With over 30 years of public service spanning the San Juan Mountains and Mali, West Africa, Ellen Stein is a true force of nature. An entrepreneurial, mission-driven leader, she has a knack for building impactful institutions from the ground up, including founding the Mountain Studies Institute in Silverton and the Community Agriculture Alliance in Steamboat Springs.

Currently, Ellen serves as the Opinion Editor and Editorial Board Member for The Durango Herald and Cortez Journal. Whether she is shaping public discourse through community journalism or applying her expertise in strategic communications and philanthropy, Ellen’s work is always rooted in strengthening the institutions that sustain Southwest Colorado communities.

Ellen is deeply committed to equity, education, and mentorship. Her dedication to empowering women and girls is a lifelong thread, from service in the Peace Corps, as a mentor with Partners in Routt County and Colorado College’s Public Interest Fellows Program, to her current role on the WRC Board. Off the clock, this Colorado College (B.A.) and Tufts University (M.A.) alumna is a yoga instructor, cycling coach, and tireless outdoorswoman. Having called Durango home since 2005, she remains a passionate advocate for women's personal and economic self-sufficiency worldwide.

To learn more about Ellen, visit her LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenrstein/