First published in the Sept. 22 print issue of the Pasadena Outlook.
Young & Healthy’s Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Ellen Kramer as the organization’s new executive director.
An experienced nonprofit leader and social justice advocate, Kramer has spent her career working on behalf of low-income and marginalized people on complex issues, especially those that impact the health and safety of children and their families.
“We are thrilled that Ellen is joining Young & Healthy,” said Cara DiMassa, the organization’s board chair and a member of its Search Committee. “We were so impressed with her deep knowledge and steadfast commitment to children, families and underserved populations. We are excited to see what Young & Healthy can accomplish under her leadership.”
Young & Healthy’s mission is to provide access to high-quality health care for uninsured and underserved children and families, and to improve the quality of life for all children in the greater Pasadena area through prevention, education, and enhanced health care services.
Kramer began her career as an attorney, working as a court-appointed juvenile court master in Pennsylvania. She spent the bulk of her career working for the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, where she filled a number of leadership roles across the orientation, including the deputy director and legal director.
In 2018, she and her husband made a cross-country move to California after he was appointed the director of UCLA’s Center for Community Engagement. Since then, she has worked at the Motion Picture and Television Fund and the Partners in Care Foundation. She plans to move to the Pasadena area in the coming months.
“To me, there is nothing more important than investing our collective energies and resources to ensure children receive everything they need to learn, grow and thrive,” Kramer said. “It is such an honor to join with the staff and board of Young & Healthy to build on its successes.”
Kramer replaces Mary Donnelly-Crocker, who served as Young & Healthy’s executive director for 32 years. Morris & Berger, a Pasadena-based search firm, assisted the organization, “providing wise counsel and attentive stewardship throughout the search process,” according to a press release.
