My initial interest in the RGD stemmed from the offer of free DesignThinkers admission that year. As I actually went through the stages of becoming an RGD; writing the application, doing the test, and completing my interview, it became a point of pride. Receiving that recognition as a qualified professional brings an important level of credibility to the profession of design, and creates a standard. Being a designer takes more than the purchase of Adobe Creative Suite, it’s the sum of education, skill, passion, and professional experience that together help you to effectively communicate through design. I am an RGD because being a part of something that promotes and advocates this standard is important.

My first DesignThinkers conference in 2015. I remember walking out of the auditorium after listening to Austin Kleon and James Victore speak and feeling completely inspired in a new way by these designers doing their own thing and making it work in great ways. Listening to Paul Sahre and Timothy Goodman in 2017 gave me that feeling all over again. Outside of DesignThinkers, last August I was able to share a passion project of mine with a larger audience when my Children's Sketchbooks were included in the RGD Newsletter. Seeing that project through, and getting it to a point where I was happy with the end product was a long process and I was very happy to be able to share it with the RGD community.

As a kid, I ripped advertisements from magazines to hang on my bedroom wall as art. I filled notebooks with hand drawn typography before I knew what typography was. I was passionate about art, and I excelled in writing and math. When the time came to choose a path, Design was a clear choice. Design combines creativity, problem solving, and smart conceptual thinking, all with a goal of communication. When it’s done well it is inspiring. George Lois said “My concern is with creating images that catch people’s eyes, penetrate their minds, warm their hearts, and cause them to act.” I am a designer because I want to create work that catches peoples eye’s and penetrates their minds, and maybe ends up finding a place on a wall, or on a bulletin board or tucked in a notebook.

I hope to still be freelancing, doing work I love and take pride in, with clients I am excited to work with; as well as continuing to discover and develop my passion and identity as a designer through personally driven projects.