Volunteer of the Month: Greg Dubeau RGD

This June the RGD thanks Director Greg Dubeau RGD for his contributions to our community.

Q: How long have you been volunteering with RGD, and in what capacity?

I’ve been volunteering with RGD since 2016. I began volunteering as a Director on the Certification Board, which coincided with me becoming a certification application reviewer and portfolio interviewer. More recently, I’ve become joined the Board of Directors and have also become a mentor for the Mentorship Program, a judge for the RGD Student Awards, and I’ll also be participating in RGD's upcoming Designathon.

Q: What made you want to get involved with RGD?

I reached a point where I realized that I moved around so often for school and work that I was constantly losing my creative community. It was really hard to build any sort of momentum with people. RGD is a community that I can be a part of no matter where I find myself in the world. Its been a valuable community and support system for my growth as a designer.

Q: Of the RGD initiatives you have contributed to, what are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of the work we do on the Certification Board. I appreciate how dedicated and agile we are in making every aspect of the certification process streamlined, accessible, and user-friendly. We are constantly evolving the process to stay current with the Canadian design industry as well as social and cultural shifts.

Q: What is your most memorable experience as an RGD volunteer?

My most memorable moments are the conversations I have while mentoring Provisional RGDs. We talk candidly for hours about living as creative professionals and all the satisfaction, struggles and challenges that come with the lifestyle. It’s rewarding to share my experiences, good or bad, and have experiences shared with me—it’s a constant learning process that reaffirms that I’ve chosen the right career path.

Q: What have you gained from being an RGD volunteer, and why would you recommend it to other members who might be thinking of getting involved?

Community is everything. No matter, if we’re talking about RGD or not—surrounding yourself with good people who have talent and live with passion, will make your life more satisfying because it consistently challenges how you think and how you choose to take action in your own life. I volunteer with RGD because I want to be a contributing member of a community that I’m a part of. I don’t believe in free rides. I would recommend volunteering with RGD because it is more than likely you will never be surrounded by such a vast network of uniformly certified creatives as you will be within this community. You will help yourself by helping your creative community.