IMPACT Leadership & Governance

Kristen is a California native whose family is three generations deep in the entertainment industry. She watched, listened, and learned the industry through her grandfather as a respected key grip for Paramount Studios, her cousin was Gregory Peck’s personal assistant for over 20 years working with many other legendary actors, and her father being a theater technical director. On the military side, her husband served in the U.S. Army for over 24 years and retired 100% disabled. As a long-time military spouse, it has given her an excellent understanding of what service members need and what is required of them to serve and protect our country. Kristen is passionate about enabling our service men and women with career skills, hope, and opportunities to pursue their dreams in arts and entertainment.

Over the years, Kristen has also worked in the corporate world, holding executive-level positions in marketing and sales, working both domestically and overseas. She has managed high-net-worth accounts, negotiated contracts, fostered new partnerships, and led teams to help build out new product lines. She speaks conversational German and Japanese, which allowed her to work with clients such as Fujitsu and Hitachi’s executive-level management while living in Asia. She has an entrepreneurial spirit, which also led her to have a small import/export business while living in Europe. Kristen strives to help create purposeful opportunities and enjoys working with diverse populations and cultures.

As a young girl, Kristen’s passion was in the arts. She studied the piano and violin, performing in the all-city and high school orchestras. As an adult, she had vocal training and studied under Don Harrison in Frankfurt, Germany. She later began teaching piano and auditioned and was accepted to sing with the UCLA Angeles Chorale.  Kristen then went on to musical theater with roles in Seussical, Horton Hears a Who, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, and Guys and Dolls. Kristen is also an actress, having been involved in several commercials, industrial videos, print ads, and films, working alongside multiple A-list talent while pursuing her passion for the arts.

Kristen graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in psychology and business and is a proud mom of five kids. Soccer mom, choir mom, dance mom, gymnastics mom, baseball mom, football mom, nurse, chauffeur, chef, teacher, and all that moms do. She is the biggest cheerleader at her kids' events. She and her husband adopted four children from orphanages in other countries, served as church missionaries, and have been active in her local communities as they have moved around the world. 

Kristen is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Women in Film and Television, and a Partner in Education with the Rainey McCullers School of the Performing Arts.

General Ellis is a retired active duty four-star Army General and was the Commanding General of the United States Army Forces Command beginning November 19, 2001. 

He was born in Cambridge, Maryland, and attended Morgan State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science.

He has more than 35 years of experience in the military, leading complex organizations with as many as 750,000 personnel. He coordinated the deployment of over 500,000 soldiers from 2001 to 2004, as well as the shipment of more than a million tons of equipment. Through his efforts to communicate with diverse groups, General Ellis was able to receive support for his operations at that time. Over the course of his career, Ellis coordinated training programs and strategic plans for the Army, as well as programs that lasted for multiple years.

General Ellis has received many military awards, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, Army Distinguished Service Medal, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, NATO Medal, and the Bronze Star Medal. Ellis also received a number of awards, including an Honorary Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, an Honorary Doctor of Law from Morgan State University, and the NAACP National Service Award.

After his retirement from the U.S. Army in 2004, General Ellis held several leadership positions in business, including CEO and founder of Ellis Services & Solutions Enterprises. He has served on the Board of Directors of SRA, Armed Forces Benefit Association, UNITECH, and DHB Industries, Inc. He became the president of DHB Industries, Inc. in 2005, and in July 2006, he was named CEO.

Ebony Magazine recognized General Ellis as one of the "100 plus most influential people in America." He enjoys physical fitness activities, traveling, and playing golf. He is married to Baltimore native Jean Williams and has two adult children, Deborah Ellis, who is on active duty in the U.S. Army, and Renee Ellis..

Ryan W. Dick is the Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Board of Directors for IMPACT Entertainment Foundation, bringing more than two decades of military, leadership, and hands-on community service experience to the organization’s mission.

Ryan is a retired U.S. military veteran with 22 years of service across roles that included Army Infantry, Air Force Security Forces, Army Military Police, and finishing as an Army Cavalry Scout. He has multiple deployments supporting combat and contingency operations, with one of the highlights of his career being his service as a Senior Drill Sergeant. Over his career, he became a certified instructor in multiple Army programs such as Master Resilience, Master Combatives, and Master RAVEN (small unmanned aircraft systems), as well as Advanced Instructor Development. He has always taken pride in training and mentoring the next generation of Soldiers. He has received multiple commendations and unit-level recognition for excellence in service.

Off duty, Ryan has long treated “service” as a lifestyle, not a job description. He is the founder of AmeraVinci Ventures, through which he has helped dozens of friends, colleagues, and fellow veterans launch and stabilize small businesses across the United States. At home, he and his family support local veterans, disabled and elderly neighbors with free or low-cost home repairs and accessibility improvements, and run a grassroots holiday outreach program that answers children’s Christmas letters delivered through a “secret Santa” mailbox.

In his free time, Ryan is a mixed-media artist and a published author, writing under the pen name, with titles released through his publishing company, AmeraVinci Press. A devoted father of three, he has been with his wife for 22 years, who is medically retired military veteran. He keeps his roots in a small family farm and is an avid motorcycle rider and racer. Supporting IMPACT’s high-level vision in the real lives and stories of those who have served.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel and author who started his active duty career at West Point,  he served at Ft Harrison, Ft Knox, Ft Benning, and three tours in Panama serving in both USARSO and USSOUTHCOM.  He has commanded three companies, a community, a battalion, and has a total of eighty-four months in command; served as a battalion and brigade XO; G1/AG of a separate brigade, G1/AG of an installation, AG of a unified command, and was the Department of Defense Representative to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.  Following his retirement from the Army, he served as one of the 12 members of the Army Chief of Staff’s Retiree Advisory Council.

His military schooling includes the AG Basic and Advanced (Honor Grad) courses, ACS course, Morale Support Officers course, G1/DPCA course, Army Installation Management course, Army Command and General Staff College, and the Air War College.

His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Volunteer Service Award, the Horatio Gates Medal from the Adjutant General Regiment and the Order of St. Maurice from the National Infantry Association.

Following his retirement from the Army he served as the Regional Director and Military Aide to United States Congressman Mac Collins (R-GA-3). After Congressman Collins’ failed senate campaign, he became a Project Manager, and later a division chief/deputy business manager for the Omega Training Group, Inc. During his four years with Omega, his division won contracts that increased the size of the business by 400%.  After four years at Omega, he was selected to serve as Senior Project Manager for Defense and Space Issues in the Global Commerce Division of the Georgia State Department of Economic Development  

and Executive Director of the Georgia Defense Initiative.  He also served as a board member for Aerospace Defense Systems, Inc. He spent nearly seven years at Economic Development and is now retired.

He is active in the local community where he has served as President of the Chattahoochee Valley-Ft Benning chapter of the Association of the United States Army, member the national Board of Directors of the House of Heroes, member of the board of the Columbus State University Athletic Foundation, board member of Thunder in the Valley Air Show, Inc., member of the Columbus/Ft Benning Civilian-Military Council, State President of the Association of the United States Army, Chairman of the Georgia National Defense Industrial Association, Chairman of the Harris County Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee, Chairman of the Harris County Republican party, Vice Chair of the 3rd District Republican Committee, member of the Republican State Committee.  

He is currently a member of the Ft Benning Retired Soldier Council, District Coordinator for the United States Military Academy Admissions Office, Board member for the Columbus State University Department of Education and Health Professions, Council President of Reformation Lutheran Church, National Chairman of Lutheran Men, and Board Chair for St Paul Lutheran Seminary.

He is married to the former Pat Fisher of Lyndhurst, Ohio.  They have two daughters, Tracy and Jody and three grandsons, Sebastian, Xander, and Alex.