“Ellen is a founding board member of Girls on the Run – Bayou Region (GOTR), an after-school program for girls ages 8-13 that provides mentorship and life lessons through a program which creatively integrates running and physical activity.

When GOTR started, there were just a dozen girls. Ellen has been one of the coaches for a decade, and spending time with each girl is how she learns about their lives, their challenges, and what they need. She’s kept up that hands-on approach as the organization has grown across the region to include more than 800 runners.

COVID and multiple natural disasters nearly ended GOTR, but Ellen stepped up as the board president and led fundraising and strategic planning that sustained it until 2022, their big comeback year. The program is now bigger than ever.

Ellen has been an assistant district attorney in Terrebonne Parish since 1997. She is the sole attorney in the office who handles “Child In Need of Care” cases that involve neglect or abuse. It’s tough work, but Ellen stays focused on the needs of each child. It inspired her to create the first Family Preservation Court in Terrebonne Parish, which is helping dozens of parents with substance abuse issues recover and stay connected to their families.

The way Ellen lives her life reflects one of the most important things that Girls on the Run teaches, which is the value of discipline and a willingness to try again and again. Every day that you show up, you get a little better, until you’ve made a big enough  difference that you can’t recognize where you started.”