College of Idaho. Photo: Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Centennial_Amphitheater,_College_of_Idaho.jpg)
College/University
Gallery of Ellie Boldman
Boise State University. Photo: Karthikc123, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Micron_Engineering_Center_Boise_State.JPG)
Career
Gallery of Ellie Boldman
Montana Senate. Photo: Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MK01785_Montana_State_Capitol_Senate.jpg)
College of Idaho. Photo: Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Centennial_Amphitheater,_College_of_Idaho.jpg)
Boise State University. Photo: Karthikc123, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Micron_Engineering_Center_Boise_State.JPG)
Montana Senate. Photo: Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MK01785_Montana_State_Capitol_Senate.jpg)
Ellie Boldman is an American attorney, nonprofit leader, and Democratic politician from Missoula, Montana. She directed the Poverello Center, served in the Montana House of Representatives from 2011 to 2018, and entered the state Senate in 2021. Her public work has emphasized housing, social justice, behavioral health, and advocacy for vulnerable residents.
Background
Ellie Boldman was born on June 30, 1975, in Phoenix, Arizona. She later established her professional and political life in Missoula, Montana, where she became associated with legal practice, nonprofit leadership, and Democratic civic activism.
Her father, Michael Boldman, was a Vietnam veteran and union worker who graduated from college with her. Boldman has identified Eleanor Roosevelt and Paul Wellstone among her political inspirations. She was also described as a former college athlete during the early period of her public career.
Education
Boldman attended Bishop Kelly High School before studying at the institution then known as Albertson College of Idaho in 1994. Albertson College was a private liberal-arts college in Caldwell, Idaho, later renamed College of Idaho.
She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with an English minor from Boise State University in 1997. Boise State, founded in 1932 as a junior college and later developed into a public university, served as a major higher-education institution in Idaho's rapidly growing capital region.
Boldman received a Juris Doctor from the University of Idaho College of Law in 2001. The University of Idaho's law school, established in 1909, is the state's oldest law school and provides professional legal education oriented toward practice and public service.
Boldman began her legal career as a deputy prosecutor in Boise, Idaho. Prosecutorial work placed her in the public-law system and preceded her later practice as an attorney in Missoula.
From approximately 2006 through 2012, she served as executive director of the Poverello Center in Missoula. The organization operates as a community service nonprofit addressing homelessness and related needs; during Boldman's tenure, her leadership through a difficult economic period helped make her a prominent Missoula activist. She was named Missoula's Best Activist repeatedly by readers of the Missoula Independent, and the Poverello Center was recognized locally for its nonprofit work.
Boldman entered electoral politics as a Democrat and represented a Missoula-area district in the Montana House of Representatives from 2011 through 2018. Montana's Legislature is a citizen legislature that meets in regular sessions every two years, and her House service included work on judiciary, health, human services, and local-government issues. She also served as Montana's delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention and as vice president of the Young Democrats of America.
She practiced law through the Law Offices of Ellie Hill Smith while continuing her public career. In 2021 she entered the Montana Senate, initially representing District 45; following redistricting, she represented Senate District 47. The 2025 Montana legislative roster identified her as a Democratic senator from Missoula and listed committee work in agriculture, finance and claims, local government, and long-range planning.
Boldman directed the Poverello Center during a period of economic difficulty and became a prominent Missoula advocate for people experiencing homelessness and poverty.
She served four terms in the Montana House of Representatives from 2011 through 2018 and later entered the Montana Senate.
She contributed to Montana public policy through legislative work on housing, local government, behavioral health, and social-justice issues.
Politics
Ellie Boldman is a Democrat whose political work has focused on social justice, affordable housing, behavioral health, environmental concerns, and services for vulnerable residents. Her public career developed through community advocacy, nonprofit leadership, legal practice, and elected office in Missoula and Montana.
She served in the Montana House of Representatives from 2011 through 2018 and entered the Montana Senate in 2021. Her legislative work has included participation in committees dealing with local government, finance, agriculture, behavioral health, and long-range planning. Her public statements and campaign materials associate her with progressive causes, including socioeconomic justice, reproductive rights, environmental protection, and support for people experiencing poverty or homelessness.
Views
Boldman's public philosophy emphasizes advocacy for people who experience poverty, homelessness, mental illness, and barriers to affordable housing. Her work presents social justice and socioeconomic equality as matters of public responsibility, connecting legal and legislative action with direct community service.
She has also supported environmental protection, reproductive rights, and access to behavioral-health services. Her public positions reflect a progressive Democratic approach that combines government responsibility for vulnerable residents with civic advocacy and community-based nonprofit work.
Membership
Boldman's civic and professional affiliations have included the American legal profession, Rotary, the Missoula Downtown Association, the Sustainable Business Council, the New Leaders Council, and the National Conference of State Legislatures. Her participation has connected legal practice and legislative service with local civic organizations, professional development, and community advocacy.
She has also held leadership roles in the Young Democrats of America and the National Conference of State Legislatures, including service as a national vice president of the Young Democrats and on the NCSL National Board of Directors.
Served as national vice president.
Young Democrats of America
,
United States
2010
Served on the executive board.
Missoula County Democratic Central Committee
,
United States
2008 - 2010
Served on the fundraising and development committee.
Forward Montana
,
United States
2008
Co-chaired the Missoula chapter.
New Leaders Council
,
United States
Served on the board of directors.
Sustainable Business Council
,
United States
2008 - 2009
Missoula Downtown Association
,
United States
Missoula Sunrise Rotary
,
United States
Served on the National Board of Directors.
National Conference of State Legislatures
,
United States
Personality
During her early public career, Boldman was described as upbeat while directing the Poverello Center during a difficult economic period. She has publicly characterized herself as an advocate for poor and vulnerable people.
Quotes from others about the person
Time magazine quoted Boldman describing herself as an advocate for the poor and identifying Eleanor Roosevelt, Paul Wellstone, and her father, Michael Boldman, as political inspirations.
Interests
Montana microbrews; college sports
Politicians
Eleanor Roosevelt; Paul Wellstone
Music & Bands
The Rolling Stones
Connections
Boldman is married to Dr. Tyler Smith. They have three sons. Her father, Michael Boldman, was a Vietnam veteran and union worker and graduated from college alongside her.
Father:
Michael Boldman
Vietnam veteran and union worker; graduated from college alongside Ellie Boldman.
Montana Legislature 2025 Copper Book
Provides a legislative biography identifying Boldman as a Democratic Montana senator from Missoula, with her education, legal profession, legislative service, affiliations, and committee work.
Boldman was named Missoula's Best Activist by readers of the Missoula Independent repeatedly, including each year from 2007 through 2009 and later for eleven consecutive years through 2018.
Boldman was named Missoula's Best Activist by readers of the Missoula Independent repeatedly, including each year from 2007 through 2009 and later for eleven consecutive years through 2018.
40 Under 40 Political Rising Stars,
United States
Named by TIME magazine in 2010 as one of its 40 Under 40 Political Rising Stars for her nonprofit leadership, activism, and entry into the Montana Legislature.
Named by TIME magazine in 2010 as one of its 40 Under 40 Political Rising Stars for her nonprofit leadership, activism, and entry into the Montana Legislature.
Democracy for America Netroots Nation Scholar,
United States
Selected as a Democracy for America Netroots Nation scholar in 2009.
Selected as a Democracy for America Netroots Nation scholar in 2009.
