Ellen Clear is a program officer at the Packard Foundation. She supports grantmaking that promotes housing stability for families with limited incomes.
During her more than 25 years in community-focused philanthropy and her own volunteer time, Ellen has worked to strengthen social safety nets, to support innovative community-based organizations and leaders, and to engage in civic life in her home community and beyond. Prior to joining the Packard Foundation, Ellen led grantmaking teams at two area community foundations, learned finance during a stint in investment banking, and began her career as a newspaper reporter.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political economy from the University of California at Berkeley and a master’s in public policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.