Social Entrepreneur & Documentary Filmmaker; Co-Founder & Co-CEO of FoodCorps; Peabody Award Winner; Food Policy Advocate

Mount Holly, VT, USA
Live Event: $5,000 - $10,000 Virtual Event: $5,000 - $10,000 More Fee Info

Curt Ellis Biography

Curt Ellis is a social entrepreneur, filmmaker, and food justice advocate known as the co-founder and co-CEO of FoodCorps. FoodCorps is a nonprofit organization that partners with schools and districts to advance student health, education, and belonging through food. The organization reaches more than 500,000 students annually with its food education and school nutrition programs. Ellis and five colleagues co-founded FoodCorps in response to the national epidemic of childhood obesity and diet-related disease, centering the organization around an AmeriCorps public service initiative that recruits young leaders for a year of full-time service fostering healthy school food environments in low-income communities. Service members conduct nutrition education, build and tend school gardens, and promote local food in school cafeterias.

Before launching FoodCorps, Ellis established himself as a documentary filmmaker. His breakout film, "King Corn," followed Ellis and Ian Cheney on a yearlong quest to grow an acre of corn and trace its journey into food. The film featured journalist Michael Pollan and former Agriculture Secretary Earl Butz, received a limited theatrical release, aired nationally on PBS Independent Lens, and won a George Foster Peabody Award. "King Corn" contributed to reframing public debate around the Farm Bill as the Food Bill. In the sequel, "Big River: A King Corn Companion," Ellis and Cheney returned to Iowa to investigate the ecological impacts of chemical-intensive agriculture. Ellis and Cheney also co-founded the documentary and advocacy company Wicked Delicate Films, whose first feature, "The Greening of Southie," aired on Sundance Channel and told the story of Boston's first residential green building from the perspective of the construction workers.

Ellis began working with the other founders of FoodCorps by leading a planning process that engaged more than 10,000 stakeholders in developing the FoodCorps model. Under his leadership, the organization has become a force for systemic change in school food policy and culture. A frequent speaker on sustainability, Ellis has lectured at TEDx, the Muddy Boot Festival, MountainFilm, and other conferences and campuses. He serves on the steering committee of Voices for National Service and the boards of Springboard Collaborative and GreenWave.

Ellis has been recognized as a Draper Richards Kaplan fellow, Claneil Foundation Emerging Leader, Kellogg Food and Community fellow, New Profit Social Entrepreneur, and Emerson Collective Dial fellow, and is a recipient of the Heinz Award, Pearl Award, and GQ Leader Award. He was also named to the NYC Food Policy Center at Hunter College's inaugural list of "40 Under 40" rising stars. Ellis holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from Yale University. His career, spanning documentary filmmaking, policy advocacy, and nonprofit leadership, demonstrates an ability to translate complex food system challenges into compelling narratives and actionable solutions, establishing him as a prominent voice on the intersection of food, justice, and public health.

BOOK Curt Ellis

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 06/01/2026.

  • How do I book Curt Ellis to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Curt Ellis for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Curt Ellis, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Curt Ellis or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Curt Ellis

    Speaking fees for Curt Ellis, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Curt Ellis are under $10,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Curt Ellis, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Curt Ellis speak about?

  • Where does Curt Ellis travel from?

    Curt Ellis generally travels from Mount Holly, VT, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Curt Ellis’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Curt Ellis for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Curt Ellis for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Curt Ellis or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Curt Ellis is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Curt Ellis for your event is available upon request. Curt Ellis generally travels from Mount Holly, VT, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Danielle Nierenberg, Jasmine Crowe-Houston, Jason Clay, Raj Patel and Robert Kenner. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Curt Ellis for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.
Please Select Event Budget
Please enter your message
Please Enter Your Name
Please Enter Your Email
  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP