Ellen and her family moved to Durham 29 years ago. She is married to Kenneth Reckhow, a professor in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. They have two children – a daughter who is a 1998 graduate of Riverside High School and a son who graduated from Riverside in 2002. Education Master’s [...]

Commissioner, Durham County – 1988 to Present, Vice Chairman (1994-2002), Chairman (2002-2008), Vice-Chairman (2008- ) Ellen serves on the following boards and commissions: Durham County: Durham Crime Cabinet (Initiated, Co-Chair) Durham City/County Planning Committee (Chairman) Durham Partnership for Children (Past Chairman) Durham City-County Committee Durham Open Space and Trails Commission Durham Fitness Leadership Council (Co-Chair) [...]

Ellen has emphasized creative solutions to the issues that we face including:   Led the effort to purchase the New Hope Preserve, an unprecedented partnership between four local governments and two nonprofits Spearheaded the creation of the award winning City-County Neighborhood College Helped guide the effort to obtain funding for the East End Connector Proposed [...]