This summer Ellis welcomed five new members to its Board of Directors, bringing expertise in areas which reinforce our emphasis on community partnerships and innovative education.

THE NEW MEMBERS ARE:

Judith M. Davenport, D.M.D.
Dentist (retired)

Davenport practiced dentistry for two decades before her retirement in 2000. She was a consultant for United Concordia and a member of Highmark's Dental Review Committee. She is an active member of the community and is committed to improving the lives of others in health, education, and the arts. She is featured in the Mister Rogers first experience book, Going to the Dentist and is cofounder and director of Sheridan Broadcasting Corporation, the only African American owned and operated radio network in America.  Sheridan's holdings include the American Urban Radio Network, with 400 affiliates across the country.  Davenport has been the recipient of local and regional awards including Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania in 2001. She holds a B.S. from Pennsylvania State University, a Master's of Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, and a D.M.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. She served on the board at the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater Foundation for 20 years, is on the board of the Andy Warhol Museum, is the director of the Howard Heinz Endowment and is trustee emeritus at Forbes Hospital and Pittsburgh Public Theater. She is the parent of Ellis alumnae from the classes of 1982 and 1985.

Roheela Malik
Business, Education, and Charitable Management

Malik brings over 15 years of management experience in business, charitable, and educational organizations in Europe and the United States. Her recent work focuses on the educational and not-for-profit sectors, with senior executive volunteer roles at various schools, including Ellis. Malik is the parent chair of the Ellis Annual Fund and former president of the Ellis Parents Association. She has an M.S. in international relations from Southampton University England and a B.S. in human biology from Surrey University in England. She was Community Day chairwoman for the Pittsburgh Musical Theater’s 20th Anniversary celebrations last year, an English-as-a-second language tutor at Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council, and is on the Professional Women’s Leadership Team with responsibility for the Speakers Program. She is the parent of an Ellis alumna from the class of 2011, and of Ellis students in the class of 2012 and the class of 2015.
 
James I. Mitnick
President and CEO, Ironwood Learning  LLC

Mitnick has been president and CEO, Ironwood Learning LLC since 2007. Prior to Ironwood Learning he spent 37 years with Turner Construction Company and was responsible for the development of the Turner Knowledge Network (TKN), an online learning platform that included Turner University and delivered nearly a million hours of learning on an annual basis. Mitnick is also president of the AEC CommuniteStore, which builds and hosts branded stores for companies in the architectural, engineering, and construction industries, and is president of Ironwood Development, which focuses on the digital distribution of electronic drawings for facilities managers, architects, engineers, and contractors. Mitnick received several awards from Chief Learning Officer magazine for innovation and integration of technologies. Ironwood was also was recognized by Training magazine as one of the top training organizations in the United States in 2005. He has a B.S.C.E. from Purdue University and is a Registered Professional Engineer. He is former chair and current board member at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden, and is also on the board of the Cooper-Siegel Library and Hillel Jewish Community Center.

Colleen Simonds
President, Colleen Simonds Design

Ellis alumna Colleen Simonds led a career in the fashion industry that grew quickly from 1999 to 2010, when she left full-time work to pursue graduate studies.  Her management work culminated in her role as divisional merchandise manager for J. Crew, a job which meshed her creative and mathematical skills.  A member of The Ellis School’s National Board of Alumnae Visitors since 2009, Simonds lives in New York City, where she is currently enrolled in an interior design program at the Parsons School of Design.  Simonds is the 1995 recipient of Ellis’ prestigious Oliver Cup. She has a B.A. in economics and French from Duke University, 1999.

Andrew R. Watson, M.D., M.Litt, F.A.C.S.
VP International and Commercial Services Division, UPMC

Watson specializes in colorectal and inflammatory bowel disease surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He spent two years working with the American Board of Surgery and the Department of Surgery at UPMC developing a national curriculum for surgical education. Watson focuses on corporate healthcare at UPMC. He is a vice president of the International and Commercial Service Division and is part of IT management for UPMC. He plays a central role in developing telemedicine for UPMC and has worked for the Insurance Services Division in this capacity. He is the medical director of the Center for Connected Medicine, an executive briefing center in Pittsburgh that showcases the future of healthcare, thought leadership, and HIT strategies. He has an M.A. in 17th century English baroque architecture from the University of Oxford, an M.D. from Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, and was surgical fellow at UPMC. He is the parent of an Ellis student in the class of 2022.