About me
Ellen is an ordained minister, board certified chaplain, and passionate champion of the power of imagination. She obtained her degree in theatre arts and art history from Simpson College. She obtained her Master of Divinity from Chicago Theological Seminary, placing an emphasis in her studies on interfaith chaplaincy and trauma informed care. Ellen has been a lifelong theatrical performer and creator, making her debut onstage at age six. Growing up with a physical disability and chronic illness, and later in life facing a bone marrow transplant and cancer at a young age, Ellen found community in the world of theatre and refuge in the imagination of shared creation. This experience and Ellen's work as an interfaith chaplain have led to her to engage with puppetry and theatrical play as a way of helping children deal with serious illness, grief, and hospitalization. Ellen hopes to eventually expand this work into programming available to all children facing serious illness or isolation.
