Dr. Peter T Ellis

A native of Petaluma and resident of Alameda, California, Dr. Peter Ellis was a visionary educator and entrepreneur in various fields. He was known for his role as the co-founder of the University of Phoenix, where he applied his doctoral thesis research. He also made a lasting cultural impact as the principal organizer of the iconic 1980s US Festivals in San Bernardino County, groundbreaking music and technology events that brought together thousands of people.

In 1991, Peter founded Community Crime Prevention Associates (CCPA), a consulting group that performed research and evaluation of human service programs. CCPA supported community-based organizations and public agencies in their work to develop resources and build capacity. CCPA was his crowning and summative work, a culmination of decades in community organizing and community education. For the quarter century since its founding, CCPA was instrumental in securing funding benefitting the most historically underserved youth including Restorative Justice programming in Santa Clara County in 1995 and Juvenile Detention Reform initiatives in 2001. From Tulare, San Jose, Oakland, to Santa Rosa, Peter's leadership and vision helped redefine what it means to produce usable information in evaluations -- by ensuring that policy makers and community members alike understood evaluation results and found meaning in the stories behind the numbers.

Working with policy makers from local government and school districts, Dr. Ellis built enduring systems like the Mayor's Gang Prevention Task Force, a first-of-its-kind, and national model creating unlikely partnerships between local law enforcement, service providers, and community leaders to reduce youth violence and youth involvement in risky behaviors. Peter called upon community stakeholders to set aside egos, and rather, share resources, information, and gumption.

Dr. Pete, as most of the community knew him, believed that community safety started with neighborhoods. Long before community policing was a law enforcement philosophy, Peter believed in a community's capacity to identify and solve its own problems. He believed that it was primarily the government's role to break down those barriers that kept communities from realizing their own efficacy and to provide resources so that neighborhoods could "right their own ship."



Family was everything to Pete. He was a devoted husband to Martha, his wife of 26 years, and a loving father to his son, Aaron Ellis, his spouse, Annette, and to his daughter, Anita and her husband Rigo Gutierrez. He was also the proud grandfather of Victoria and Nicholas Gutierrez, who brought him immense joy. His cousins, nephews, and the many friends whom he considered extended family will remember Pete for his contagious laughter and love.

Peter earned his Ph.D. in Community Education in 1971 at the University of Michigan and remained a lifelong fan of the university's football team, the Wolverines, cheering them on through their victories and defeats. He was also a proud graduate of San Jose State University, where he famously led the 1970 Survival Faire event (precursor to Earth Day) in which a new Ford vehicle was symbolically buried, highlighting his passion for activism and environmental consciousness.

Peter's legacy is one of innovation, family, and community service. His contributions as an Educator, Mentor, Community Organizer, and in the field of Research and Evaluation continue to inspire those who knew him. Peter left an indelible mark on those he met and a lasting impact on the communities that he served.

No public services are planned. The family requests donations to the Alzheimer's Association in lieu of flowers.