Ellen completed an internship with Northwest Passage in 2000, and then went on to work as a hospice social worker. In late 2001, Ellen was asked to return to Northwest Passage as a case manager for the 30-day assessment program. For Ellen, it was a very easy decision to return to her “professional home” and an honor to come back and work in an agency whose mission to address the individual needs of each child is in line with her personal values. Ellen now serves as the Program Director for the Northwest Passage Assessment Center and Northwest Passage Prairieview. She enjoys the challenges of creating a therapeutic environment for youth and staff by incorporating individual strengths into therapeutic programming. “I strive to support programming that is innovative and creative. By the time kids reach us, they have often “failed” and my passion is to create a program that helps kids succeed in their own way!”

“I firmly believe that life is about the connection we make with others. The relationships in my life – with my family, friends, and colleagues are critical to having joy and support in my life.”