Elena “Ellie” Dubaich had a memorable role in Below Deck Mediterranean season 9, although it wasn’t always positive. After making a brief appearance in season 7, Ellie returned as the Mustique’s second stew in season 9. She credits her upbringing in Slovenia for her dedicated, ambitious attitude. Ellie was committed to ensuring a smooth charter season, but her inflexibility came at the cost of her relationships with her fellow crew .

Below Deck Mediterranean season 9 captured a six-week charter season aboard the luxury superyacht Mustique. Led by Captain Sandy Yawn, the Mustique sailed the waters of Greece, allowing guests to enjoy idyllic seas alongside historical landmarks. Chief Stew Aesha Scott led the interior team, while Bosun Iain Maclean led the deck crew. Many cast struggled to pull their weight, but the season surprisingly ended without any firings, though tension remained high.

Ellie's Journey On Below Deck Mediterranean

The Stew Ended The Season With Several Enemies

Upon boarding the Mustique, Ellie quickly bonded with her roommate, Third Stew Bri Muller. Ellie became a mentor to Bri, using her yachting experience to guide Bri in their shared housekeeping duties. Unfortunately, Bri and Ellie’s friendship was short-lived. They both pursued Deckhand Joe Bradley, resulting in a rivalry that threatened to derail their careers. When Ellie and Bri allowed their jealousy to impact their work, they were threatened with termination if they didn’t learn to put their feelings aside.

By the time the season ended, Ellie had alienated all of her co-workers and left Mustique.

Ellie moved past her resentment toward Bri, but she still wasn’t free from drama. Ellie, who had expressed interest in the chief stew position, began to encroach on Aesha’s role. This was amplified when a fourth stew, Carrie O’Neill, was hired at the end of the season. Ellie was threatened and insulted by Carrie’s presence. She started giving Carrie orders, causing Aesha to accuse Ellie of overstepping. Ellie voiced her frustration to the crew, who relayed it back to Aesha. By the time the season ended, Ellie had alienated all of her co-workers and left Mustique.

Ellie Works As A Massage Therapist

She's Transformed Her Own Physique Since Filming

Ellie’s Instagram bio lists her profession as a “superyacht massage therapist.” According to her IMDB profile, Ellie began her career as a massage therapist and took a job as a cruise ship masseuse. After discovering her love for the sea, Ellie became a “spa stewardess” on luxury yachts. Notably, her Instagram mentions massage therapist rather than stew, suggesting Ellie may be shifting her focus back to massage.

In addition to massage, Ellie’s Bravo profile states she also specializes in personal training and yoga. Since filming Below Deck Mediterranean, Ellie has prioritized her physical fitness. Ellie shared a series of before-and-after photos in March revealing her body transformation. The stunning photos show how much work she has put into her fitness journey. Ellie made her runway debut in 2024 at Miami Swim Week, showing off her confidence while wearing nothing but body tape.

Ellie Is Still Feuding With Bri

They Haven’t Been Close Since Filming Ended

Ellie’s rivalry with Bri may have tapered off by the end of the season, but the stews are still not on friendly . Bri revealed during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live that Ellie blocked her on social media. Joe provided more details on the Below Deck Mediterranean After Show. He itted to dating Ellie briefly after filming ended, but their relationship didn’t last long.

Joe was turned off by Ellie’s continued “bouthing” of Bri, proving their feud continued after the season ended.

For her part, Ellie claims to be on the road to reconciliation with Bri. She told Bravo that she apologized to Bri after viewing the show and seeing that Joe had led them both on. Ellie stated that she and Bri were “open to catching up”—meaning they haven’t yet established a friendship post-filming.

Will Ellie Ever Return To Below Deck Mediterranean?

She Has A Long Road To Redemption

Ellie quickly fell from grace during season 9. Her cruel behavior toward Bri and lack of respect for Aesha made her one of the most unpopular cast . Ellie brought negativity to all her interactions, which impacted the tone of the entire season. She itted on Watch What Happens Live that seeing herself on the show was a humbling experience, and it’s unsurprising that viewers didn’t enjoy watching Ellie antagonize the cast.

However, a return to Below Deck Med would give Ellie a chance to redeem herself. Ellie has been actively working to bounce back from criticism, telling Bravo she has taken both bartending and chief stew courses since filming. If she can heed Aesha’s advice to learn from her superiors rather than try to overpower them, Ellie has the potential to become an effective leader. Viewers would be fascinated to see Ellie return with humility and comion, traits that were sorely lacking during her season 9 appearance.

What Is Ellie Up To In 2025?

She's Still Modeling

Since appearing on Below Deck Med season 9, Ellie has somewhat distanced herself from the show. While she still has the show and the seasons she was in on her Instagram bio, Ellie hasn't posted anything in of Below Deck Med or its spin-offs, nor does she interact with anyone she was on the show with. In 2025, Ellie is putting behind her Below Deck days and is focused on creating success outside the show. According to her Instagram, Ellie is working hard to make it in the modeling industry. She has shared several photos in the past year, with several of them posted in 2025.

There’s nothing I love more than working with people who see photography as art

One of the photoshoots Ellie did in 2025 had a very artistic feel to it. Even though the shoot did include Ellie's usual sensual aspect, it did convey an emotional side that most of her shoots don't have. Ellie did reveal in her caption that she loves when she gets to work with people who see photography as an art and not something simple like just pointing a camera and taking a picture. Ellie knows how to work those angles and convey a story in her pictures.

Ellie was quite online in 2024 and going into 2025, but it seems she's back to being more active on social media. Now that she seems to be modeling more, Ellie will likely have more to share this year. However, its unlikely she will post about anything Below Deck Mediterranean related.

Below Deck Mediterranean is available to stream on Peacock.

Sources: thebalkanbiscuit/Instagram, IMDB, Bravo, Ellie Dubaich/Instagram, Bravo