Speaker Bio – Currently, Ellen is the Executive Director for Habitat for Humanity of Tuscaloosa, AL,
an organization which has hosted nearly 30,000 volunteers from 50 states and 6
continents since the devastating tornado on April 27, 2011. We construct 10 – 12 houses
a year and perform major repairs on about 100 more. Our budget is over $2 million,
and Ellen is responsible for all aspects of the organization. In 2011, Ellen’s husband,
neurologist Daniel C. Potts, M.D., F.A.A.N., and herself wrote “A Pocket Guide for the
Alzheimer’s Caregiver.” Between our two immediate families, they have cared for nine
family members with either Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia. The book was
written in the hope that others could benefit from their families’ experiences,
successes and failures. It is recommended as a resource by the American Academy of
Neurology, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, the Alzheimer’s Association and
Maria Shriver. We blogged monthly for MariaShiver.com and were formerly two of
Shriver’s “Architects of Change.” Earlier in her career, Ellen taught classes on nonprofit organizations at the University of Alabama and managed medical practices in a
wide variety of specialties and acted as an independent consultant to other medical
practices. Ellen served on the board of Living River: A Retreat on the Cahaba, and as
Development Chair throughout the capital campaign which raised over $11 million and
constructed the camp and conference center. Ellen was board president at Caring
Days (a dementia daycare center) for two years. Ellen is an ordained elder and deacon
at First Presbyterian Church and sings in the choir. In recognition of her work in the
community, Ellen has been honored with induction into the Chamber of Commerce of
West Alabama’s Civic Hall of Fame, the Nick’s Kids Foundation Lifetime Achievement
Award, the Birmingham – Southern College Distinguished Alumni Award, the Edith
Dailey Walton Outstanding Humanitarian Award, and Women’s Leadership Award by
the Association of the U.S. Army (West AL Chapter).