Topic: Don't let your title and position define you as a designer

Chaza Abdel Samad Provisional RGD, Innovation Designer at Employment Social Development Canada will be sharing her experience of being the first designer in her policy development branch. Chaza has lived in two different countries, three different cities and loves to travel and explore the world. One of her goals in life is to impactful work. So far, she has been able to achieve that in her current position, as well as in a previous position designing booklets and posters for the Sexual Violence Policy Updated at OCAD University. For her thesis, she designed an interactive experience that puts the users perspective of time, space, needs, and options to better explain issues in refugee camps and the serious need for sustainability. 

Topic: The space in between

Vanessa Eckstein RGD, Principal at Blok Design will discuss Blok’s design journey in its ongoing quest to experiment, explore and push boundaries -as it crosses physical  and conceptual borders. Known for her passion for taking on initiatives that blend cultural awareness, humanity and a love of art to advance society and business alike, Vanessa’s experiences living and working in Buenos Aires, LA, New York, Mexico City, Berlin and Toronto have given Blok a unique international perspective that has been recognized and awarded around the world. Her experience includes top global brands such as Nike, Pepsi, Nestle, and the Museum of Modern Art Miami, among many others. Vanessa’s work has been exhibited in countries from Japan to Germany, most recently at the Bienal Iberamericanna de Diseño, Spain. Her work is represented in the permanent collection of the Royal Ontario Museum as well as the Library of Congress, Washington.

Topic: Tales of 2 Worlds - A 40 Years Journey in Design and 2 Continents

Udo Schliemann RGD, Principal Creative Director at Entro Communications will discuss the stages of his life as designer and why it is so important to be grounded in what you do. Udo leads Entro's team of professionals in identity development, corporate communications and branded environments. His unique approach to design problems, fostered by the mentorship of renowned German artist Anton Stankowski, combines artistic and poetic sensibilities to create powerful designs that elevate the everyday experience. A native of Germany, Udo came to Canada and started at Gottschalk+Ash International in 1999. In 2011, Udo joined Entro. Half a year later, Entro merged with G+A.