Bethany Ellis
Bethany Ellis
  • Title:
    Director of Athletics; Chair of the PERA Department
  • Phone:
    781-283-2001
  • Email:
    be100@wellesley.edu
  • Education:
    B.A. Yale University; M.Ed. Providence College

Bio

Bethany Ellis Named Director of Athletics; Chair of PERA at Wellesley College (May 20, 2019)

Bethany Ellis joined Wellesley College as Director of Athletics and Chair of the Department of Physical Education, Recreation, and Athletics (PERA) on July 1, 2019.

Prior to Wellesley, Ellis worked at Boston University, where she was hired as an Associate Athletic Director in 2014 and served as Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Student Athlete Development from 2015-2019. Ellis received her B.A. in Psychology from Yale University in 2002 and a Masters in Education from Providence College in 2005. She started her career as head women's basketball coach at Johnson and Wales University, before moving to become Director of Basketball Operations at Providence College and Associate Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator at Assumption College.

Throughout her career, working at all three NCAA levels, Ellis has distinguished herself by her passionate advocacy for the role of athletics as part of students' overall educational experience and by her commitment to women's wellness and leadership development. Her portfolio at Division I Boston University was broad, encompassing oversight of six varsity programs, student-athlete support services, strength and conditioning, and the department's leadership academy. At BU, Ellis also served as a University Deputy Title IX coordinator as well as athletic's liaison to admissions and athletic training services, while representing the department on on campus committees, including the Transgender Working Group, and Student Affairs Leadership Forums.

As a member of the Senior Management Team at Assumption, Ellis directly supervised nine sports while serving as a member of the strategic planning team. She served as NCAA Compliance supervisor, SAAC Advisor, Title IX Coordinator, and as the athletics liaison to admissions. Prior to arriving at Assumption, Ellis spent two years as Director of Basketball operations at Providence College, returning to the program where she had completed her graduate assistantship in 2005.

Between her time at Providence, Ellis was the head women's basketball coach at Johnson and Wales, earning Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Coach of the Year honors in 2006. In addition to her coaching duties at Johnson & Wales, she also served as the athletics department's community service liaison, coordinating activities that included programming with nearby elementary schools.

A native of Harmon, Ill., Ellis resides in Melrose with her wife, Caroline, and their daughter, Lucy, and sons, Arthur and Grant.