Ellie Virrueta Ortiz

Ellie Virrueta Ortiz is a community organizer and Policy Associate at Essie Justice Group, the nation’s leading advocacy organization of women with incarcerated loved ones. 

With over five years of professional experience in community organizing for policy change, Ellie leads Essie’s canvassing efforts,  ensuring the leadership of the 1 in 4 women with incarcerated loved ones in advancing meaningful California policies. She began organizing for migrant rights as a young person alongside other migrant youth throughout Los Angeles County. Ellie’s experience as an undocumented person has been the driving factor for their passion to critically analyze, identify, and fight against the adverse impacts that intersecting systems of oppression have on marginalized individuals and communities of color through the implementation of community-based resources and programming.

Ellie holds a B.A. in Communication Studies with an emphasis on Intersecting Identities and Relationships from California State University, Los Angeles. They also served as a 2020-2021 Solis Policy Institute Fellow at the Women’s Foundation of California.