Co-founder of Women on Wings
Joint managing director at Women on Wings

Ellen Tacoma co-founded Women on Wings in 2007 with Maria van der Heijden. In April 2016, Ellen and Maria handed over their management responsibilities to Ronald van het Hof and Shilpa Mittal Singh, and became non-executive members of the Women on Wings board.
Between 2016 and April 2023, Ellen fulfilled various director positions in international organizations: COO and Director of the Accelerator at HiiL, working on user-friendly justice with social entrepreneurs across Africa and Ukraine. Also, she was International CEO of the Social Enterprise Academy in Scotland, delivering leadership programs for social enterprises across the world.
Since September 1, 2023, Ellen is joint managing director at Women on Wings.

“I get inspired again and again by the strength and energy of Indian women. Women on Wings is originated from the thought of using economic principles to banish poverty. People who are poor, are not pitiful nor stupid. It is with respect for cultural difference and based on equality that we offer our knowledge, which enable social entrepreneurs – our business partners – in India to grow faster and create more jobs. Women on Wings fulfils a temporary role as inspirator, advisor, supportive foreman. Depending on what is required by the business partners.”