Hi, I’m ellen.

I’m currently the Senior Director of Design Operations for the American City Business Journals, where I oversee 3 teams and 22 designers working with 40 Business Journals across the country. I’ve worked as both a design manager and a hands-on designer, partnering closely with editorial, advertising, and events teams. I also lead company-wide systems including file management, production workflows, onboarding, and deadlines.

I spend a lot of time coaching designers and managers on both craft and collaboration, especially in remote environments. With a background in journalism, finding the “why” behind any decision has helped me navigate challenges, reduce friction, and improve how work gets done. My goal is to help teams grow in ways that feel practical and lasting.

My background is in journalism and editorial design, but I’ve also created digital and print advertisements for clients, brand marketing materials, event collateral, and podcast logos.

I previously did work for The Washington Post, and was Creative Director of The Post's daily commuter publication, Express.

DROP ME A LINE:

ellenlcollier@gmail.com