Portfolio_2023

laura ellis

Master of Architecture University of Pennsylvania : Spring 2026 Bachelor of Design in Architecture Minor in Sustainability and the Built Environment University of Florida : 2018-2022 lauraellis5572@gmail.com +1 (904) 888 6822

laura ellis This portfolio is a culmination and documentation of my graduate career at the University of Pennsylvania and my undergraduate career at the University of Florida. In the upcoming future, I plan to create architecture that integrates and celebrates the natural creation right before us while additionally providing spaces the changing world needs.

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ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO

contents

hotel milano

architecture portfolio

01

[p. 04]

threading the past and future of milan’s water systems

02

distorted perception

[p. 10]

anamorphic projection & memory manipulation

03

edges of performance

[p. 12] 2024

movement of art in orlando

04

tilted depths

[p. 16]

captivating vistors through the operation of titling

05

travel sketches

[p. 20]

06

protecting the landscape

laura ellis

comparing façades

[p. 22]

an alternative scenario for the future of punta santiago

07

vertical suspension

[p. 24]

vertical armature for motocross

08

chirping with nature

[p. 28]

ornithology research

09

urban playscape

[p. 30]

mixed-use development in rome

CONTENTS

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site

milano, italia professor

Alfonso Perez-Mendez

01

hotel milano

threading the past and future of milan’s water systems

individual/group

Laura Ellis Acacia Li class/year

design seven - fall 2021 program

SECTION - study of surroundings

hotel water therapy hydraulic studies This design seven project has also been a part of my undergraduate Honors Thesis. This has been published for the fulfillment of Summa Cum Laude from the University of Florida College of Design, Construction, and Planning.

The link of my publication is located below: https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00088295/00001/pdf

SECTION

4

POPULATION

CIVIL STATUS

Located in Milan, Italy, this vertical tower project is a cross program of a hotel and water therapy. Through analyzing the history of water in Milan and diagramming different studies, the fluidity of water has played a starring role in the past of Milan. This vertical datum embodies the culture and history of the water canals of Milan. All the tectonics on this structure mirror this rippling effect water has that has been taken away by time. The ribcage, skin, program, plan, etc. act in response to this undulating effect the history of water had and unrealistic hope of the younger generation. The unrealistic hope of the younger generation is indicated by the caging of the ribcage attempting to coalign this age group with traditional standards.

The ribcage floats on top of the massing to hide the emotions of the younger generation.

The composition of the main programs spotlighted by yellow masses, dictates a musical rotation of vertical ascension and of programmatic hierarchy.

01 - HOTEL MILANO

AERIAL

architecture portfolio

laura ellis

5

SITE AND DEMOGRAPHICS

2024

MAPPING

STREET VIEW - approaching the monster

INTERIOR SHOT - circulation

To start to develop the systematics in the interior, a series of bracketed initial plan studies of the space were created. Following the same theories of Peter Zumthor’s experimental block studies to create the Therme Vals, Hotel Milano mimics those principles.

BRACKETS - initial studies of the structure

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01 - HOTEL MILANO

architecture portfolio

INTERIOR

The suspended shell, made of a dual skin and ribcage system works to formulate a cave effect to drive young wandering minds.

2024

As Peter Zumthor said, “Sketching was a playful form of research without architectural models. I remember feeling greatly – freedom in pursuing issues of composition, working on them out on the basis of these block studies, giving them shape in spontaneous drawings and trying to understand them.” These bracketed initial plan studies helped with scale, program, and created a musical rhythm for the interior. groundwater hydrology

laura ellis

circulation

private

restrooms

conservation studies

restaurant

café

reception

The interior lamination of the lobby builds up the journey from exterior to interior and drives visual and physical processions.

hydrologic studies LOBBY AXONOMETRIC

PROGRAM AND INTERIOR

BRACKETS - initial studies of the structure

7

To find out the initial program, a series of bracketed studies came into play mapping out the primary versus secondary spaces. Bracketing out and taking away the non-important, secondary spaces presents the primary spaces. Primary spaces represent the main function of the building, while secondary spaces make those primary spaces usable. This helped with connectivity of the different scales and learning what was most important and what wasn’t crucial to the project.

INITIAL STUDIES - primary versus secondary spaces

The contoured, elegance of the ribcage follows existing curving geometries of the waterways that are now covered.

The ribcage is associated and hooks into the skin by tension trusses. Fluidity of skin reacts to the water narrative and unrealistic ambitions of the young generation reflected by the caging of the ribcage attempting to co-align the generation with orthodox norms.

EXPLODED COMPOSITE AXONOMETRIC

INITIAL STUDIES - skin and ribcage

8

Here are initial drawings of how the skin and ribcage were going to connect to the program and form of the building. The idea that repeated the most throughout this was to conceal the interior from the exterior. To approach the caged monster without fully knowing what was to happen inside. Conceptually water can serve as a bridge to the arts of an architectural space.

01 - HOTEL MILANO

SECTION - bracketed longitudinal site

SECTION - bracketed site

architecture portfolio 2024

Overall, water can be exemplified in the overall form of a structure by reiterating its sense of natural fluidity. It can also challenge traditional orthogonal architecture. Within architecture, water evokes sentiments of wellbeing and calmness. As a means to expression, water in architecture not only fulfills a need but also creates a spatial illusion.

The form of the ribcage and skin mirrors this fluidity of water. The voids epitomize the missing representation of water in the city that has been taken away with the new modern technology of cars and covering up the canals.

laura ellis

STREET VIEW - approaching the ribcage

RIBCAGE AND JELLYFISH

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professor

Daniel Markiewicz class/year

arch501- spring 2023

02

distorted perceptions

anamorphic projection & memory manipulation

individual/group

Sepideh Bayat Kerun Wang Wenyu Wang website

www.501curiouscabinets.com/ projects-2023#/ team-06/

Our sarcophagus showcases anamorphic projection, suspension, and obfuscation to manipulate the perception of sunken reliefs.

Orthographic

Perspective

A sarcophagus is a decorated container designed to hold remains and preserve personal history.

Likewise, a memory is a mental container that safeguards our emotional connection to past events and people. However, just as a sarcophagus deteriorates with time, human memories can become distorted as time passes.

RENDER - perspective vs. orthographic

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02 - DISTORTED PERCEPTIONS

architecture portfolio 2024

Pieces

laura ellis

Structure

Volume

Base

DETAILS - connections

PHYSICAL MODEL MODEL AND COMPONENTS

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site

orlando, florida professor

John Maze

03

edges of performance movement of art in orlando

class/year

design six - spring 2021 program

theater public plaza dance classrooms music classrooms cafe/gift shop

SECTION - study of surroundings

My structure comes from extracting and finding different moments that stand out from the surrounding buildings to create space. This is found through extracting, erasing, adding, and implementing the same ideas from the surrounding buildings onto my own structure.

Sitting on one of the corner of North Rosalind Avenue and Wall Street beside Lake Eola Park in Orlando, Florida is Urban Edges of Performance.

This performance space for movement of art- ballet, music, & dance.

Here, individuals will come to the site to experience the beauty of art and how it moves the soul.

MOVEMENTS IN WATERCOLOR

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DIVISION OF GROUND

MOVEMENTS IN PEN 03- EDGES OF PERFORMANCE

architecture portfolio 2024 laura ellis

AXONOMETRIC - division of ground and program

LATITUDINAL SECTION SITE AND DIVISION OF GROUND

longitudinal section

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Movement here plays a part in the colored glass and fins curving and moving like a dancer. From walking around the site in Orlando, I saw the use of color in many different roles.

From the church, color-stained glass was implemented; and from outside of the museum, shadows of colors intrigued the individual passing by.

Due to this phenomenon, I used colored glass panels to celebrate the movement of the body.

Covering was implemented by modulating and impressing different materials to make a façade.

LEVEL 1

The first floor includes a dance classrooms, lobby, café/gift shop, outside gathering space for the viewers, the main floor of the theater, loading dock, mechanical/electrical, and changing rooms.

From studying the behaviors of the site, these shading fins selectively are used to distill and dilute light from the northern sunlight.

LEVEL 2

LEVEL 3

Echoing the first floor, the second floor has offices, a library, dance classrooms, balcony of the theater, more changing rooms, and a storage room.

The third floor includes the green roof top terrace for the dancers, music classrooms, and dance classrooms.

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03 - URBAN EDGES OF PERFORMANCE

architecture portfolio

Here the curvilinear ceiling structure mimics the body and rolls the audience heads downward to see the movement and art of the body come to life.

INTERIOR - theater

1

2024

INTERIOR - classrooms

laura ellis

The small watercolors are different transverse section cuts.

1. blending, tying, and erasing away 2. separation and to mark a void of upliftment to take a break from the surroundings (outside gathering, hangout space) 3. spreading, splashing, smearing, and encircling for the main performance space 4. rolling, laminating and impressing different materials, covering specific areas

clasps

glulam timber portal frames fins

The long blue watercolor is a longitudinal section on the site. Idea of the contrast of distributing, bonding, and bouncing light while binding and distilling the idea of continuously expanding to grow.

Dancers get exhausted and are in pain from being on their toes all day. So this is the idea of blending what the audience sees- which is perfection- to what the dancers feel -which is the distribution of pain coming from beauty.

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3

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AXONOMETRIC - wall structure

overall structure DIAGRAMMATIC PLANS AND CONCEPT

glass panels

primary beams 15

site

philadelphia, p.a. professor

Daniel Markiewicz

04

tilted depths

captivating visitors through the operation of tilting

class/year

arch501- spring 2023 program

art museum

Tilted depths captivate visitors through the operation of tilting versus the extrusions of depths created by the relief.

Public art is everywhere in West Philadelphia. West Philadelphia has a rich history, with murals titling the city’s identity to unfold these visual narratives that celebrate the city’s history and showcase expression.

PLAN

Scale 1/8” = 1’-0” 0

5

10

15

20’

PLAN

CHOISY

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ELEVATIONS - south & east 04 - TILTED DEPTHS

Whether you are a fan of art or not, public art is everywhere here. Therefore, in a way individuals are forced to look at this artwork. Artwork in return tilts viewers’ perspective to incline a person to draw toward an opinion.

architecture portfolio

In this public art museum, “tilting” symbolizes a deliberate disruption of balance and alignment. It aims to engage visitors actively .

2024

The shift towards abstraction conveys the visitors’ emotions and concepts. Because, not everyone looks at art in the same way, everyone has a different opinion on it.

laura ellis

Tilted Depths are a series of containers to hold these tilted perceptions, to create shifting of depth and movement.

The reliefs are extruded into the massing to adorn and laminate impressions on the exterior.

Programmatically, excavation of the tilted forms creates spatial configurations for art galleries and public space.

STREET VIEW - approaching the extrusions of depth PROGRAM

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PHYSICAL MODEL PHOTOS

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CLOSE UP OF FAÇADE 04 - TILTED DEPTHS

26’

8’

14’

18’

architecture portfolio

12’

30’

10’

10’

10’

2024

22’

SECTION

0

5

10

15

20’

Scale 3/32” = 1’-0”

39°57'14"N, 75°11'41"W

laura ellis

39°57'13"N, 75°11'41"W

39°57'15"N, 75°11'40"W

Colors and relief studies can employ bold geometric styles and immersive colors, to tilt emotions and connect viewers to appreciate the memories tied to the artwork, connecting with the history, architecture, and culture of the place.

COLOR AND RELIEF STUDIES DEPTHS AND PHYSICAL MODEL

COLOR AND RELIEF STUDIES

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professor

Martin Gold class/year

analytical sketching fall 2021

05

travel sketches comparing façades

In the Fall of 2021, I took part in University of Florida’s School of Architecture’s Vicenza Program in Vicenza, Italy- a forty minute train ride from Venice, Italy. Throughout my travels to eight different countries, I captured various architectural facades. The following sketches shows a glimpse of how I experienced these unique architectural structures.

Façade is the most important exterior element of a building.

This integral piece of the building sets expectations, adds a unique personality and character, and defines the feel of the overall structure. From learning about different façades, I noticed that façades either help achieve the goal of blending in with the surroundings or helps with standing out from the crowd.

Andrea Palladio Palladian Basilica (1549) - Vicenza, Italia

Antoni Gaudí Casa Milà (1906) - Barcelona, España

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05 - TRAVEL SKETCHES

Andrea Palladio Loggia Valmarana (1565) - Vicenza, Italia

architecture portfolio

Andrea Palladio Palazzo Porto (1552) - Vicenza, Italia

Vicenza, Italia

Porton del Luzzo (1500) - Vicenza, Italia

2024

Carlo Scarpa Casa Borgo (1975) - Vicenza, Italia

laura ellis

Colosseo (70AD) - Roma, Italia STUDIES OF FAÇADES

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site

punta santiago, puerto rico professor

Nancy Clark

06

protecting the landscape

an alternative scenario for the future of punta santiago

class/year

design eight - spring 2022 program

ocean promenade kayak center open-air community center

The proposal: Overall, the strategies for this alternative scenario for the future will not only protect the land from harm, but also will keep the strong culture and history from not collapsing. These strategies plays an important role in building physical and social resilience: it retains, conveys and cleans water, protecting the surrounding neighborhoods while providing amenities and benefits to the community.

MAPPING OF PROPOSAL

Starting with researching about coastal flooding near cities along the east border of Puerto Rico, I found various cities in need of protection. Although there were many, there was one major place that was irreplaceable and putting in so much effort to keep the town running. This barrio - also known as a neighborhood - was Punta Santiago located in Humacao. With a population growing more each year after Hurricane Maria, Punta Santiago is comprised of 4,000 + individuals in 3.17 square miles. The barrio was severely damaged by Hurricane Maria and is known as a very vulnerable area to natural disasters and flooding.

The direct line of Hurricane Maria hit Punta Santiago the hardest.

However, their rich history and culture is strong and there has been various, pushing intentions that have been at work to rebuild this town back into its former beauty. One organization that has tremendously leaded the aspirations has been P.E.C.E.S., Inc. This is a non-profit organization that promotes educational, economic, and social development in mainly Punta Santiago but also in southeastern Puerto Rico.

LANDSLIDES IN PUERTO RICO

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BEFORE HURRICANE MARIA

AFTER HURRICANE MARIA 06 - PROTECTING THE LANDSCAPE

Humacao

Punta Santiago

What is the best scenario for the future?

Taking retrofitting communities near the flooded areas and making it accessible.

Rethinking, redesigning and re-purposing existing structures to meet new needs.

LOCATION OF PUNTA SANTIAGO IN HUMACAO

architecture portfolio 2024

Overall they seek to be recognized for excellence in the development of leaders, community service, and in education with a preferential option for youth development. When the class visited Punta Santiago, I met with the Senior Vice President of the Educational Programs and Social Development of P.E.C.E.S. She told us there is currently 276 students from Punta Santiago and neighborhoods in eastern Puerto Rico. While teaching the 9th-12th graders, the organization integrates the students in helping the community. After Hurricane Maria, this organization supplied water, clothes, and other needs to support the town.

Overall, this organization provides social, economic, and emotionally help.

DESTRUCTION IN PUNTA SANTIAGO

laura ellis

PROTECTING THE LANDSCAPE: PROPOSAL

After the high schoolers finish high school, the school promotes the older students to work, go to the university, or go into a trade. The facility is comprised of classrooms, fine arts, cafe, and basketball courts. Punta Santiago is still lively today due to the deep rooted culture of individuals wanting to keep the town alive and also the tourism. Punta Santiago is known for the beautiful, famous beaches along its coast. Individuals from all over Puerto Rico come here to relax. FEMA has also made it greatly known to help revitalize this area by giving a great amount to show that this area is worth it to aid Punta Santiago to rebuild the tourism part of it. Tourism provides an incredible amount of money to area.

TOURISM IN PUNTA SANTIAGO

RESEARCH AND BACKGROUND

23

Proposal Steps: 1. Create a barrier/ocean promenade that protects/celebrates the rest of the land Ask the question: Where would the protected land be?

Would there be any livable land left?

How would I best protect vulnerable neighborhoods from flooding and storm events?

Protects:

Natural: mangroves, wetland.

Man-made: surge barrier, berms, dunes.

Celebrates:

Boardwalk, sea walk, biking.

2. Create structures Kayak center:

celebration of the wildlife Open air community center:

rest and social activities

AXONOMETRIC OF VARIOUS PROTECTION FROM NATURAL DIASTERS

OPEN-AIR COMMUNITY CENTER - 3D STUDY

Humacao, RicoRico Humacao, Puerto Humacao, Rico Puerto Puerto

San Juan, Puerto RicoSan San Juan, Puerto RicoJuan, PuertoHumacao, Rico Puerto Rico

DEMOGRAPHICS OF HUMACAO

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Humacao, Puerto Rico

San Juan, Puerto Rico

OPEN-AIR COMMUNITY CENTER - PLAN

San Juan, Puerto Rico

This open-air community center connects to a trendy and buzzing area of Punta Santiago. This area is known for it’s popular restaurants and famous pier. Although it is a popular area, it is missing an area for individuals to rest by the well-known beach - Playa Punta Santiago. This community center will help bring more individuals to the area to take a rest from the hot sun which will aid tourism for the neighborhood. Overall this open-air community center is used to shade individuals along the beach. It is a place known on the daily for rest and social activities.

06 - PROTECTING THE LANDSCAPE

architecture portfolio

KAYAK CENTER - 3D STUDY

KEY POINTS OF INTEREST

2024

Punta Santiago is surrounded by Humacao Natural Preserve which is comprised of brackish lagoons, beaches, swamps, and mangroves. As you walk Humacao Natural Preserve, individuals observe different ecosystems and explore various species that live in that certain habitat. This Kayak center celebrates the nautral wildlife of Punta Santiago. It builds the ecotourism and offers services that go from walking tours, kayak, pedal, and observation of flora and fauna for individuals and groups. Here, individuals come to appreciate and at the same time learn about the natural wonders.

KAYAK CENTER - PLAN

laura ellis

COLLAGE OF PUNTA SANTIAGO STUDIES BASED ON RESEARCH

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professor

Sarah Gamble class/year

design four - spring 2020

07

vertical suspension vertical armature for motocross

program

racetrack practice storage/maintenance Dare to enter the vertical armature. Individuals come here to experience the spontaneity, culture, and daredevil effect of motocross.

The first node is a space for storing the race bikes. Containing openings, lets the light from the sun and the noise from the races above filter downward. In the middle of this space, there is a vertical pulley system for the race bikes to lift to perform and to release down for maintenance.

DIAGRAMMATIC HAND DRAWN AND STICKY-BACK COLLAGE

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HAND DRAWN AND DIGITAL SECTION

07 - VERTICAL SUSPENSION

architecture portfolio

PHYSICAL MODEL PROCESS

PHYSICAL MODEL PROCESS

PHYSICAL MODEL PROCESS STUDIES

2024 laura ellis

PHYSICAL MODEL PHYSICAL MODEL

Continuing upward, individuals are welcomed into the node for practice. As a room known for speed, the horizontal elements above press the racer to push faster and faster like how they would have to in the race.

Lastly, the space for performance. The non-racers watch the daredevils here experience ramps, jumps, and obstacles to see who will win.

PHYSICAL MODEL: GROUND STUDIES

DIAGRAMMATIC GROUND STUDIES AND PROGRAM

27

site

gainesville, florida professor

Martha Kohen

08

chirping with nature ornithology research

class/year

design five - fall 2020 program

birds ornithology nature studies

PERSPECTIVES

LIGHTWEIGHT CONSTRUCTION A lightweight construction fused together like the bones of a bird. Bird’s lightweight skeletons have hollow bones making them light enough to fly. Taking this concept and I created tree-like structures with lightweight, layered materials to show flight and sturdiness of a bird’s bones. Individuals come here to observe birds and partake in nature.

ARRIVAL To arrive to this journey to be with nature and wildlife, observers must park in Owen’s Illinois Park and then trail by foot on the trails already given to take part in and become one with nature. These suspended, lightweight structures are bonded to the trees to show that you are in flight like a bird.

STUDIES OF THE WILDLIFE Here are the photographs of Newnan's Lake. Here I studied the air, the tree knees, the ripples in the water, and the local plants. The plants I studied I took from the site and pressed.

SUSTAINABILITY SPEAKING Both the refuge and paused structures roofs were created with different layers bonded together to dilute the water in a specific way so that the water would run off the structure. By keeping most of the trees in the area, it brings shade, framed views, and protection. Also, it keeps the birds less aware that there is a structure nearby, therefore, the birds come to sit in these trees more.

PLANT WILDLIFE

SITE MAP

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PJYSICAL MODELS

WILDLIFE STUDIES

PERSPECTIVE - refuge 08 - CHIRPING WITH NATURE

PERSPECTIVE

SECTION

PERSPECTIVE

architecture portfolio 2024 laura ellis

PERSPECTIVE - refuge

REFUGE By walking up the stairs, observers are encircled by trees. These suspended, lightweight structures are bonded to the trees to show that you are in flight like a bird. By weaving around the corner, the observer can put down their stuff and enter the structure for refuge. The tectonic manifestation here encapsulates and wraps the observer to give rest. Towards the back, light is diluted to encapsulate the observer to a deep sleep while still able to observe nature while laying down and looking up.

CONCEPT AND COMPONENTS

29

site

roma, italia professor

Alfonso Perez-Mendez

09

urban playscape mixed-use development in rome

individual/group

Laura Ellis Acacia Li class/year

design seven - fall 2021 program

residential design-tech high school public plaza

AERIAL

Residential blocks project spatial and visual opportunities to the adjacent massing, while following contours of the exterior public space. The carving of the interior courtyards and balconies seek to bond a metaphysical relationship between residential and the attractor zones by wrapping itself.

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09 - URBAN PLAYSCAPE

monument

architecture portfolio

institution

site ground plan

commercial offices

residential

2024

public space

public space

laura ellis

AXONOMETRIC

EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC - massing programmatic

PUBLIC SPACE SITE AND MASSING STUDIES

31

SECTION

STREET VIEW

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09 - URBAN PLAYSCAPE

The smaller vessels distributed in the massing situation themselves to engage inhabitants of the plaza, inner courtyards, and performance spaces. These formulate a topography or urban playscape, assesses the motions of local gathering and movement.

LONGITUDINAL A

LONGITUDINAL B

LATITUDINAL A

BRACKET SECTIONS - monument v. fabric

architecture portfolio 2024 laura ellis

BRACKETED PLAN STUDIES STREET VIEW AND PROGRAM STUDIES

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laura ellis lauraellis5572@gmail.com +1 (904) 888 6822 LinkedIn: laura-ellis-8a91b6176/ Portfolio: issuu.com/lauralynnellis Website: lauralynnellis.myportfolio.com