About Ellen M. Miller

IOA Executive Director February 2022– Present

Contact Ellen: [email protected]

In February 2022, Ellen Miller became the second Executive Director of the International Ombuds Association. She is a collaborative, creative leader with more than 25 years of association and governance experience including organizational management, program development, advocacy, stakeholder engagement, service implementation, and strategic planning /positioning. A trained mediator and facilitator, Ellen has a proven ability to develop and maintain strong, effective relationships to create sustainable solutions. Ellen is particularly recognized for her skills in assessing, prioritizing, and aligning organizational big-picture needs and working collaboratively to develop effective solutions. She is seen as a problem-solver and innovator in organizational management and stakeholder engagement. Born and raised in Canada, she addresses DEIAB and other association opportunities through a unique lens.

Previously, Ellen served as Executive Director of the California Lawyers Foundation, and Associate Executive Director (Initiatives and External Relations) of the California Lawyers Association where she provided strategic direction and organizational development for a myriad of new programs and initiatives including DEI, access to justice, health and wellness, public education, and bar relations, and several foundational projects. Prior to joining CLF/CLA, she served as the Executive Director/CEO of the San Diego County Bar Association and as Section Director of the Section of Dispute Resolution at the American Bar Association.

An active volunteer, she is president of the National Association of Bar Executives and a member of the American Society of Association Executives and the California Society of Association Executives. In her spare time, she loves to cook, golf with her husband, visit her daughter at Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia, PA, and is completing a certificate in Change Management from Cornell. She lives in San Diego, CA.


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Technical Assistance/Program Development

Our Executive Director is available to answer questions and provide technical assistance if you are interested in setting up an ombuds office for your organization or have questions about your office. For further information, she can be reached at [email protected].