A Long Island native, Elken moved to Austin a year ago after a 40-year stop-over in Ohio. "New York gave me roots, but Ohio gave me my heart." She attended Ohio University earning a BA in Special and General Education and a Masters in Counseling. Elken raised her three, now grown children, in Columbus, Ohio where she was a middle school teacher. Retiring after 30 years of teaching, Elken made a vow to do things that would make her uncomfortable.
She spent some time in retail to learn more about the importance of customer relations and service. Then she took a huge leap by selling her family home in Ohio, got rid of almost all her possessions and moved back to New York to enjoy the sight and sounds of the ocean.
Elken decided to return to school and earned certification as an interior designer. She started her own design business, ElbowrooM: Small Space Solutions, an idea which was generated from her experience living in a 300 square foot apartment. She specializes in helping clients find creative ways to marry function and design in small spaces.
Several years later, she decided to make Austin her new, and hopefully, final home. Elken lives in the heart of downtown with her two cats, Moses and Levi. You can find her walking, biking and jogging Lady Bird Lake, sometimes taking a neighbor's dog along, making friends with other creatives, checking out great vegetarian restaurants, baking up a storm, and listening to the fabulous live music Austin has to offer. You can typically find her taking in the music by her talented daughter, Drew Davis.
Now, as a real estate agent, Elken wants to help people buy, sell or lease, by providing them with a level of service that combines all her years of expertise – an experience that they will always remember.