Elia is a California-based illustrator and writer whose work earned a Kirkus Star for Maggie the Military Rat (written by Monica Voicu Denniston) and was recently selected for the People's Choice Award at SCBWI East Bay Oktoberfest. She has spent nearly a decade as an artist and Art Director in the hospitality art world, creating site-specific, story-driven work for properties across the country.

She was fortunate to grow up in a house that encouraged her art no matter the consequences. She now lives on the sunny side of the Bay with her extra-tall husband, extra-large baby boy, Banjo the dog, and two cats with exactly opposite personalities, Bugz and Blue.

She is currently developing her first authored picture books and is an active member of SCBWI.