"Danielle has shown tremendous commitment to furthering the interest of our community even during her days as a design student. She is never hesitant to take initiative and her suggestions are always well thought through. The RGD is pleased to have Members like you. You will be missed at the Board meetings. I wish you luck with all that you take on in the future and have no doubt that you will excel at it." — Nicola Hamilton, RGD President

 

 

I first gained interest in volunteering with the RGD after attending DesignThinkers Vancouver in 2018 with a few friends. From there I applied to join the Student Committee and participated on it for one year. I was then invited to co-chair the Committee for the next year and reported to the Board on behalf of the Committee. After graduating in April 2020, I became a Provisional RGD and joined the Membership Committee. This brings us to the present where I continue to be a part of the Membership Committee helping with their initiatives. I also represent Provisional RGD Members on the RGD Board of Directors, while continuing to sit in on Student Committee meetings to give insight to the students about life after graduation. 

 

 

I really enjoyed being co-chair of the Student Committee, getting perspectives from students across the country. I have also recently completed an initiative for the Membership Committee with Rod Nash, RGD Emeritus. This was developing a fee relief program for Members who are struggling financially. We felt this was especially important due to how the pandemic is impacting designers. I am particularly proud to be involved with this because it is important that Members feel they are a part of a supportive community and they should not have to miss out on the benefits of being a part of the RGD because of a financial burden. This new program will be available to Members very soon.

 

 

It's astonishing to me that while being a part of the Board as someone with limited industry experience, I have always felt like my opinions or thoughts were as important as those on the Board who have been in the industry much longer. At first putting myself out there was a little intimidating but everyone made me feel very comfortable and welcome and I couldn't be happier that I got involved. 

 

 

The design industry is ever-changing especially with newer technology becoming available every day. We must share knowledge and promote industry standards so that design continues to be valued and we can be confident in the quality of our designs.

 

 

The RGD provides a vast range of resources and programs that provide support to our industry. Amazingly, most of these resources and programs are put together by volunteers including the most well-known event, DesignThinkers. They also provide a safe space for designers to come together and feel a part of a community. They are continually encouraging designers to strive toward a high degree of excellence and know that their design is rooted in solid principles and ethics. 

 

 

Being a volunteer has made me more confident not only as a designer but in getting involved, sharing my thoughts and getting to know others. It has allowed me to gain an immense amount of knowledge from my peers while also allowing me to give back to the industry in my own way. Because of my involvement, I am continually reminded to hold myself to a high standard and always keep pushing myself harder.

 

 

I look forward to continuing to be a part of the Membership Committee as well as potentially restarting a Committee for Provisional RGDs. I think it is important to create a community for Provisional Members within this larger community so we can share our experiences as recent graduates, lean on each other for support and build our careers. This would also help the RGD to understand how the organization can help this specific group with resources and initiatives. I also look forward to expanding the RGD's reach in Alberta.