Ellen is a former CEO of a diverse range of sporting and professional organisations since the late 1980s. She has a background in association management including organisations such as the Equestrian Federation of Australia, the Australian Medical Association (SA) Inc, and the Medical Indemnity Industry Association of Australia. She has a background in governance and change management.

In recent years Ellen has been involved with collective giving circles such as Impact100 SA, as well as the Chairman’s Circle of the Adelaide Festival of Arts. She formerly volunteered as a mentor for families of newly diagnosed children with type 1 diabetes with the JDRF (now Breakthrough T1D), and also at her daughter’s school to help children with learning difficulties.