Ellen was born and raised in upstate New York. Her interest in journalism was sparked while a student at Siena College near Albany, N.Y. That was 25 years ago; she has never turned back. Ellen has been a reporter, copy editor, designer and copy desk chief at papers including the Times Union in Albany, N.Y, and the Tampa Tribune in Florida. Ellen loves animals, the outdoors, reading, country music and trying new kinds of ethnic food.