Each finalist receives a $1000 cash prize, RGD Membership for 2 years, free attendance at DesignThinkers for 2 years. A winner will be announced as part of this year's virtual DesignReThinkers with a video produced by Storia Photo + Video. 

Thank you to BOLD, Hambly & Woolley, Mosaic and Pound & Grain who are sponsoring this year's Awards. 

Finalist 1: Zoë Boudreau, Toronto

Zoë is an art director specializing in clever concept-driven designs focusing on identity systems and advertising. She is passionate about partnering with like-minded people and organizations to create thought provoking work that creates positive change. When not working for john st., she partners with small businesses and non-profits like the Community Women's Initiative and Access Youth in Vancouver, bringing out their voices through her unique, fun aesthetic and push for accessible design. 

Jazmin is a designer and art director with a passion for uplifting brands with strong social values that are actively contributing to their communities. Her award-winning work has helped bring awareness to those left to get through rehabilitation alone after prison, supported working-class women in Bolivia and reconnected struggling restaurants with their patrons in post-pandemic New York. Jazmin advocates the value of design by building connections with her clients while outlining the importance of accountability to audiences. 

Finalist 3: Chris Reyes, Edmonton

Chris is a multi-disciplinary designer and art director creating strategic and purposeful designs. Chris’s passion for design is most displayed through visual identity systems. He believes brand systems play a pivotal role in how our culture evolves and that design has the capacity to drive organizations forward and change the world for the better. Chris’s work has contributed to the Canadian design landscape through both the private and public sector, most recently, leading a rebrand project for one of Alberta’s largest cities.

Finalist 4: Skylar Richard, Moncton 

 

Skylar is a multi-disciplinary product designer for an innovative, VC-backed cryptocurrency startup, Iron Fish, focusing on privacy and accessibility by day, and an internationally-recognized, award-winning freelance designer by night. By being at the centre of change, Skylar is advocating for design in crypto technology working alongside engineers. He is passionate about helping local businesses grow and succeed through strong branding and efficient user experience. 

 

 

 

 

Finalist 5: Henry Slaughter, Vancouver

With a focus on graphic design, branding and the customer experience, Henry helps businesses find creative ways to connect with their customer, build and evolve brands for modern landscapes and bring consistency and simplicity to digital interactions. Having gained experience at creative agencies in Vancouver and Sydney, today Henry works independently collaborating with freelance copywriters, animators, junior designers and developers to help support his projects. 

 

Finalist 6: Mel Sutjiadi RGD, Calgary

Mel is an immigrant, non-binary, queer, asian multi-disciplinary agency owner, designer and illustrator, living with a mental illness. They founded ArtOverMatter and Ripple of Change. Mel specializes in projects with a focus on equity, inclusion, accessibility, social justice and social impact. Carrying within them the conflicting dialogues between eastern vs western cultural values, direct vs indirect communication styles, minimalist vs non-minimalist design standards, Mel is forever evolving as a designer and an artist. 

Finalist 7: Claudia Yuen, Toronto

 

Claudia is an award-winning designer and art director with a diverse background in brand systems, environmental, digital and communication design. She works internationally with progressive non-profits and purpose-driven businesses. Outside of her full-time position she designs for Pollinator Partnerships Canada and Project Neutral, educating people through design on how daily choices impact climate change. Claudia’s design approach centres on empathy, elevating creativity and designing for social good to build a better world.

 

 

 

 

SPONSORS

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Award Name and Branding: John Furneaux RGD and B3 Strategy