Since starting chess at 6, Ellen Wang has taken home numerous medals from regional, national, and international tournaments. For Ellen, chess is more than a game she loves and excels at; it is a venue to meet people in her community and around the world, as well as a transformative instrument that empowers those in need through life challenges. At CTC, a platform integrating several programs she has been endeavoring on for years, Ellen invites those with shared visions to join her initiatives, which highlight the intellectual, mental and social benefits that chess playing generates, and elevate the players to rise up to adversities with confidence, courage, resilience and strategies. 

Ellen’s major chess achievements and chess impact include:

• 2024 Scholar Chess-player Award (the only girl recipient among 5 national awardees & $1500 scholarship)
• 2023 “Special Achievement Award” and “Best Mainstream Media Coverage” by Chess Journalists of America 
• 3x National Grand Awardee by US Chess Federation for the Unruly Queens Initiative (2023, 2022 & 2021)
• 2023 National All-girls Chess Champion, Under 16 Section
• 2022 FIDE World School Chess Championships G17 Champion
• 2022 Team Champion in National Championships of State Champions representing NYS
• 2021 & 2020 North American Junior Girls Champion; awarded the Woman International Master title and two Woman Grandmaster norms
• Achieved the US National Master title in 2021
• 2020 US Amateur East Team Chess Championship 2nd place winner, NYS Benjamin Award winner 
• 2019 Greater New York K-6 Chess Championship Co-Champion
• 2018/2017 Pan American Chess Championships G12/G10 Bronze Medalist
• 2017 World Cadets Chess Championships G10 Bronze Medalist; 2017 North American Youth Chess Championships G14 Champion

Moreover, Ellen is Co-Editor-in-Chief of Chess Connections Magazine, a quarterly publication seeking to amplify the voices of young chess players. Outside of chess, Ellen is an avid robotics designer, an energetic tennis player, and a passionate flutist and piccoloist.