David Ellison AR’83

Running for: Council

Campaign Statement

It’s a humbling experience to run for office.  I’d normally not do it but for the sake of having choices when voting, somebody has to!  If elected to the alumni council, I’ll do my best to serve the alumni and the school and promise to listen to you, and report back with anything I think we, as alumni, should know about what is going on.

Biography

I attended the architecture school from 1978 until 1983.  It took me ten years to recover from my formal education, during which time I became certified by the NIASE as a Master Automobile Technician and was licensed by the State of Colorado as an automobile emissions inspector.  After moving to Cleveland, I became registered to practice architecture.  In the 1990’s, I helped build local, state and national Green Party political organizations, becoming the first convener of the National Committee of the GPUSA in the mid 1990’s while working to impede and ultimately stop the siting of an ill-conceived, multi-state, low-level radioactive waste dump in Ohio.  I represented the GPUSA at the East/West European Green Party coordination meeting in Kiev on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the catastrophe at Chernobyl.  

I opened my own architectural practice in 1998 and have been recognized for sensitivity toward historic buildings and infill construction within historic districts.  I am a founder and past president of the regional chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art. I’m currently involved with  both the Council of Cleveland Neighborhoods and the Architects’ and Attorneys’ Committee on Zoning, groups that represents residents’ and professionals’ interests in the face of inappropriate development pressures and gentrification.  I live in Cleveland with two whippets, my sister and her collie-dog.