About

Scholar-Practitioner. Executive. Change Agent.

Dr. Jelani Ellington has established himself as a serial entrepreneur, executive, and thought leader with a career spanning the globe—from the Americas to Europe, Africa, and Asia. He is not just a consultant; he is a proven operator who has held the helm at Fortune 50 giants.

Currently serving as Chief Operating Officer for the General Building Contractors Association (GBCA)—a 135-year-old trade association representing 350+ member companies in commercial construction—Jelani acts as a strategic partner to the CEO, architecting enterprise-wide operations to achieve Operational Excellence.

He simultaneously leads Innovatus Consulting, providing fractional executive services, management consulting, executive coaching, and AI adoption training to organizations seeking transformational growth.

“I bridge the gap between academic rigor and executive execution—combining deep theoretical knowledge with the practical grit required to lead multi-billion dollar P&Ls and drive measurable organizational transformation.”

General Building Contractors Association

Chief Operating Officer

Strategic partner to the CEO, architecting enterprise-wide operations for a 135-year-old trade association representing 300+ member companies. Driving operational excellence, governance optimization, and organizational modernization across the commercial construction industry.

Innovatus Consulting

Founder & Principal

Providing fractional executive leadership, management consulting, executive coaching, and AI adoption training. Serving as a strategic growth partner for organizations navigating transformation, scaling complexity, and competitive repositioning.

Elevance Health (Anthem Inc.)

Enterprise Innovation & Agile Transformation Leader

Led enterprise-wide innovation and agile transformation, managing a portfolio of 50+ projects. Drove cultural change and operational efficiency across a Fortune 20 health benefits organization.

Walmart

$11B OTC Pharmaceutical Retail Pricing Lead

Led the $11B OTC Pharmaceutical Retail Pricing team, leveraging machine learning to optimize pricing models and improve margins. Delivered measurable financial performance improvement at enterprise scale.

Capital One

Chief of Staff to the CIO

Drove operational efficiency and strategic alignment for the technology organization. Served as a critical bridge between technology leadership and business strategy.

General Motors & Ford

International Business Operations

Developed international franchising models and streamlined business operations across global markets, building the foundational experience in large-scale enterprise transformation.

Doctor of Management (PhD)

University of Maryland

MS, Management & Systems Engineering

MIT Sloan School of Management

MS, Innovation & Entrepreneurship

HEC Paris

MBA

Indiana University Kelley School of Business

MS, Business Creation

University of Utah

BS, Mechanical Engineering

North Carolina A&T State University

Professional Certifications

Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) Adjunct Associate Professor — University of Maryland