Authors
After graduating from St. Lawrence University in 2020 and returning home to Vermont, Ellen found that helping make the world a better place with the GE team was just where she wanted to be. You can usually find her watching television while getting crafty, on the ice as a figure skating coach for 10-14 year old's, or in her inflatable kayak named Heidi. She's quite the film nerd and quite the cook, and likes it best when those two things - movies and food - coincide.
Ellen Allerton
Former Chief Operating Officer
Ellen Allerton, our former Director of Operations and Head Writer & Editor at Goodness Exchange, is the engine that keeps our team humming harmoniously. She's the ultimate organizational aficionado, known for both her meticulous attention to detail and an uncanny knack for understanding societal currents, guiding us seamlessly towards intersections where our positive message has impact.
Surrounded by creative minds, she is renowned for both her astonishing attention to detail and her remarkable sense of social sensitivity: a wonderful instinct that keeps us aligned, seamlessly, with the ever-evolving, positive parts of the Zeitgeist.
Ellen's innate ability to translate creative ideas into actionable plans remains the cornerstone of our organizational model at the Goodness Exchange. Surrounded by the inspired impulses, competing ideas, and priorities of the two innovative founders of the Goodness Exchange, Ellen's role and impact stands as a testament to her cool head, innovative mindset and collaborative spirit.
For the past 5 years, Ellen has been the wizard behind the scenes, ensuring every aspect of our work shines.
As the driving force behind the quality of everything we have created, Ellen has demonstrated her prowess as THE detail person that every organization needs. She is the epitome of a "finisher," always surpassing expectations by going the extra mile. With that as a kind of "superpower," she consistently elevates the platform's reach and impact.
Despite the fact that we are prone to embracing a constant stream of innovations, Ellen's meticulous organizational abilities always ensure that operational processes run with clockwork precision. And as a leader, what truly distinguishes Ellen is her graceful and diplomatic demeanor, allowing her to hold individuals accountable while providing unwavering support, making them feel valued and indispensable.
And if that wasn't enough, Ellen also gets to exercise her own creative skills at the Goodness Exchange. She has spent years as a prolific writer on our team, using her social sensitivity and beautiful curiosity to craft articles that inspire and move others to action. In fact, she penned 2 of our top 5 highest performing articles of all time.
After her upbringing in small town Vermont, Ellen's high personal standards were honed in her college years at the renowned St. Lawrence University where she graduated with a dual degree in Performance & Communication Arts and Government. Living and studying abroad in Dunedin, New Zealand during that time broadened her global perspective and enrobed her with a global sensitivity that is much needed in today's world.
Today, she has filled her life with figure skating, softball, exploring in her inflatable kayak, and cherished moments with friends in Boston. A film aficionado and passionate cook, she revels when the two intersect.
Ellen isn't just a vital part of our team; she's the linchpin that makes us resilient, spirited, and fun-loving. Her commitment to excellence and passion for what's good in the world make her a vital change-maker when it comes to our effort to change the negative dialogue about our times.
Author's Articles
5 min read
Shark Spotters: The Safety Team Working the World’s Best Waves
Deep in the Indian Ocean sits the island of Réunion, a French department that finds itself along the “shark highway” and is notorious for its encounters, yet famous for its waves straight out of a surfer’s dream. So, how can surfers and sharks peacefully coexist? As always, there’s a solution to the problem. Introducing: Réunion Island’s shark spotters!
12 min read
The Future of Wildfire Defense: How Drones are Protecting Forests and Saving Lives
After a summer dominated by news of wildfires, a beacon of hope has started to emerge. Soaring above the smoke and flames, these heroes aren’t who you might expect. No, these new champions against wildfire aren’t people... they’re drones. Here's a glimpse of a world where technology and nature can unite to confront the growing threat of wildfires head-on.
3 min read
Finding Music in the Mundane: Xavier Lozano Turns Everyday Objects into… Flutes?
Could that carrot be a flute? What about the wheel of your chair, or the hairbrush on your dresser? Xavier Lozano has been creating flutes out of everyday objects for close to 30 years, inspiring us all to think a little differently about how things appear at first glance.
10 min read
Kenyan Nonprofit Turns Flip Flops into Beautiful Works of Art, Cleaning Beaches and Empowering Communities
In sculptures made of flip flops that you have to see to believe featuring turtles, elephants, zebras, life-size giraffes, and many, many more, Kenyan nonprofit Ocean Sole’s artistic ingenuity solves more than one problem. Turning trash into treasure, this organization cleans Kenyan beaches, provides jobs for local artisans, and raises awareness for our flip flop problem, all at the same time. Ready to feast your eyes on this incredible art?
The Savannah Bananas Bring Fun and Excitement to America’s Favorite Pastime
Have you heard of the Savannah Bananas? This Georgia based team has hit a real home run with their mission: to make baseball fans first, and most of all, fun! Roasting s’mores during a game, going up to bat on stilts, and a dancing umpire are just the tip of the iceberg of antics that go on at these games. And they make this, as the Bananas like to call it, the greatest show in sports!
Big Tech is Becoming an Ally in the Fight Against Climate Change!
The fight for our planet is a daunting one, and in a world where just 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions, this fight requires not only individual action but massive action in the form of companies doing their part. And good news: big tech companies are joining the fight! Here's how.
5 min read
How This Hero Conservation Dog Fought to Save the World’s Only Ground-Nesting Alpine Parrot
The mountains of New Zealand are home to a fascinating community of inquisitive, mischievous parrots who make their homes not in the trees but on the ground. They are called kea, and over the last 200 years their populations have been decimated, placing them on the endangered species list. With unnatural foes attacking their nests, an unexpected hero has come to their rescue. He doesn’t wear a cape but rather a collar, and with his sidekick, Corey Mosen, Ajax the border collie-cross has devoted his life to keeping kea safe.
Wonder Makes Us Healthier: A Magician’s Secret to Experiencing it Every Day
Reclaiming our childlike wonder does more than just make life a little more fun. It can make us healthier, too! YouTuber and magician Zach King, known best for his hard-to-believe illusions online, has some thoughts about how we take back this spirit and add a dash of magic into our adult lives. So, how do we do it?
5 min read
How Indigenous Knowledge Helped Plant Over 3 Million Trees in the Andes
Over 30 years, the work of one man eventually brought together 25,000 families to make an immeasurable difference in the lives of his community for generations to come. Using Indigenous knowledge to save the planet saves lives, and that has never been easier. How, you ask?
If You Lost 29 Years of Memories, What Would Bring You Back to Life?
After a car accident, Benny couldn’t remember his name, that he had a son, or even where he was. But Benny had a trombone, and he did remember one thing: how to play it. With that, he brought his music to the street to bring joy to others.
Stop and Smell the…Weeds? A Reminder that Wonder is All Around You!
Weeds are seen as pests, but what if we thought of them as miraculous, instead? Is it possible that we have been wrongfully hating weeds for years, seeing their ability to grow anywhere as a great nuisance instead of a remarkable feat?
The Company Crushing Your Wine Bottles to Save Louisiana’s Coastline
Step one: get the glass. Step two: smash the glass. Step three: sort the glass. Step four: save the planet. An idea that began in a college dorm room with a bottle of wine has grown into a massive startup that is saving us from the world's sand shortage and saving Louisiana's shrinking coast. Here's how Glass Half Full is doing it.
Follow Us
Positive news for curious people.
There is a wave of goodness and progress well underway, all around the world.
