Marcia Ellis served for many years as the Community Coordinator for the DC Center For AIDS Research (DC CFAR) as well as Chair of the DC CFAR's Community Partnership Council.

She has been a long term advocate for equitable and just community involvement in HIV/AIDS research as was the impetus for and a lead author of "Advancing Equity and Fostering Change: A Guide for Academic-Community Partnerships in the DC Center for AIDS Research."