Ellen Morris Palermo
(she/her)
Ellen serves as the Director of Program and Strategy at the Civic Federation. She joined the organization in June 2024 and works closely with staff to evaluate and strengthen the organization's programming and operations.
Ellen is a specialist in nonprofit operations, development, and organizational change, passionate about serving Chicago communities. She has extensive experience leading organizational transformation, advancing strategic initiatives, and strengthening operational systems to maximize impact. At the Civic Federation, she oversees multi-year organizational change efforts, directs program events, guides media relations, and manages external communications and research publication strategy. She also supports cross-departmental collaboration, development efforts, and strategic alignment, working closely with leadership to advance the organization’s mission.
Throughout her career, Ellen has built deep expertise in grant writing, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement, raising millions of philanthropic dollars for arts, media, education, and community-based organizations. She has managed financial operations, led organizations through periods of transition, and driven process improvements to enhance efficiency and sustainability. Her background as both a practitioner and strategist allows her to bridge program delivery, communications, fundraising, and operations with an eye toward long-term organizational health.
In her former life as a professional pianist and theater musician, Ellen music-directed, conducted, and performed at theaters across Chicago and taught hundreds of young musicians and actors. This creative foundation gives her a unique perspective and ability to collaborate across teams and sectors.
Ellen holds her M.S. in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania and her B.Mus. from Northwestern University, with majors in Piano Studies and English Literature. She is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Learning and Organizational Change at Northwestern. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, reading epic fantasy novels, riding her motorcycle, and planning her next scuba diving trip.
