• Michelle Tjelmeland, Owner and Web Developer »
• Darren Gander, Senior Graphic Designer »
• Amanda Folwell, Senior Graphic Designer »
• Kim Martin, Educational Trainer and Technical Support Representative »
• Bridget Ingebrigtsen, Copywriter »
• Charlene Hayden, Social Media Specialist and Educational Trainer »
• Tammy Middleton, Technical Support Representative »

From Web site design and e-commerce to logo creation and marketing materials, our specialized design services integrate multiple components, all of them necessary to build your business and your brand image.

And we do it well because we simply love what we do.

Perhaps the most rewarding part of our work is the ongoing relationships we develop with our clients. It is extremely gratifying for us to follow our clients’ successes and achievements, and we stay in touch and follow their activities. And when our clients are ready to launch a new product or revitalize their image, we are able to jump right in as if we have always been a part of their team, because we have!

Michelle Tjelmeland, owner of e-websmart, is a high-energy dynamo, founder of the Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation (www.ciafonline.org), an accomplished public speaker, a recipient of Microsoft's prestigious 2005 "Start Something Amazing Award,” and a dedicated wife and mother.  

Additionally, in October of 2009, Michelle became certified as a Social Media Specialist by training under Internet marketing expert, Mari Smith. Fully immersed in the social media culture, tools, applications, and plug-ins, Michelle and her team can custom design, optimize, and sync all your social networking sites as well as your Web site to maximize brand exposure, both organically and virally.

What most people do not realize is that Michelle has accomplished this all while being profoundly Deaf, "hearing" only through a miraculous technology called a cochlear implant, a small electronic device that translates sound in the environment into electrical impulses that the brain can interpret. 

Before losing her hearing, Michelle taught 7th and 8th grade language arts for the Springfield, Illinois public school district.  She possesses a master's degree in Education and Computer Technology from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and a bachelor's degree in Education from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. 

Michelle maintains active involvement in her community. Her achievements and the contribution of e-websmart to the field of Web design and to the community where the business is located have been applauded through numerous awards and nominations, including:

• District 23 (www.district23.com) - Owner, April, 2013
• Certified Expert Constant Contact E-mail Marketing Trainer, February 2011
• Exclusive Web vendor for D'Arcy's Pint (www.darcyspintonline.com), January 2011
• Board member of Lincolnland Community College Foundation, December 2010
• Named as Distinguished Lincoln Land Community College Alum, May 2010
• Certified Social Media Specialist by Mari Smith, October, 2009
• Exclusive Web vendor for Apricot Lane USA  (www.apricotlaneusa.com)
• Co-Inventor of Alerts Made Easy (www.alertsmadeeasy.com), the original 4-in-1 Web, e-mail, text, and phone messaging service
• Recipient of Security Bank and Springfield Business Journal’s “Woman of Influence” award, April 2009
• Recipient of Rochester School Districts “Volunteer of the Year” award, May 2009
• Recipient of the "Woman on the Rise award" by Illinois State Treasurer; March 2008;
• "Inc Magazine Winner for Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Reader and Editor's Pick", November 2007
• "NAWBO Mirassou Business Optimist 10k Award Recipient", May 2006;
• "Silver Addy Award" from the American Advertising Federation, February 2006, 2007,2008;
• "Innovate Illinois Regional Semi-Finalist", March/April 2006
• "Milliken Regional Entrepreneurial Network 5k Grant" recipient, January 2006.
• 1st place winner in the national Microsoft "Start Something Amazing" Campaign in the culture and community category, November 2005;
• "National Inspirational Deaf Person of the Year Award" by Oticon, February 2005;
• "Small Business Owner of the Year" by the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, June 2003;
• "Gold Award" by the World Wide Web Awards Association, July 2003;
• "40 under 40 Award" by the Springfield Business Journal, February 2002

In addition to her work with e-websmart, Michelle is the Founder and Board Chairman of the Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation (www.ciafonline.org), a nonprofit organization that exists to provide information, resources, and financial assistance for individuals who can overcome deafness through utilization of cochlear implant technology.  

Armed only with an amazing passion to bring her nonprofit to life, Michelle built the organization from the ground up and marketed her way to widespread name recognition within her niche.

Michelle serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation and serves on the board of directors for Lincoln Land Community College Foundation. She is also an active member of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce and the Taylorville Chamber of Commerce.

Michelle resides in Springfield, Illinois with her husband and two daughters.

Darren Gander is an imaginative designer with more than 25 years of experience in graphic design and printing.  His creative talent and conceptual designs have achieved international recognition.

Darren's expertise includes working knowledge of Quark Express, InDesign, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.  He is as comfortable with small-scale print design as he is with large-scale signage, exhibition displays, and textiles.

Amanda Folwell joins the e-websmart team as a talented and vibrant graphic designer with over 23 years of design experience. She enjoys experimenting with different design techniques and tools, but relies on Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to create most of her artwork.

Having once worked for a printing company as a typesetter, Amanda's interests have expanded as the industry has evolved, and she now works as a freelance designer creating for Web sites, print, and advertising.

Amanda is married and they have a 3-year-old daughter. They enjoy spending time in the garden and creating "edible messes" in the kitchen.

Kim graduated in 1990 from Illinois State University with a degree in Middle School Education.  She began teaching in Auburn that fall.  In 1993, she returned to ISU to pursue a Master’s Degree in Mathematics, graduating in 1996.

Her Web site experience began in 2000 when she designed a site for a local comedian.  With e-websmart’s assistance, Kim revamped the site in 2002 and continued maintenance until his death in November 2003.

Kim is now a member of the e-websmart team, specializing in Search Engine Optimization, site editing and client training. Kim resides in Springfield with her daughter.

Bridget Ingebrigtsen is a business writer based in Springfield, Illinois. A former newspaper reporter and editor, Bridget takes a journalistic approach to business writing, always aiming to engage and interest the reader. In her 15 years as a freelance writer, she has written copy for websites, blogs, social media and various business correspondence. She is the former editor of Springfield Business Journal and Prevention Forum, published by Prevention First, and  OSHA Up-TO-Date, published by The National Safety Council. 

Bridget is a graduate of Columbia College with a degree in journalism. She and her husband, Jarod, have four children.

Charlene comes to us with a very diverse background. After college, she spent several years in retail management. When she decided it was time to find a more traditional desk job, Charlene entered the human resources field, where her exceptional people skills were entirely transferrable. With the arrival of Facebook and Twitter, however, she decided to switch gears and learn as much as she could about social media. Between her own research and the many training sessions she’s attended, Charlene holds a plethora of knowledge regarding all aspects of internet marketing and social media. She adapts quickly and is very resourceful, which are important traits in a field that is constantly changing. Charlene excels at helping business people get their brand name seen by as many individuals as possible by providing them with innovative ways to do so.

Charlene resides in New Jersey with her husband and two children.

Tammy graduated from MacMurray College with a degree in Business Administration/Marketing/Economics. She spent a great deal of her career at EMI Music in Jacksonville (fka Capitol Records), moving up through the ranks.  After 17 years in the music industry, she switched directions and is now the Director of Accounting at Passavant Area Hospital in Jacksonville.
 
Tammy is a recent addition to the e-websmart team and she is enjoying this new experience in the realm of Web site design.  She lives in Jacksonville with her 13-year-old daughter.