Ellen graduated high school as a boarding student at Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, California, before heading east to attend Sarah Lawrence College. She went on to earn her PhD in ethnomusicology at Wesleyan University, studying how the internet helped form unlikely cross-cultural friendships. Since 2013, she has taught world music at universities and led dozens of workshops.

Ellen joined MAP in 2016, providing crucial research and coordination efforts for everything from college admissions to test prep. During her personal time, she can be found at her sewing machine, singing, or at rehearsal for Balinese dance.