Ellen Sandell

Ellen Sandell (born 26 November 1984) is an Australian politician and environmentalist. She has represented the electorate of Melbourne in the Parliament of Victoria since 2014 as a member of the Victorian Greens and been the party's leader since April 2024.

She was a recipient of the Young Environmentalist of the Year Award in 2009 and director of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition between 2011 and 2012.

Education
Ellen Sandell grew up in Mildura, where she attended St Joseph's College. She went on to study at the University of Melbourne, graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Spanish and linguistics) and a Bachelor of Science (majoring in genetics). She joined the Australian Youth Climate Coalition in 2007, and became director in 2011.

Career
Whilst at university, Sandell became involved in student politics and was elected as the environment officer for the University of Melbourne Student Union in 2007. From 2007 to 2009, she was employed as a policy adviser in the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet, working on the Brumby Labor Government's climate change strategy and Green Paper. Sandell worked for the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC) between 2009 and 2012, serving as general manager before becoming the group's National Director. After departing the AYCC, Sandell worked as the ACT Greens campaign manager for Simon Sheikh's unsuccessful Senate campaign in the 2013 Australian federal election. In 2013, she was pre-selected as the Australian Greens candidate for the seat of Melbourne at the 2014 state elections.

Sandell went on to win the seat of Melbourne at the 2014 election, defeating the Labor incumbent, Jennifer Kanis. She held the seat against the same Labor opponent at the 2018 election, with a slightly smaller margin. Following that election, Sandell was appointed deputy leader of a reduced Greens party-room in the Victorian Parliament, serving with leader Samantha Ratnam.

Personal life
Sandell has three children.