Ellen Carnahan Biography

Through Machrie Enterprises Ellen Carnahan provides sound judgment expertise and extensive connections to growth businesses venture capital and growth equity funds. With over twenty years of venture capital and growth equity investment experience she is an experienced advisor board member and angel investor. She joined William Blair Capital Partners (WBCP) in 1988 after ten years of management experience in the software and financial services industries. During her tenure at four of seven WBCP prior funds she led the technology investment team and is recognized as one of the 100 most influential women in Chicago by Crain's Chicago Business.
Ms. Carnahan has served on the boards of directors of over 25 growth companies and currently serves as a director of Vericept Corporation and Integrys Energy (NYSE: TEG). Prior to her venture capital career she was Vice President of Marketing & Planning at SPSS a then-$30 million applications software company (now public) and Manager of Financial Planning & Analysis at Trailer Train Company the largest operator of railroad flatcars. Ms. Carnahan is a CPA and holds a BBA from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the University of Chicago. She is active in many non-profit organizations including The Chicago Network (FY '06 Chair) Communities in Schools Chicago (Nominating Co-Chair) TiE Midwest (Nominating Co-Chair) and the Illinois Venture Capital Association ('09 Chair).

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