The Firm

Ellie Cullman

Ellie Cullman founded Cullman & Kravis 35 years ago with her late partner, Hedi Kravis. Born and raised in Brooklyn, where her family owns the renowned Peter Luger steak house, Ellie graduated Phi Beta Kappa magna cum laude from Barnard College and pursued East Asian Studies at Columbia Graduate School.

Since 2000, Ellie has been listed in the definitive “AD 100” Architectural Digest’s designated best designers and architects. She was included as well in the AD January 2005 list of “The Deans of American Design,” Elle Décor’s A-List and was the recipient of the “Stars of Design” award at NYC’s D&D building in Oct 2009.

Along with longtime colleague, Tracey Pruzan, Ellie is the coauthor of “Decorating Master Class: The Cullman Kravis Way” (NY: Harry Abrams, 2008) and “The Detailed Interior: Decorating Up Close with Cullman & Kravis” (NY: Monacelli Press, 2013.) Over the years, she has frequently lectured on decorating and chaired a variety of antique shows including the Metro show, Park Avenue Antiques Show, and the American Patrons Committee for Masterpiece in London.

A strong proponent of the arts, Ellie worked as an exhibition assistant at Japan House Gallery and as a guest curator at The Museum of American Folk Art. She also co-curated two exhibitions at the museum: “Andy Warhol’s Folk and Funk” (co-writing the accompanying catalogue) and “Small Folk: A Celebration of Childhood in America” (co-writing the accompanying book which was published by E.P. Dutton.) In addition, she is currently a member of the Museum of Modern Art’s Contemporary council and the Metropolitan Museum’s Visiting Committee on Objects and Conservation. She sits on the boards of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, Friends of Florence and the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club.

Lee Cavanaugh

Lee Cavanaugh, Design Partner, grew up largely in Vermont and has been devoted to all aspects of the art world since an early age. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Art and Design at the University of Vermont, she furthered her creative talents at Parsons New School for Design in NYC where she studied Art and Architecture.

Lee came to Cullman and Kravis in 1996 and has since headed a range of noteworthy projects including an estate in Connecticut, a duplex in New York City, and a Hampton vacation home—to name a few. She oversees the C&K fabric collection at Holland & Sherry and is a mastermind in flea market shopping, frequently traveling between New York, Connecticut, and Paris to find the most unique pieces for her clients. Lee is an active parent at her daughter’s school, enjoys designing textiles and furniture, and houses an impressive art collection in her New York City residence.

Alyssa Urban

Alyssa Urban, Design Partner, is a New York City native and earned her BA in Interior Design at the University of Wisconsin. After living in Florence, Italy where she developed her antiquing skills, she began her career in television as a set designer for The Conan O’Brien and Dana Carvey shows, and eventually moved her talents to the interior design industry. After working for several noteworthy firms doing both hospitality and residential design, Alyssa came to Cullman and Kravis in 2000.

She has completed significant residences such as a Georgian residence in Houston, a New Jersey estate in Horse Country, a Fifth Avenue Pied-a-terre, and a waterfront home in Sagaponack. Alyssa is known for layering her interiors with both traditional and modern elements and loves shopping the Art and Antique shows, seeking out up and coming artists, popping contemporary art within a traditional setting. She resides with her husband and young daughters in the city.

Sarah Ramsey

Sarah Ramsey, Design Partner, a native from Richmond, Virginia graduated from Denison University with a BA in Studio Art and later received her Certificate in Fine and Decorative Arts from Christie’s Education in London. Her career began in the auction world where she worked for a reputable group of auction houses from Florence, Italy to Washington DC. She eventually landed in New York where she worked for Sotheby’s in both Client Services and the Contemporary Art Department for several years before coming to Cullman & Kravis in 2004.

Sarah has given way to many remarkable yet comfortable interiors around the country. Most noteworthy, she has completed projects in a landmarked building in New York’s theater district, a historic pre-war apartment and is currently working on a waterfront property in Palm Beach. Sarah lives in the city, and is an avid animal lover who fosters strays and volunteers weekly at the Animal Care & Control of NY.

Ellen Chopay

Ellen Chopay, Chief Financial Officer, was born in Bayside, New York and graduated from the University of Buffalo with a BS in Accounting. She obtained her CPA license from the State of New York. She began her career in New York City with the public accounting firm, Laventhal and Horwath but was later transferred to their Los Angeles office in 1986. Once in LA, Ellen decided to pursue interior design at UCLA and joined her practical and creative talents at the commercial design firm, The Urquiza Group, Inc. as their accountant.

She eventually moved back to New York City to work with Cullman & Kravis in 1993 as their controller and was named the Chief Operating Officer in 2011. While Ellen enjoys the financial side of the industry, she continues to foster her creativity through decorative painting, dollhouse building, and cooking in her free time.