Wendy is the Design Manager at Empire Life and has an extensive background with in-house design management. With over 18 years of experience, she’s led several design rebrands in the technology and financial services sectors.

She is a graduate, advisory board member and mentor for St. Lawrence College Graphic Design Program. Wendy’s formula for successful in-house design is to deliver high quality, award-winning work AND exceptional partnership with internal stakeholders.

Born and raised in Switzerland, Stüssy originally was a banker by day and graffiti artist by night. He soon realized that his passion for the creative needed to be nourished and decided to go back to school to become a graphic designer. He is a graduate of Humber’s Advertising and Design program, a former Senior Design Director at Haughton Brazeau and a founding principal of Forge Media + Design. 

Nicola is an art director at Studio Wyse, a firm focused on serving up story-driven editorial design. She is a graduate of Humber's Graphic Design program, a former Deputy Art Director at Chatelaine, a former Associate Art Director at The Grid and a total magazine nerd. Nicola has been co-chair of RGD's Provisional Committee since June 2015, where she focused on increasing engagement through events (Designers + Drinks + Discussions) and online resources (Ask An RGD video series).

Brent is principal and co-founder of Fusion Design Group. Fusion is a creative studio focused on corporate communications and visual identity for organizations of all sizes. Brent is a firm believer in asking “why” in the pursuit of creating design solutions that will work for his clients. And that “fun” should always be an integral part of the creative process. 

Saskia is an Assistant Professor at OCAD University, is a practicing graphic designer, artist and researcher.

Currently her theoretical and empirical research focuses on methods for nurturing intuition and tacit knowledge in undergraduate design students through experiential, transformative, and Writing in the Disciplines learning theories. Her personal design projects focus on the intersection of design and craft, and involves a cross-pollination between various disciplines including painting, printmaking, typography, and sewing. Presently she is using stitching to explore different techniques of disrupting design conventions, and to inform the practice-based approach of her teaching methodology.

Jennifer is founding Partner at Design de Plume, a firm in Sudbury. She is heavily involved in the Sudbury Design Society as a past VP and current Treasurer. She graduated from Cambrian College’s Graphic Design program and has a degree in Communication from Laurentian University.

Randal is founding principal of 12thirteen and creative director at Openly, with both roles delivering design services for the non-profit sector. Wordof-mouth promotion has grown his client list from small businesses and independent artists to South Riverdale Community Health Centre and York University.

Big-picture thinking, strategic solutions, happy clients, the discovery of young talent and the privilege of teaching, mentoring, judging and otherwise contributing to the professional design industry are what continue to motivate Wendy after two decades at the helm of Gravity Inc. 

Donna is Associate Dean at Sheridan College, in the faculty of Animation, Arts and Design. She has previously served as art director of Maclean’s and Canadian Business and president of the National Magazine Awards Foundation. Her work has won widespread recognition, with many national and international awards.

Greg is a graphic designer and art director at m5. He has lived and worked across Canada from coast to coast, working with a variety of clients operating in large urban markets and rural communities. He has a BA in Illustration from Sheridan and a BA in Graphic Design from Vancouver Island U. He serves on the Certification Committee and is a Mentor.

Wafé was born and raised in Tunisia. She has a Master’s of Research in Arts and Visual Cultures from Paris Diderot U in Paris. In 2013 she moved to Vancouver, where she currently works as a Graphic Designer and ArtDi rector with non-profit and educational organizations, specializing in concept research, design refinement and brand implementation.

Alison is a creative director with over 20 years of global and national design, advertising and digital. Through the course of her award-winning career, Alison’s work has spanned various industries including automotive, retail, consumer-packaged goods, professional services, telecommunications and not-for-profit. She is a Partner at the Toronto-based creative studio, Field Trip & Co.

After a 12 year stint running a solo design shop, Jesse signed on as Art Director at the small but mighty Carve. There, he has been an integral player in the development of brand identities for a range of clients. Whether it’s a hotdog cart or a growing credit union, he relishes the challenge that comes with learning the specifics of a client’s business, assessing its needs, and that buzz that always comes with finding the right design solution.

Norm is Creative Director and founder of Toronto-based Truth and Dare (formerly K9 strategy+design). Norm has 25 years of experience in creating strategies to execute branding and publication design for many of Canada’s small independent to large multi-title publishers and countless entrepreneurial, professional and non-profit clients with their design and communications opportunities.

Megan is the founding principal and creative director of Field Design Office and a design educator in Toronto. Partnering with clients in entertainment, arts, hospitality and corporate sectors, she specializes in creative direction and design spanning branding, packaging, film titling, wayfinding and exhibition design–most notably for Stefan Sagmeister and Jessica Walsh on The Happy Show in Toronto.

Austin is a creative and designer who has been consistently working and looking for new opportunities in a wide range of industries. From collaborating with people in advertising and print shops to transportation and health, his goal is to always produce exceptional work that reflects a company's endeavours and audience interests. Austin is currently freelancing, but searching to become part of an agency/studio team. He recently graduated from Humber College with an Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design.