PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Caroline Ellison

Also known as Carol

Caroline Ellison is a researcher and operations staff member at Manifund, where she develops its funding platform and researches philanthropy; in September 2026, she co-authored a call for projects at the intersection of animal welfare and transformative AI. She is from Boston, graduated from Stanford in 2016 with a mathematics degree, and joined Alameda Research as a trader in March 2018 after working on Jane Street's equities desk. Alameda named her co-CEO in October 2021. She pleaded guilty to fraud and other charges in December 2022 and received a two-year prison sentence in September 2024.

Now at
Manifund
Badges

Timeline

  1. 2016

    A mathematics degree

    She is from Boston and graduates from Stanford University with a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 2016.

  2. March 2018

    Joining Alameda Research

    In March 2018, she joins Alameda Research as a trader after working on Jane Street's equities desk.

  3. October 2021

    Co-CEO at Alameda

    In October 2021, Alameda appoints her and Sam Trabucco co-CEOs to oversee company operations and the trading desk.

  4. December 2022

    A guilty plea

    She pleads guilty to fraud and other charges arising from FTX's collapse in December 2022.

  5. September 2024

    A two-year sentence

    A federal judge sentences her to two years in prison for her role in the FTX fraud in September 2024.

  6. Since August 2026

    Senior researcher at Manifund

    At Manifund, she is a senior researcher and operations staff member who develops its funding platform and researches how to direct philanthropic dollars. In September 2026, she coauthors a call for grants at the intersection of animal welfare and transformative AI. Manifund's Frame fellowship supports video creators who help the public understand AI and its implications for society.

Career

  1. Since 2026ManifundSenior researcher and operations staff member
  2. Until 2018Jane Street
  3. From 2018Alameda ResearchTrader

Education

  1. 2016Stanford UniversityBachelor's degree in mathematics

From the biography.

  1. Stanford University trained or employed 26 of the 108 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes Stanford University. Stanford University trained or employed 26 of the 108 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and employment links for major-prize and best-paper winners.
  2. Google had the most people shaping AI every year from 2014 to 2025Includes Stanford University. Our estimates of which organizations employed the most people shaping AI from 1961 to 2025, with a year-by-year chart.
  3. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes Stanford University. Our estimates of where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led, from education records in cited biographies.
  4. The median h-index is 54 at universities and 19 at frontier AI labsIncludes Stanford University. The median h-index is 54 at universities and 19 at frontier AI labs. We compare publishing careers, citations and moves to estimate how universities and frontier labs contribute to AI research.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Caroline Ellison yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. A closer look at Sam Bankman-Fried’s Alameda Research and twentysomething CEO Caroline Ellison fortune.com. Checked 19 October 2026.
  2. Alameda Research Appoints Caroline Ellison And Sam Trabucco As Co-Chief Executive Officers prnewswire.com. Checked 19 October 2026.
  3. Stanford alum Caroline Ellison ’16 apologizes for wrongdoing that led to FTX bankruptcy stanforddaily.com. Checked 19 October 2026.
  4. Caroline Ellison, FTX founder's ex-girlfriend and key witness in his fraud trial, sentenced to 2 years in prison abcnews.com. Checked 19 October 2026.
  5. Caroline Ellison has joined Manifund manifund.substack.com. Checked 19 October 2026.
  6. Fast grants for AI x animals manifund.substack.com. Checked 19 October 2026.
  7. About Manifund manifund.org. Checked 19 October 2026.