In 1977, Susan J. Ellis founded Energize, Inc., a training, consulting, and publishing firm that specializes in volunteerism and assisted clients throughout the world (23 countries) to create or strengthen their volunteer corps. She has an international reputation as a passionate advocate for the power of volunteers and those who lead them.
Susan authored or co-authored fourteen books (see below), several of which have been translated into Japanese, Taiwanese, French, and Italian. From 1981 to 1987 she was editor in chief of The Journal of Volunteer Administration. She has written more than 120 articles on volunteer management for dozens of publications; posted a provocative “Hot Topic” essay on the Energize Web site monthly; and wrote the national bi-monthly column, "On Volunteers," for The NonProfit Times.
Energize’s comprehensive Web site has won international recognition as a premier resource for leaders of volunteers (www.energizeinc.com). She was the publishing editor of the field's first online journal, e-Volunteerism: The Electronic Journal of the Volunteer Community (www.e-volunteerism.com) and was the dean of faculty for Energize's Everyone Ready® Online Volunteer Management Training Program (www.everyoneready.info).
Susan passed away on February 24, 2019 at which time the Susan J. Ellis Foundation was established.
