Ellen Malcolm

Ellen R. Malcolm (born February 2, 1947) is an activist with a long career in American politics, particularly in political fundraising. She founded EMILY's List in 1985 and served as its president until 2010. She is an heir to an IBM fortune.

Biography

Malcolm attended Montclair Kimberley Academy, graduating in the class of 1965. After graduating from Hollins College in 1969, she worked for Common Cause in the 1970s. She was a press secretary for National Women's Political Caucus and later Esther Peterson, special assistant for consumer affairs in the Carter administration. She went on to found EMILY's List, a political advocacy organization which supports the election of pro-choice, female Democrats to public office, and was president of America Coming Together. In 2007, she served as co-chair of Hillary Clinton's election campaign, and in 2010 she was appointed to the National Park Foundation Board of Directors.

She and Craig Unger wrote When Women Win: EMILY's List and the Rise of Women in American Politics, published in 2016.

She was named one of America's most influential women by Vanity Fair (1998), one of the 100 Most Important Women in America by Ladies' Home Journal (1999), one of the Women of the Year by Glamour (1992), and Most Valuable Player by the American Association of Political Consultants.