Admiral James O. Ellis, Jr. USN (Ret.) is currently the Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, where he directs both the Global Policy and Strategy Initiative and the George P. Shultz Energy Policy Working Group. He was elected to Chair of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in May of 2025.

Admiral Ellis retired from the United States Navy in 2004 after 39 years of service, including command roles such as Commander of the United States Strategic Command. Following his military career, he served as president and chief executive officer of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), where he oversaw safety and reliability standards across the commercial nuclear energy industry.

His career includes extensive operational and leadership experience, including serving as commanding officer of the nuclear-powered USS Abraham Lincoln, leading contingency operations in the Taiwan Strait, and directing U.S. and NATO forces during the Kosovo crisis.

Admiral Ellis holds a Master of Science in aerospace engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy.