Biography
Dr. Auburn E. Ellis is the founder of Studio 54oo, & creator of Art and Yoga Flow. Dr. Auburn's recent publications and lectures focus on art as a form of advocacy, restorative justice and community revitalization. During graduate studies at the Art Institute-Chicago, her scope of research included travel to Hong Kong, Prague and Italy.
In 2013 Dr. Auburn E. Ellis finished her Ed.D in Adult and Continuing Education at National Louis University in Chicago. Her dissertation is titled Integrating Aesthetics: Transforming Continuing and Professional Education through Africentric Practice. The research is focused on finding more positive ways to implement curriculum and instruction in urban communities. During her undergraduate career at the University of Missouri-Columbia she received both a Bachelors of Art in Studio Art and a Bachelors of Science in Art Education, subsequently completing the Masters program at The School of the Art Institute-Chicago specializing in Museum Education.
Working as an art instructor for Chicago Public Schools from 2006-2017, Dr. Ellis has a wealth of experience in curriculum development and assessment. She has also created and implemented instructional design workshops for adult learners in several affluent community programs including the Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University, Art Institute-Chicago, and Orpheum Theatre of Memphis.
In 2020 Dr. Auburn launched a remote DEI&A training open to the public called the Anti-Racism Crash Course. She continues to lecture and train organizations locally and globally with a focus on social justice.
In 2024, Dr. Auburn Ellis was honored by Jackson County as an agent of change, and her name is now engraved on the Leon M. Jordan Memorial Monument To Freedom, Justice & Courage in Kansas City. The Monument honors those who are making or have made significant contributions to the Civil Rights Movement in Jackson County. The Leon M. Jordan Memorial Park honors the life and legacy of Leon Jordan, a civil rights leader who co-founded Freedom Inc. Dr. Auburn was honored in the category of entrepreneurship. Studio 54oo will continue to make positive impacts in the community in Kansas City and beyond!
