Ellen Friedman believes that transformative change is possible when we stand for justice and recognize our interconnection with all people and places.
She has worked in philanthropy for over 35 years building a bridge between people with financial resources to people with vision and determination building a better future for all. Currently Ellen is the Executive Director at the Compton Foundation, which seeks to ignite change toward a sustainable, just, and peaceful future. The Foundation’s program strategy supports transformative leadership and courageous storytelling in the areas of peace, environment, and women’s reproductive health, rights, and justice. Under Ellen’s leadership the Foundation was an original signatory of the Divest/Invest pledge and has transformed its endowment to be 100% mission invested. Ellen led the Foundation board’s decision to spend out its endowment after seventy five years of operation. Previously, Ellen served as the executive vice president of Tides where she worked with high net worth donors and other social change activists on a range of domestic and global issues. She a member of the Steering Committee of Peace and Security Funders Group, a board member of Rockwood Leadership Institute and the Center for Whole Communities. Ellen holds an MBA from UCLA and is the proud mother of two adult children and sings, hikes, and cooks for friends and family whenever she can.
