Email: Ralph.ellis@patch.com

Phone: 404-234-8734

Hometown: Waynesville, N.C.

Birthday: July 31

Bio: Ralph Ellis is a veteran journalist who has lived in Decatur since 2007. He serves on the homeowner’s association board for the 335 West Ponce condo building in downtown Decatur.

Ralph has worked all over the Atlanta metro area but finds Decatur and Avondale Estates unique. Both are walkable -- and joggable -- communities with a sense of history and a distinct respect for trees and green space. People care deeply about public education and what happens in their neighborhoods. The restaurants are good, too.

Ralph has extensive experience as a writer and editor for newspapers in the Southeast.  A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 1990. He reported on a variety of subjects, such as a couple coming to grips with their son’s homosexuality, the high cost of local elections in North Fulton County, and a man who started a Kenyan orphanage for children with AIDS in honor of his late wife.

Ralph is married to Susan Puckett, the former food editor at the AJC. He has three grown children, Robert, David and Julia.

When he’s not working, Ralph likes to run, swim, read, and play with his greyhound, Laney. Ralph belongs to the Atlanta Writers Club and has written a mystery novel (unpublished) and is working on a second novel.

Ralph's Beliefs
At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for you to inject your beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that your beliefs are on the record will cause you to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.

Politics

I have moderate Democratic leanings, but I’ve voted for some Republicans.

Religion

I was raised a Methodist and am now a member of Kairos Church in Grant Park, which is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church.

Local Hot-Button Issues

People in Decatur and Avondale Estates care deeply about quality of life issues, and that starts with the local school systems. Both towns have become magnets in recent years for couples with young children, so the emphasis on education will only increase.

Other issues people care about: Dogs, backyard farming, food and drink.