Profiles in Service - Feb. 20, 2017

Rodney Ellis

Board member
Commissioner, Harris County, Texas

Number of years active in NACo: 1; elected county commissioner in 2016

Years in Public Service: Served in the Texas Senate for 25 years; served three terms on the Houston City Council, former chief of staff to the late U.S. Rep. Mickey Leland of Houston.

Occupation:  Attorney

Education: Bachelor’s degree from Texas Southern University; master’s degree from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs; and a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. Also studied at Xavier University in New Orleans and the London School of Economics.

The hardest thing I’ve ever done: Know when to protect your children and when to let them go ahead and make a mistake.  You always want the best for them.        

Three people (living or dead) I’d invite to dinner: I would love to sit down just one more time with my mentor and dear friend, the late Congressman Mickey Leland, and I know he would be honored to meet President Obama and his wife Michelle. 

A dream I have is to: Help establish a criminal justice system that treats all people fairly, regardless of their color or income. I’m working on reforms in Harris County that will move us closer to that goal. 

You’d be surprised to learn that I: Can’t sit still. I’d rather be getting something done, learning something new or talking to my constituents.  

The most adventurous thing I’ve ever done is: Ride more than 1,000 miles in the Bike Across Texas event. It was a long, hard, beautiful ride!

My favorite way to relax is to: Bike ride. It helps me unwind and allows me to see the world from a different vantage point. I’ve learned so much by riding around this sprawling urban county. It’s always an adventure!  

I’m most proud of: My four children. They are strong, kind, interesting people.

Every morning I read: My hometown newspaper, the Houston Chronicle, my emails, twitter, Facebook and The New York Times.

My favorite meal is: I try to stick to a plant-based diet, but I love Texas barbecue.   

My pet peeve is: Dogs that chase me on my bike. 

My motto is: Work hard to advance the cause of equality and justice for all — and have some fun doing it.

The last book I read was: Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time by Jeff Speck. 

My favorite movie is: Did I mention it’s hard for me to sit still?! However, I really liked two recent movies, Hidden Figures and LBJ.

My favorite music is: Anything by John Legend.

My favorite U.S. president is: President Barack Obama.

My county is a NACo member because: With nearly 5 million residents, it is vital for Harris County to work with NACo and its members on pursuing transformational county solutions and educating the public about the importance of county government. I appreciate the hard work NACo does to bring county officials together to advocate on national policy and other important matters.