Ellen M. McCarthy is the director of the Office of Planning for the United States city of Washington, D.C. She previously served in that position from 2004 to 2007. Appointed by Mayor Anthony Williams, She was forced out of the position by wealthy Ward 3 homeowner groups who resented her development policies. Between terms, she served as Director of Planning and Land Use at the Washington office of Arent Fox. She attended the University of Maryland, and has a Master of Urban Planning from Harvard University.