Ella Yee Quan was born in Santa Barbara, California in 1926. She initially worked as a nurse's aide and as a typist before entering the field of education in the late 1950s. She earned her Bachelor's and Master's degree in Education as well as an Elementary and Adult Teaching Credential from California State University, Los Angeles. She also received a Secondary and an Administrative Credential from Mount St. Mary's College and a Bilingual Cross Cultural Credential from the University of Southern California. From 1964 until her retirement in 1989, Quan worked as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal in several schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District, including Castelar Elementary School in Chinatown. She also developed bilingual teaching materials for non-English speaking students of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, and Samoan descent. In addition to her illustrious educational career, Quan was involved in several community organizations, including the Chinese Drum and Bugle Corps, Chinese Language School, Services for Asian American Youth, and Asian American Educators Association. She was also a charter member of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California, where she would serve as president. Quan passed away in 2014.