Elizabeth Ford

I'm a life-long learner. My academic background is rooted in English literature, with additional coursework in linguistics and evolutionary studies. After earning my BA, I gained real-world experience and witnessed firsthand how critically important it is to provide access to language and literacy support for individuals of all ages. This inspired me to pursue a Master's degree in Communication Disorders and later Orton-Gillingham training. I now have professional experience in the areas of speech-language pathology, literacy, research, and product management. I bring creativity, empathy, and a critical eye to everything I do.

I'm also an avid maker of all kinds of art. I grew up drawing, creating elaborate forts and dollhouses out of cardboard boxes, and sculpting realistic animals out of snow. In elementary school I developed a love of writing fiction, and by high school I'd also begun to explore poetry. I played music throughout elementary and high school as well (first piano, later saxophone), but it was in college when I most seriously tried my hand at composing original music, to be played by Explorchestra (a student-led composers' orchestra, founded by my then friend, now partner, James). My love of knitting and sewing also blossomed in college, when I found new ways of applying those skills (for example, I sewed a banner for Explorchestra!). During graduate school I started seriously designing and knitting realistic stuffed animals for my small side business, Kniterative Designs. In 2020, I discovered Blender and started dabbling in the world of 3D modeling and animation. Also while quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic, I picked up painting - following online tutorials and hosting virtual paint nights with friends and family via video calls. In the post-college years I've continued to write music here and there, mostly for Explorchestra reunions ("Explo Expos") and music challenges organized by the friends I met in Explorchestra.

These days I'm mostly focused on knitting and sewing my own clothes out of more sustainable materials (gradually replacing the "fast fashion" wardrobe of mostly synthetic fibers I curated in college and grad school), and trying new mediums, like needle felting. When I'm not at home, I'm out having adventures (either local or global, generally either with James or one of my now-retired parents), and I often have my camera with me, because I'm learning photography from my Dad. And, slowly but surely, I'm also revising my Kniterative Designs in the hopes of maybe someday selling the patterns for my original bunnies, cats, dogs, horses, and more!