I’m Ellie, The techno-designer.

Photo of Elena Hoshizaki by Johnny Thanphachanh

I currently work at Apple as a Human Interface Designer. I obtained a master’s degree (MDes) in Design with an emphasis in New Media from UC Berkeley in 2024. Previously, I was a Senior Software Engineer and worked at Disney for 7 years. My undergraduate degree is in Architecture from UCLA.

My work ranges from physical computing in the realm of AI/ML to graffiti art. Art is my lifelong passion. I find delight in playing with craft, color, and whimsy.

📷 Photo by Johnny Thanphachanh

FAQ

What is techno-design?

Technodesign = technology + design. I am a mixed media designer, senior software engineer, UX designer/engineer, and artist. My specialty is creative technology, including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML).

Where are you from?

I am half Japanese-American, half Italian + German-American, and a native Angelena — born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Are you open for new projects?

Currently I work full-time and have limited bandwidth for taking on new projects. Nevertheless, please feel free to reach out with inquiries.

Experience

Education

Seal of The University of California, Berkeley, featuring an open book, a star, and a banner with the motto 'Let There Be Light', encircled by the university's name and founding year 1868.

Master of Design (MDes)

Emphasis in New Media

UC Berkeley

2024

Logo featuring a red gear shape with the letters 'GA' inside in black.

Web Development Immersive

General Assembly

2014

UCLA Extension logo with white text on a blue background.

User Experience Design

UCLA Extension

2013

The seal of the University of California, featuring an open book with a star above, a serpent wrapped around a staff, and a banner with the phrase 'Let There Be Light.'

Architectural Studies (BA)

UCLA

2011

Seal of Santa Monica College, California, featuring a torch with flames, a book, and the year 1929, surrounded by the text 'Santa Monica College California' and the Latin motto 'Humanitas Veritas Munus.'

Philosophy (AA)

Santa Monica College

2008

Leadership

Creative Co-Lead

Disney PRIDE

2021-2022

Membership Chair

Disney Women + Tech

2016-2017

Administrative Officer

UC Berkeley MDes Student Association (MDSA)

2022-2023

Mentor

Disney CODE: Rosie

2016-2019

Skills

Creative

Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, After Effects, Sketch, Figma, Procreate, Autodesk AutoCAD, Fusion 360, Rhinoceros 3D, AGI (Midjourney, Dall-E, ChatGPT) prototyping, wireframing, interaction design, illustration, painting

Engineering

HTML, CSS/SCSS, JavaScript, React, Angular, Bootstrap, Node, Underscore, Google Ad Manager, Google Analytics, Docker, Python, PHP, WordPress, Git(hub/lab), Raspberry Pi, Arduino, AI/ML/DL, Computer Vision, photogrammetry