Adda Quinn is best known as the first wife of Larry Ellison, the American technology entrepreneur who co-founded Oracle Corporation. The couple married in 1967, when Ellison was still a young computer programmer, and divorced in 1974, three years before the business that became Oracle was established.

Although her connection to one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent entrepreneurs explains much of the public interest in her life, Quinn has a documented professional history of her own. She worked in environmental research and project management at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), contributing to work involving contaminated soil, environmental management, and research programs. She also participated in community efforts concerning horseback riding trails and their environmental effects.

Her story is particularly interesting because she knew Ellison before he became wealthy or internationally recognized. Their marriage belonged to an earlier period of his life, when his career was uncertain and he was still establishing himself in California’s emerging technology industry.

Unlike Ellison, Quinn did not become a major public personality. Historical newspaper reporting, environmental documents, and biographical records provide the strongest available evidence about her life.

This biography examines her relationship with Ellison, professional accomplishments, community involvement, and the personal details that remain undocumented.

Who Is Adda Quinn?

Adda Quinn is an American woman whose name appears prominently in biographies of Larry Ellison because she was his first wife.

Their marriage began in 1967 and ended in divorce in 1974.

At the time, Ellison was working in computer-related jobs and had not yet founded the software company that would make him famous.

Quinn later established a professional identity involving environmental research, program management, and scientific coordination.

US Environmental Protection Agency documents identify her as a Project Officer at the Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto, California.

This provides documentary evidence of her work outside the technology billionaire’s personal history.

A 2004 newspaper report also documented her involvement in environmental advocacy related to equestrian trails.

These records establish that Quinn’s public history contains more than her marriage.

However, much of her personal life, including her childhood, exact birth date, education, and current circumstances, remains outside the well-documented public record.

Adda Quinn: Quick Biography

Detail	Available Information
Full name	Adda Quinn
Known for	First wife of Larry Ellison
Former husband	Larry Ellison
Marriage	1967
Divorce	1974
Professional association	Electric Power Research Institute
Documented role	Environmental research project officer
Other activities	Equestrian-trail and environmental advocacy
Organization she helped establish	EnviroHorse
Reported later husband	George Sublett
Children with Larry Ellison	None documented in major biographies
Exact birth date	Not independently established
Educational background	Not reliably documented
Current residence	Not publicly verified
Net worth	No dependable public estimate

The information concerning her marriage and professional work is substantially better documented than many of the private details repeated in recent celebrity biographies.

Adda Quinn’s Early Life and Background

Reliable information about Adda Quinn’s childhood is limited.

Established biographies of Larry Ellison identify her as his first wife but generally provide little background concerning her parents, siblings, birthplace, or early education.

Some modern websites present detailed accounts of her upbringing, including specific dates and locations.

However, these accounts frequently lack contemporary reporting or primary documentation.

A biography should distinguish between details that are widely repeated and those that are independently supported.

For Quinn, the public historical record becomes clearer around 1967, when she met Ellison in California.

Where Was Adda Quinn Born?

Her precise birthplace has not been reliably established through the strongest sources reviewed.

Although her early adult life is associated with California’s Bay Area, that connection does not establish where she was born.

Living or working in a particular location is different from being born there.

Without a reliable birth record or well-supported biographical account, assigning a specific birthplace would be speculative.

What Is Known About Her Education?

Quinn’s educational history is not comprehensively documented in major published biographies.

Her later work in scientific research administration demonstrates professional experience, but it does not establish a particular university degree or qualification.

Some profiles describe her as academically accomplished or highly knowledgeable about environmental science.

Her documented professional responsibilities support recognizing her expertise in research administration and environmental issues.

However, they do not justify inventing schools, graduation dates, or academic credentials.

How Did Adda Quinn Meet Larry Ellison?

Adda Quinn met Larry Ellison in 1967 through an employment agency in California.

This meeting was documented in a detailed October 2000 profile published by The Washington Post.

The report identified the location as San Jose.

Another established biographical account describes the employment agency as being in Berkeley.

Although these sources differ on the precise city, they agree on the broader circumstances: the couple met through an employment-related setting in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1967.

The meeting occurred before Ellison had established a successful company.

He had moved to California and was working in the computer industry.

Larry Ellison Before Oracle

Ellison was born in New York City in 1944 and grew up in Chicago.

He moved to California in the 1960s after attending college without completing a degree.

His early professional life involved computer programming and other technical assignments.

At the time, the computer industry looked very different from today’s technology economy.

Large organizations relied on mainframe computers, and software development was still emerging as a distinct commercial industry.

Ellison worked for different employers while developing the technical skills and business ambitions that later shaped his career.

When he met Quinn, there was no Oracle Corporation, no international software empire, and no billionaire fortune.

That historical context is essential to understanding their relationship.

Adda Quinn and Larry Ellison’s Marriage

Quinn and Ellison married in 1967, after meeting earlier that year.

Contemporary reporting describes both as young adults.

The Washington Post’s 2000 profile reported that they were approximately twenty-three years old when they married.

Their relationship lasted around seven years.

Unlike Ellison’s later marriages, this partnership took place entirely before the formation of his best-known company.

Their Early Financial Circumstances

Established biographical reporting describes the couple’s early married years as financially modest.

According to an Encyclopedia.com biography, they lived in a one-room apartment for approximately three years before purchasing a house in Oakland in 1970.

These circumstances contrast sharply with the later wealth and highly publicized lifestyle associated with Ellison.

They illustrate the early period in which he was working toward greater professional stability.

However, the available records should not be used to invent detailed household conversations or portray either person as responsible for all the financial pressures they experienced.

What Did Adda Quinn Say About the Marriage?

Quinn provided firsthand recollections of Ellison to The Washington Post for its October 2000 profile.

Her comments addressed his early personality, ambitions, and accounts of his background.

Because these were her own recollections, they provide valuable evidence of how she remembered the relationship decades later.

However, one person’s recollections do not necessarily explain every aspect of a marriage.

Personal relationships involve perspectives and circumstances that cannot always be reconstructed from a newspaper interview.

The interview is most useful as a documented source of her views, rather than a basis for speculative psychological conclusions.

Why Did Adda Quinn and Larry Ellison Divorce?

Adda Quinn and Larry Ellison divorced in 1974.

Their marriage ended before Ellison co-founded the business that became Oracle.

Biographical accounts describe tensions involving financial circumstances, ambitions, and differences in outlook.

However, those accounts should not be simplified into one definitively established reason.

The Washington Post’s profile provides insight into Quinn’s perspective, but it does not constitute a complete historical record of every private disagreement.

Some internet biographies claim that Quinn left Ellison because she knew he would never become successful.

That interpretation oversimplifies the available reporting.

It also treats the eventual success of Oracle as though it proves what either person should have understood years earlier.

At the time of their divorce, the future development of Ellison’s business career was uncertain.

Did the Divorce Happen Before Oracle Was Founded?

Yes.

Quinn and Ellison divorced in 1974.

Ellison co-founded Software Development Laboratories in 1977 with Bob Miner and Ed Oates.

The company was later renamed and developed into Oracle Corporation.

The three-year difference matters.

Quinn’s marriage ended before the company existed.

Therefore, she should not be described as an Oracle founder’s spouse during the company’s establishment or early operations.

Her historical relationship was with Ellison before his entrepreneurial breakthrough.

Who Is Larry Ellison?

Larry Ellison is an American technology entrepreneur best known for co-founding Oracle, one of the world’s major enterprise software companies.

His career contributed to the development of commercial database technology and software used by organizations to store, manage, and process large amounts of information.

Oracle began in 1977 under the name Software Development Laboratories.

Its founders developed software based on relational database concepts.

These systems organize information into related tables, making it possible to retrieve and manage data through structured queries.

Over time, Oracle expanded into a large technology business offering databases, business applications, infrastructure services, and cloud computing.

Why Did Oracle Become Important?

Businesses, governments, universities, and other organizations depend on reliable data management.

Relational databases became an important part of modern computing because they provided structured ways to handle complex information.

Oracle developed commercial software for that market.

Its growth reflected increasing demand for database systems as organizations computerized their operations.

Ellison’s business career became associated with aggressive competition, technological ambition, and considerable financial success.

However, those later achievements should be kept separate from Quinn’s independent life and career.

Larry Ellison’s Public Profile

Ellison eventually became one of the most recognizable executives in technology.

His personal life, business decisions, real estate interests, and wealth have received extensive media coverage.

Quinn’s name appears in many of those biographies because she was his earliest spouse.

Yet her own professional record deserves separate consideration.

Adda Quinn’s Career at the Electric Power Research Institute

One of the strongest documentary sources concerning Quinn’s independent professional work comes from the US Environmental Protection Agency.

An EPA collection of environmental remediation case studies identifies Adda Quinn as a Project Officer with the Electric Power Research Institute.

The record connects her with environmental work involving a treated wood pole storage area.

This is an important part of her biography because it establishes a professional role through a federal technical publication rather than relying solely on celebrity websites.

What Is the Electric Power Research Institute?

The Electric Power Research Institute, commonly called EPRI, is an organization focused on research and development related to electricity and energy systems.

Its work has included technical research concerning energy generation, environmental effects, infrastructure, and the operation of electrical systems.

Environmental research can involve collaboration between utilities, universities, scientists, government agencies, and private contractors.

Projects may examine pollution, contaminated soil, water quality, or methods for reducing environmental impacts.

These activities require scientific expertise and careful project administration.

Quinn’s Documented Project Officer Role

The EPA record identifies Quinn as an EPRI Project Officer.

The associated case study concerns environmental remediation involving treated wood storage and contaminated soil.

Such remediation projects investigate how pollutants can be treated, contained, or removed from affected environments.

Research may involve laboratory studies, field measurements, and assessment of treatment methods.

A project officer may help coordinate research activities and communication among participating organizations.

However, the title alone does not establish every responsibility Quinn held.

It is important to avoid claiming that she personally conducted every scientific experiment associated with a project.

The documented fact is her professional association with the research effort.

Why Her Environmental Career Matters

Quinn’s EPRI work demonstrates that she developed a career separate from her former husband’s success.

It places her within technical and environmental research during a period when industries were increasingly addressing the effects of pollution and waste.

This is a more substantial historical detail than generic descriptions of her as someone who disappeared from public view.

Her work appears in records concerned with actual environmental problems and practical research.

That evidence provides an independent basis for understanding her professional identity.

Adda Quinn’s Work in Environmental Research Management

Beyond the EPA record, other published materials connect Quinn with environmental research administration.

A scientific publication examining the possible environmental effects of horseback riding identifies her as having worked with EPRI for twenty-one years.

The publication also describes her knowledge of contaminated soil and related issues.

This supports the conclusion that her environmental background was not limited to one isolated assignment.

It suggests a substantial professional association with environmental research.

However, public records do not establish a complete chronological list of every position she held.

Understanding Environmental Project Management

Environmental research programs often involve several organizations working toward a shared objective.

Scientists may analyze soil samples, evaluate water quality, examine chemical contamination, or study treatment methods.

Project managers and research administrators help organize these activities.

They may coordinate budgets, schedules, reporting requirements, and communication.

This administrative work is essential because technical research frequently depends on cooperation between specialized teams.

Quinn’s documented roles place her within this broader professional field.

Was She a Scientist?

Some websites describe Quinn as an environmental scientist.

However, the available primary records establish research management and project-officer responsibilities more clearly than a specific scientific qualification.

A person can make important contributions to scientific research through management, coordination, and technical knowledge without holding a particular academic title.

The distinction matters because professional descriptions should follow the evidence.

It is accurate to recognize Quinn’s environmental research background without assigning undocumented degrees or scientific credentials.

Adda Quinn and Environmental Advocacy

Quinn’s public record also includes community environmental activity.

On March 3, 2004, The Almanac reported that she had been recognized by the Mounted Patrol as its horseperson of the year.

The article described her involvement in environmental research and equestrian-trail issues.

This reporting provides another independent source documenting Quinn’s interests and activities after her marriage to Ellison.

What Was EnviroHorse?

The 2004 article identified Quinn as a co-founder of EnviroHorse.

The initiative worked to gather research and address concerns about the environmental effects of horses using recreational trails.

These discussions included questions about horse manure, bacteria, water quality, and access to shared outdoor spaces.

The subject may seem specialized, but it involves broader questions about how recreational activities interact with conservation and environmental protection.

Horseback Riding and Trail Management

Public trails are often used by different groups, including hikers, cyclists, horseback riders, and nature enthusiasts.

Managing those shared spaces involves questions about safety, environmental protection, erosion, and appropriate recreational use.

Horseback riding can raise particular concerns involving manure, soil disturbance, and the possible movement of seeds from one area to another.

Researchers evaluate these impacts through field observations and scientific studies.

Quinn participated in efforts to organize and communicate research relevant to these debates.

What Does the 2004 Award Establish?

The recognition documents Quinn’s involvement in community activity and the equestrian world.

It also provides evidence that her environmental interests continued beyond her formal professional career.

However, the award should not be exaggerated into an unrelated national scientific honor.

Its significance lies in the specific community and environmental work recognized by the organization.

Adda Quinn’s Involvement in Published Environmental Research

A scientific article concerning horses as possible carriers of non-native plant species lists Adda Quinn among its authors.

The research examines how horseback riding may influence the movement of plant material into natural areas.

Non-native species can become an environmental concern when introduced plants spread in ways that affect local ecosystems.

Researchers studying this issue may examine seeds transported through manure, equipment, or other pathways.

Quinn’s inclusion in the publication provides evidence of participation in a scientific research effort.

However, authorship does not establish precisely which experiments or analytical tasks she personally completed.

The article should therefore be viewed as evidence of research involvement rather than proof of a particular scientific degree.

Did Adda Quinn Remarry?

Several published biographical accounts state that Adda Quinn later married a man named George Sublett.

Some place the marriage around 1990.

However, the stronger original sources used for this article do not fully establish the wedding date or every detail of the relationship.

It is therefore more accurate to identify the later marriage as reported rather than independently confirmed in all particulars.

Some websites provide extensive descriptions of the couple’s interests, travels, and private circumstances.

Those details require individual verification.

The public record concerning Quinn’s first marriage and environmental work is stronger than the documentation available for her later personal relationships.

Did Adda Quinn Have Children?

No children from Adda Quinn’s marriage to Larry Ellison are identified in the major biographical sources reviewed.

Ellison’s two well-known adult children, David Ellison and Megan Ellison, were born during his later marriage to Barbara Boothe.

David became associated with film and media production through Skydance, while Megan became a recognized film producer through Annapurna Pictures.

Neither is Quinn’s child.

Some accounts of Quinn’s later life mention a stepfamily through a subsequent marriage.

However, the available reporting does not establish a complete independently verified account of her personal family relationships.

A biography should therefore distinguish children publicly identified with Ellison from any unconfirmed details about Quinn’s later household.

Adda Quinn and Larry Ellison’s Other Marriages

Ellison’s personal history has attracted attention because he has married several times.

Adda Quinn was his first wife, and their marriage belongs to the period before Oracle’s founding.

His second wife was Nancy Wheeler Jenkins, whom he married during the late 1970s.

He later married Barbara Boothe, the mother of David and Megan Ellison.

His subsequent marriages included novelist Melanie Craft, Nikita Kahn, and Jolin Zhu, also known as Jolin Ellison.

These relationships belong to different periods of his career.

Understanding the chronology helps prevent the confusion that can arise when older biographies contain outdated information about his marital status.

For Quinn, the key historical distinction remains that her marriage ended before Ellison founded Oracle.

How Old Is Adda Quinn?

Adda Quinn’s precise birth date has not been established in reliable public records reviewed for this article.

The Washington Post reported in October 2000 that Quinn and Ellison were both approximately twenty-three years old when they married in 1967.

That suggests Quinn was born around 1943 or 1944.

However, an approximate age at the time of marriage is not equivalent to a verified birth date.

Without documentation establishing the exact day and year, a precise current age would be misleading.

For readers searching for Adda Quinn’s age in 2026, the most accurate answer is that her exact birth date remains unconfirmed.

Is Adda Quinn Still Alive?

As of October 2026, the reviewed authoritative sources do not independently establish Adda Quinn’s current-life status.

Her documented public activities include professional environmental work and community advocacy during earlier decades.

However, those historical records do not confirm her present circumstances.

The absence of a recent public interview or widely reported obituary should not be treated as definitive evidence either way.

Similarly, websites claiming to know her current residence or daily activities require reliable supporting documentation.

The most appropriate approach is to acknowledge that recent personal information is limited.

Where Is Adda Quinn Today?

Quinn’s professional and community activities were historically associated with California, including the Bay Area.

However, this does not establish her current location.

A person may move after retirement, change professional activities, or choose not to maintain a public online presence.

There is no strong basis for assigning Quinn a current residence solely from older employment or community records.

Some websites describe her as deliberately avoiding public attention.

While her present public profile is limited, the available evidence does not establish a specific personal decision to remain private.

The safest description is that her recent circumstances have not been widely documented.

Adda Quinn’s Net Worth

No reliable, independently verified estimate of Adda Quinn’s personal net worth is publicly established.

Some websites discuss her finances in connection with Larry Ellison’s enormous fortune.

However, being formerly married to a billionaire does not establish one’s personal wealth.

The marriage ended in 1974, before Ellison founded the company that became Oracle.

Any financial settlement, property ownership, employment income, investments, or later assets would require appropriate documentation.

Those details are not established through the principal records reviewed.

Therefore, publishing a precise figure would create an unsupported impression of certainty.

Why Is Adda Quinn Still Remembered?

Adda Quinn’s name remains associated with Larry Ellison’s early biography.

Readers researching Oracle’s founder often become interested in the years before he established his company.

His first marriage offers context for that period.

However, Quinn’s later professional achievements provide a separate reason for historical interest.

Her work at EPRI, association with environmental research, and involvement in equestrian-trail advocacy show that her adult life extended beyond a seven-year marriage.

These activities are documented through technical and contemporary sources rather than only celebrity commentary.

A Different Perspective on Silicon Valley History

Stories about Silicon Valley often concentrate on founders, investors, corporate growth, and major financial outcomes.

The people who knew entrepreneurs before their success may appear only briefly in those narratives.

Quinn is one example.

She experienced a period of Ellison’s life when his future was uncertain.

Her later career also demonstrates that individuals associated with major technology figures may have professional histories in completely different fields.

Recognizing both aspects produces a more accurate and useful biography.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Adda Quinn?

Adda Quinn is best known as the first wife of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. She also has a documented professional background in environmental research and project management.

When did Adda Quinn marry Larry Ellison?

They married in 1967, before Ellison founded the company that became Oracle.

When did Adda Quinn and Larry Ellison divorce?

Their marriage ended in 1974.

Did Adda Quinn help found Oracle?

No. Their marriage ended in 1974, while the company that later became Oracle was founded in 1977.

What did Adda Quinn do professionally?

EPA records identify her as a Project Officer at the Electric Power Research Institute. Other publications document her work with environmental research and equestrian-trail issues.

Did Adda Quinn work at EPRI?

Yes. US Environmental Protection Agency technical records identify her professional association with EPRI.

What is EnviroHorse?

EnviroHorse was an initiative Quinn helped establish to gather research and address concerns involving horseback riding and environmental effects on trails.

Did Adda Quinn and Larry Ellison have children?

No children together are identified in major biographical references. Ellison’s children David and Megan are from his later marriage to Barbara Boothe.

Did Adda Quinn remarry?

Several biographical accounts report a later marriage to George Sublett, although the precise details have not been fully verified through primary records.

What is Adda Quinn’s age?

Her exact birth date has not been reliably established. Historical reporting suggests that she was approximately twenty-three when she married in 1967.

What is Adda Quinn’s net worth?

No credible independently substantiated personal net-worth estimate is available.

Final Thoughts

Adda Quinn is an important figure in the early personal history of Larry Ellison, but her biography extends beyond that relationship.

She married Ellison in 1967, when he was a young programmer, and their marriage ended in 1974, before the founding of Oracle.

Her later professional record includes environmental research and project management at the Electric Power Research Institute, supported by federal technical documentation.

She also participated in community environmental initiatives involving horseback riding trails and conservation concerns.

These independently documented activities provide a more complete understanding of her life than biographies focused entirely on her former husband’s wealth.

Although many personal details remain unverified, the available evidence establishes Quinn as someone with a professional history and community involvement independent of Silicon Valley celebrity.

Her story illustrates why a careful biography should recognize documented achievements while leaving unsupported personal claims out of the historical record.

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