In nominating her for Executive of the Year, Ellen’s colleagues described her as an “agent of change.” That characterization could be measured in a number of ways; Ellen’s work growing CCRC’s budget by over four times, her success expanding the agency’s service area by 20,000 square miles into San Bernardino County, or her service on various boards dedicated to family and child well-being. But perhaps most indicative of her role as a change maker is Ellen’s ability to creatively reach and support families who would have otherwise fallen through the cracks. As one of her colleagues noted, “Ellen thinks big and focuses on the ideas first and the barriers second.”
Ellen has diversified CCRC’s effort to find solutions for children and families experiencing homelessness by designing a program that offers child care where families are located while parents seek stable housing and employment. In presenting this creative approach at a competition against other notable Los Angeles County nonprofits, Ellen won the Audience’s Favorite award which resulted in additional funding for the agency. Her ability to think beyond traditional solutions inspires others to get involved.
Over the years, Ellen has been instrumental in identifying and crafting successful grant applications for new and expanded agency programs such as School Readiness, which served thousands of families throughout its seven years, far exceeding its initial grant period of two years. Ellen spearheaded the creation of the Family Well-Being Division to support the agency’s mission of strengthening healthy child-adult relationships and fostering early childhood development. Services expanded to offer a Home Visiting Program that allows in-depth, one-on-one services and family support to pregnant women and new mothers.
Ellen has extensive experience in community education, family services and non-profit management, with an emphasis on large scale community change design, implementation and oversight. She leads CCRC’s critically important comprehensive support services to young children and families, including parents seeking child care and early childhood educator professional development. She is driven by a holistic approach, focusing on what’s best for the child and family as a whole currently serving on First 5’s Best Start L.A. Workforce Development Project, an initiative focused on creating a workforce that can best support the county’s 0-3 population. One of her main goals has been to raise the quality of child care, which she’s achieved through programs like Gateways for Early Educators, Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership, Reducing Obesity in Child Care Settings, and immunization and dental programs.
For the past three decades of her professional and personal life, Ellen has committed herself to helping others. She serves as a mentor to others in her professional circle and affects positive change in the workplace to better support CCRC staff. Through the pandemic, Ellen led the agency’s COVID-19 task force, where she ensured staff remained safe while services to families and child care providers continued uninterrupted.
Ellen’s heart for helping is evidenced in her belief that strong families make up strong communities, and a better world for us all.
For more information, visit
