Ellen Abram

Executive Director at The Williams Project, Seattle's living wage theatre company

Ellen is a nonprofit theater leader, systems-builder, and fundraiser. She's experienced at making stuff happen in small teams with big vision, balancing short- and long-term organizational needs. She’s committed to moving resources to artists, healthier work cultures, and pay transparency and living wages in the arts.

Ellen is the Executive Director at The Williams Project, a national professional theatre ensemble that makes theatrical excellence accessible to diverse and engaged audiences, while paying artists a living wage. She has helmed the organization’s administrative and financial growth since 2017, from a once-a-year workshop to a permanent fixture of Seattle’s theatre scene. With The Williams Project, she has produced four mainstage seasons, including celebrated productions of José Rivera's Marisol, James Baldwin's Blues for Mister Charlie, Tennessee Williams' Small Craft Warnings, and Federico Garcia Lorca's Blood Wedding, serving thousands of audience members and students. thewilliamsproject.org. Ellen lives in Southeast Seattle with her partner, Ashley, and their 11-year-old cat, Bubbe.