Ellen is passionate about helping emerging technologies get adopted. In particular, she is focused on the real estate industry, looking closely at how emerging technologies (AI, blockchain, and digital assets) are changing the way property is marketed, financed, and transacted. She also serves as the blockchain and digital assets continuing education (CE) course instructor for realtors at the Poha School of Real Estate. In 2024, Ellen founded the Pacific Blockchain Summit, the state’s first-ever industry conference bringing the local Web3 community together.

Prior to starting Inoa, Ellen served as the economic development specialist at the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, a state agency attached to the State of Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. In that capacity, she was also the program lead for the State of Hawaii’s Digital Currency Innovation Lab (DCIL), a pilot program that created the state of Hawaii’s first digital asset framework.

Born and raised in Singapore, Ellen's international career in tech brought her to Silicon Valley, Seoul and New Delhi, working for LG and Samsung in numerous roles spanning strategic planning, business development, go-to-market and partnerships. She also has startup experience, having worked with entrepreneurs extensively while serving as the Head of Growth for a tech accelerator in Singapore. Today, she calls Honolulu, Hawaii home.

Ellen graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelors and Masters in Communications and New Media with honors; as well as completed an Executive Program in Social Impact Strategy at the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to being a native English speaker, Ellen is also fluent in Korean and Mandarin Chinese.

In 2021, she was selected by Pacific Business News as a 40 Under 40 Honoree for her work in economic development. A strong advocate for crypto, Ellen currently serves as the President of the Hawaii Chapter for Stand with Crypto. She is also a Virtual Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE) founded by the Shidler College of Business, University of Hawaii at Manoa.