My favorite things &

Mahler's 5th Symphony, microbrews, the Seahawks and good typography

The Formative Years

Olga

I grew up in New York where, from birth, my parents immersed me in the world of fine arts. My father encouraged my photographic talents and both parents inspired my passion for classical music. When not at the keyboard interpreting one of Beethoven’s Sonatas or Mozart's Piano Concertos, I was routinely in the field taking photographs with dad. For years I thought Ansel Adams, Edward Weston and Imogen Cunningham were long lost relatives.

I recovered from the disappointment of "not being related to anyone famous" and graduated from the well-known High School for the Performing Arts in NYC. Yes, this is the school profiled in the movie and TV series, "Fame". It’s a wonderful school and I have benefited greatly from my experiences. While in college I was enrolled in the Leonard Davis Center for Performing Arts. I rounded out my undergraduate education at CCNY where I received my Bachelor's degree in fine arts.

Employment History

After college I moved to the Southwest where I pursued a career in Hotel Management and Marketing. Initially I worked for the Denver Holiday Inn and then for the Marriott in Fort Collins. After a quick "stint" in Rochester, New York, I moved back to Albuquerque and joined the Wyndham Hotel group. I was excited, energetic and creative. As a result I earned promotions that allowed me to transfer to Seattle.

My first website design experience

In 1998 I had my first website design experience at the Ramada Northgate (presently known as Hotel Nexus). I loved it and amazingly, I loved working with computers. While employed by Hotel Nexus, I continued to enhance my design, marketing and computer skills. I participated in workshops, seminars and classes. Finally, I took the leap and left my full-time job, went back to school and graduated from Seattle Central College in Website Design. In 2008 I started my own company, Aglo Creations.

In December 2010, the International Academy of Design and Technology hired me as an adjunct instructor, and soon after, Seattle Central, Bellevue and South Colleges hired me as well! Teaching at these schools has sharpened my web design and development skills exponentially and keeps me young at heart!