Ellen Davis

Ellen Davis is an investor and advisor to early-stage ventures across the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, with a career that bridges finance, innovation, and philanthropy. A graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, she began her career in corporate finance at Drexel Burnham Lambert and later worked in the high-yield bond department at Merrill Lynch.

A passionate advocate for advancing medical research, Ms. Davis has served on the Board of Overseers at Weill Cornell Medicine since 2015. She is Vice Chair of the Committee on Research and Entrepreneurship, Chair of the Women’s Health Council, and a member of the Membership and Nominating Committee. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Melanoma Research Alliance and the Advisory Board of the Vagelos Life Sciences and Management Program at the University of Pennsylvania. From 2019 to 2025, she contributed her expertise to the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program, serving on the melanoma grant-making committee.

In addition to her work in healthcare and science, Ms. Davis is deeply engaged in nonprofit leadership and community-building. She created and launched a virtual JCC platform for Greenwich, Connecticut, and currently serves as Chairman Emeritus and an active board member of UJA/JCC Greenwich. She previously served on the Board of Trustees of the Horace Mann School (2009–2015).