Edward is by education and experience a psychotherapist (on hiatus). He counsels from an Existentialist perspective. Before embarking upon a “third act”, he was a twenty-plus years reference librarian and public library director. Prior to his work in librarianship, he worked for a not-for-profit, non-denominational Christian social service corporation based in Appalachia. He was the first professional recruiter of volunteers and later a multimedia development specialist (i.e., bring in unpaid qualified personnel and garner donations through media saturation).

Before returning to graduate school (the first time), Ellis had owned and operated a retail business, been a trainer and educator as an employee of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He was an Emergency Medical Technician (fifteen-plus years state certified and nationally licensed).

Edward has attended every GABBF since its inception. "The day George Foreman and Vince DiMartino met for lunch at Freddie’s Restaurant to plan the inaugural Brass Band Festival, I stopped by their table. After a cursory inquiry as to their meeting agenda, they very graciously, and with obvious enthusiasm, laid out in sketch form, their plans for the first of what has become a thirty-plus years signature event for Danville and Boyle County. My current tenure as a member of the GABBF Board of Directors has been nearly four years. To serve in this capacity has been my privilege and honor."