Ellen Jacoby was born December 26th in Miami, Florida, to Robert Jacoby, a chiropractic physician and Diane, a housewife and a former legal secretary; they moved to New York City when Ellen was 2. She was educated at the Mace Private Professional School and studied singing, dancing and acting, later graduating from Park Ridge High School.

Ellen then attended Fairleigh Dickinson University, leaving at one point to work in the clothing industry, and moving on to Franklin College, Indiana, where she was awarded a Bachelor Degree in Education. During her time at Franklin she was not only a cheerleader, excelled in archery, acted in drama club and was a DJ for their radio station, but also, in her free time, sang in the local clubs. In summer vacations she returned to New York, modelling by day and singing in clubs at night.

At 21 she moved to Miami Beach where she continued modelling and singing. While singing at a Holiday Inn, a fall left her paralysed from the waist down, and in rehab for six months. During this time a friend opened a club in the Bahamas and invited Ellen, where she became fascinated with backgammon, becoming a professional player and entering international tournaments, winning over 60 trophies.

After a while she felt it was time to move on to something different, and returned to Miami where a friend was opening up a casting company and wanted Ellen to join her. For a time she considered whether or not to stay with the casting company or return to professional backgammon. In the event she stayed with casting and formed her own company, Ellen Jacoby Casting International.

Ellen Jacoby's casting credits include Ali, Something About Mary, The Waterboy, Out of Sight, The Truman Show, Birdcage, True Lies, Wrestling Ernest Hemingway and several other TV and major motion pictures. She has received numerous awards including the CSA Artios Award for outstanding achievement in location casting for Parenthood, and nominations for The Truman Show and The Birdcage.

In March 1990 Mayor Alex Daoud of Miami Beach presented her with an award for the World's Greatest Casting Director; he also declared Ellen Jacoby Day on Miami Beach. She was named Woman of the Millennium for the Year 2000 by Miami Metro Magazine. Ellen is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and Casting Society of America, and was appointed to the Florida Film Advisory Board by Governor Bush. She has worked with underprivileged children, and gives her time to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the YWCA.