Ellis is the Interim Director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics and a clinical instructor at Texas Southern University. His current research interest is energy requirements for maintenance hemodialysis and sleep-apnea related obesity. His research abstract was published in the Journal of Renal Nutrition and he presented a poster at the National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meetings. Ellis was previously appointed to the specialty certification panel which is a leadership body for the Commission on Dietetic Registration. He also has served on the advanced practice in clinical nutrition test specification panel, renal practice analysis panel, certified specialist in renal nutrition exam development panel and the entry level examination item bias review.