ELLEN TOOMEY, Senior Designer

Education
B.F.A., Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY

Professional Background

The focus of Ellen’s communications strategy and design work throughout her career reflects her interest in education, environment, art, and politics. Born on the East Coast — her first years spent in the nation’s capital — and raised on the West, she moved back to the East for a degree in Communications Design, and eventually landed back in the San Francisco Bay Area to participate in creating communications for progressive organizations.

Recent environmental projects include publications for the California State Coastal Conservancy and the San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy, showcasing their significant work throughout the state; informational materials for regional land use and stewardship groups Bay Area Open Space Council and Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority; as well as national membership and conference communications for DC-based American Family Forests Foundation. Ellen recently worked with the city of Berkeley’s Health Department to develop a five-year Health Report.

Ellen has designed communications for educational research organizations and school districts, and teaching materials for innovative curriculum developer and publisher Developmental Studies Center. As a founding board member of Albany’s SchoolCARE Foundation, she created brand and outreach strategy key to raising critical funding for the city’s public schools. She has developed winning election materials for regional campaigns and strategic design efforts for local businesses.

Earlier career experiences include book and publication design; and twelve years with the pioneering advocacy advertising agency Public Media Center, creating ads, annual reports, and identity programs for Sierra Club, Earth Island Institute, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, and others. Ellen has taught classes in publication design, typography, and design at UC Berkeley Extension.

Ellen was a designer at FTA nearly two decades ago and rejoined the firm last year — bringing experiences and projects that complement the work and philosophy of FTA.