Riki
Ellison is the Founder and Chairman of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance; a
non-profit organization launched in 2002 with a singular purpose and mission to
drive for the deployment, development and evolution of missile defense.
Amongst
the achievements of this organization are: the development and education of the
American public towards missile defense throughout the country and around the
world; high support now for missile defense with 89% compared to below
50% support eight years ago; creation and building oftwo historic missile
defense and veteran public memorials. One memorial is located at Vandenberg AFB
in California honoring President Ronald Reagan and the other located at the
Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii which was dedicated by Senator
Daniel Inouye. MDAA has advocated throughout our nation in 37 states as well as
Europe, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Mr. Ellison
has been interviewed and profiled in top media outlets including Bloomberg.com,
the LA Times, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. He has also supported
U.S. armed forces by visiting bases throughout our nation and in theaters
around the world. Mr. Ellison participates in USO events in the Washington
D.C.area with the Pentagon, Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Walter Reed
Army Medical Center for wounded members of the military.
In 2005,
Mr. Ellison founded the Youth Impact Program (YIP) for disadvantaged, at-risk,
adolescent boys in our nation’s inner-cities. Ellison serves as chairman of the
program. Since its inception, YIP has worked with over a 1,000 9 to12 year old
‘At Risk’ boys from Los Angeles, New Orleans, Houston, Tampa and Syracuse in a
free summer program which offers food, clothing, academics, life skills and
athletic development to the participants. Private partnerships have included
the National Football League, the University of Southern California, Tulane
University, Rice University, University of South Florida and Syracuse
University. The YIP Program has received two U.S. Congressional
Resolutions, one from both the Senate and House of Representatives, for its
work.
Earlier
in his career, Mr. Ellison played professional football as a middle linebacker
with the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders, winning three super bowls, reaching
the playoffs during nine of his ten seasons. Mr. Ellison has been named
Alternate All-Pro, All-Madden, All-Rookie and Defensive Player of week for the
NFL. Mr. Ellison played college football at the University of Southern California,
winning a National Championship and two Rose Bowls. He also won the Arizona
State Championship at Amphitheater High School and was named Arizona State Player
of the Year.
Born in New
Zealand, Mr. Ellison now resides in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife. He has
four children and travels widely across the country and throughout the world.