Ellesse Balli is the Co-founder and the CEO of Declarative. She engages closely with our clients to understand and amplify their unique value propositions and ensure messaging rises above today’s sea of noise. Ellesse leads Declarative’s dynamic storytelling portfolio—using film, brand anthems, and strategic messaging to elevate impact stories. She seeks to discover compelling simplicity in complexity, evoke emotion, and spark joy.

Ellesse is an award-winning impact filmmaker, strategist, and marketer with over fifteen years of experience. She is classically trained in oil painting, studied English as an undergraduate, and later Education, Psychology, and Instructional Design in her graduate program. She co-owns a grammy-award winning production house, Moniker Media, and was recognized as a top-ten up-and-coming director by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck on HBO’s Project Greenlight.

Ellesse’s career centers on the fusion of art and language. Prior to co-founding Declarative, she served as the art director at the Diplomatic Courier, taught impact messaging for 10 years at the University of Utah, and served as a Managing Director at the Sorenson Impact Center.

Ellesse loves hiking, crosswords, and spending time with her husband and three kids.