Curt Ellis Named 2026 Commencement Speaker for the Friedman School

The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy has announced that Curt Ellis, co-founder and CEO of FoodCorps, will serve as the School’s 2026 Commencement Speaker.

Ellis is a social entrepreneur, filmmaker, and parent dedicated to advancing a future in which food is a daily source of health, joy, and agency for children. He co‑founded FoodCorps, a national nonprofit that partners with schools and communities to improve child nutrition and food education, reaching hundreds of thousands of students nationwide each year. Before launching FoodCorps, Ellis helped shape the national conversation on food and agriculture through his Peabody Award–winning documentary, King Corn. A graduate of Yale University, Ellis has been recognized as a DRK Fellow, Claneil Emerging Leader, Kellogg Food and Community Fellow, New Profit Social Entrepreneur, and Emerson Collective Dial Fellow. His honors include the Heinz Award, Pearl Award, and GQ Leader Award. Ellis serves on the steering committee of Voices for National Service and on the boards of Springboard Collaborative and GreenWave. He and his family live on a farm in rural Vermont.

Ellis will address graduates at the Tufts University and Friedman School Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 17, 2026. Learn more about Tufts Commencement on Tufts Now.