Chair & VP: Elyse Maxwell RGD, St. Catharines

Elyse is a Senior Graphic Designer and Project Manager at Patch Design. From developing comprehensive branding systems to designing web and print materials, she uses her passion and curiosity to identify optimal solutions for her clients. Elyse is a life-long student with over 12 years experience. She graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design and earned a diploma in Marketing from McMaster University.

Ian Chalmers RGD, Toronto 

Ian brings a creative curiosity and influence to the design research work he does across a spectrum of corporate, healthcare and academic pursuits. As Founder of Pivot Design Group, his professional focus is in the healthcare vertical, bringing an inclusive design focus to the work Pivot creates for researchers, scientists and institutions. He is also the founder of DesignMeets, a 10-year in the making event forum to bring the design conversation to the community.

Evelyn Csiszar RGD, Squamish

Evelyn is the founder of Collective Experience, a design collective that specializes in providing UX/UI design and strategy services to tech companies and start-ups in the health, education, science and financial sectors. She works one-on-one with growing tech companies as a collaborative partner, helping their web, mobile and software products deliver on its promises by advocating for their users in every aspect of the design.

Ruth Farrugia RGD, Montreal

Ruth is an in-house designer working at the City of Côte Saint-Luc with many years of experience. She is also the owner of Fishtank Communications. Her varied client list has allowed her to work on many different types of visual communications and she’s always up for a new challenge. 

Brent Long RGD, Markham

Brent is Principal & Co-founder of Fusion Design Group. Brent leads with his strategic, creative and unique perspective, providing focus and direction, but most importantly support to his amazing team. In addition to sitting on RGD's Board, he is on the advisory committees for the Graphic Design Programs at Georgian, Humber and St. Lawrence College.

Rod Nash RGD Emeritus, Vineland

Rod started his career in Australia in the early 1960s. He came to North America in 1966 and worked in the US and Canada before forming  Nash & Nash with his wife in 1972. As one of RGD's founders Rod's communications and promotions helped with the founders' efforts to move The RGD Act through the Ontario Legislature. Though retired Rod enjoys staying involved with RGD on the Membership Committee and producing pro bono communications for the 420 people the Vineland retirement community where he lives.

Noah Ortmann RGD, Toronto

Noah is a Toronto-based designer with a passion for clear design solutions, creative problem solving, and design process. For over 8 years, he has been working with clients and agencies, designing for print and for screen. His work with Avro Design Company has been featured in the National Post, MentalFloss, Bloomberg’s CityLab, CTV News, and on CBC Radio One. Noah is proud to be a Certified RGD and active in the design community.

Linden Polos RGD, Ottawa

Linden is the Art Director at AN Design Communications, a boutique design firm in Ottawa. She majored in English at the University of Ottawa before moving into graphic design, and brings with her a thorough understanding of information organization that keeps her designs clean and communicative. Throughout her career she has worked with a variety of businesses in Canada and the United States. Though she works in a variety of media for a variety of needs, print design is her first love.