who am i...
I am Ellen Picard, range conservationist turned web designer. Back in the infancy of personal web pages, I created my first web page. I used self-taught HTML after finding out that our local ISP provided server space. Web design continued as a hobby of mine until 2007.
I had toyed with the idea of a 'webDesign by Ellen' business during my hobby years. After I retired from the Forest Service, I finally decided to start my own small business.
education and experience
I hold a BS in Range Ecology from Colorado State University. My 17-year career with the Forest Service, which ended with a medical retirement.
To move from hobby into new career as web designer, I took several courses with Education to Go (ed2go). These included both Photoshop and Dreamweaver classes. I supplemented those courses with books (especially from O'Reilly.com), tutorials (like those at PSDtuts), and online training (such as at About.com). I also studied about small business management, as I began to get my business off the ground.
As my business blossomed, I looked to more formal graphic design education. In Feb. 2010, I recieved a Digital Design Diploma from Art Institute of Pittsburgh - Online Division.
