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Ellen Stone


Ellen Stone earned an undergraduate degree in human services from Springfield College and a master’s degree in nonprofit leadership and management from the University of San Diego. Early in her career, she cofounded the peer-run nonprofit Impact Young Adults (IYA), where she codeveloped and led leadership development trainings, social events and public speaking training programs for young adults with mental health challenges. Ellen’s work was recognized by local and statewide mental health advocacy organizations. She served on the Board of Directors of the International Bipolar Foundation and cochaired the San Diego Behavioral Health Work Team. In recent years, Ellen has turned her advocacy to the affordable housing sector, focusing on the potential that tiny homes offer to those experiencing housing insecurity, as well as those who wish to downsize and live a more environmentally conscious lifestyle. In 2017 she chaired the Tiny Home Subcommittee under San Diego County's Behavioral Health Housing Council, organizing a tiny-home community education event called Alternative Housing Solutions. This event brought together San Diego city and county leaders and more than 1,000 participants. The event, covered widely by local news outlets, led to a project Ellen led to create a tiny home village in the city of Vista. She cofounded the local chapter of the American Tiny House Association (ATHA) in 2018 and is the founder and managing director of Tiny Home Central.