Ellen Harju

Ellen Harju, Ph.D., is a full-time chemistry instructor at Pasadena City College, who earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Washington, followed by a master’s, Ph.C. and Ph.D. in geochemistry from the University of California.

She is currently the treasurer of both the Los Angeles Finlandia Foundation (LAFF) and the Finlandia Foundation Columbia-Pacific Chapter (FFCPC). Ellen, originally from Washington state, is an enrolled member of the Cowitz Indian Tribe, and is one-quarter Finnish—a Finndian; her great-grandparents emigrated from Finland in the 1800s. 

Ellen joined LAFF when she moved to LA for graduate school, and quickly stepped into leadership positions, serving as vice president and then two terms as president. In 2018, a career opportunity took her to to Vancouver, Washington, where she joined FFCPC. She brings vast experience in organization operations from her work for both FFN chapters, and she assisted FFN in its 60^th anniversary gala in LA in 2013.