million in taxpayer money in no-bid contracts to groups she’d worked for or consulted for in the past.Top San Francisco official placed on leave. San Francisco Chronicle. March 20, 2025. https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/top-san-francisco-official-ousted-20230960.php The department paid a political organization focused on empowering women, almost $700,000 to organize the Shift Happens conference at the Moscone Center in 2024. “Expenses included a $90,000 catering tab, $120,000 for video production, $25,000 for exhibitions and educational materials, and $70,000 for administrative expenses”, according to The San Francisco Standard.Top SF official and women’s activist placed on leave amid investigation. The San Francisco Standard. March 20, 2025.

https://sfstandard.com/2025/03/20/kimberly-ellis-san-francisco-status-of-women-leave/

Kimberly has lived in California for over two decades. She lives in Richmond, California, and has two children.

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