Inoa was inspired by a need for strategic adoption and implementation of blockchain technology with social impact outcomes.

Prior to starting Inoa, Ellen served as the economic development specialist at the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, a state agency attached to the State of Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. In that capacity, she also served as the program lead for the State of Hawaii’s Digital Currency Innovation Lab (DCIL), a pilot program focused on establishing a regulatory framework for crypto exchanges to operate in Hawaii and identifying economic development opportunities leveraging blockchain technology for the state. She spearheaded the Hawaii state government’s first “NFTs for Good” collaborative fundraising initiative to generate revenue for community beautification in an underserved area in Oahu. 

In 2024, Ellen organized the Hawaii Blockchain Summit, the state’s first-ever industry conference bringing the local Web3 community together. In 2025, she organized the inaugural blockchain summit for youth and educators in Hawaii.

Born and raised in Singapore, Ellen's international career in tech brought her to Silicon Valley, Seoul and New Delhi, working for LG and Samsung in numerous roles spanning strategy, go-to-market and partnerships. She also has startup experience, having worked with entrepreneurs extensively while serving as the Head of Growth for a tech accelerator in Singapore. Today, she calls Honolulu, Hawaii home.

Ellen graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelors and Masters in Communications and New Media with honors; as well as completed an Executive Program in Social Impact Strategy at the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to being a native English speaker, Ellen is also fluent in Korean and Mandarin Chinese.

In 2021, she was selected by Pacific Business News as a 40 Under 40 Honoree for her work in economic development.