2025 Branding Awards Judges
Kemp Attwood
Founding Partner & CCO at AREA 17
With nearly two decades of experience, Kemp leads the AREA 17's global creative vision—championing craft and strategy to deliver meaningful, measurable outcomes. He remains deeply involved in the work, guiding teams and advising clients across culture, media and technology. His collaborations include The New York Times, Google, the Art Institute of Chicago, the National Gallery of Canada and Pentagram.
Jeff Barfoot
Founding Partner, Co-CEO & Chief Creative Officer at brand design agency Trace Element
Jeff Barfoot is a founding partner, Co-CEO and Chief Creative Officer at brand design agency Trace Element. His work has received numerous accolades from major design competitions and publications, including Communication Arts and The One Show. As a past president of the Dallas Society of Visual Communications, he is the most decorated designer in its 68-year history and has served on various boards, including AIGA. Jeff founded the National Student Show & Conference, the largest creative competition for visual arts students, which has awarded over $350,000 in scholarships and prizes over 20 years. He has worked on branding projects for notable clients such as 7-Eleven, Coca-Cola and The New York Times. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys cooking, painting and spending time with his two sons and three miniature wiener dogs. Though his marine ecology degree isn't currently useful, he hopes to one day create an identity for a world-class aquarium.
John deWolf RGD
Principal at Narrative Environments Studio
With 30 years of experience, John is a multi-disciplinary designer specializing in print, exhibitions, signage and wayfinding, branding and interior environments. His interdisciplinary approach integrates process, programming, systems, storytelling, services and overall experiences. As a counterbalance to consumer culture, John advocates for sustainability, inclusivity and community awareness. He is passionate about preserving culture and heritage and he focuses on developing public initiatives that benefit the community.
Liza Enebeis
Creative Director & Partner at Studio Dumbar/DEPT®, Amsterdam (the Netherlands)
Specializing in visual branding, motion and sound, Liza is directly involved with all of Studio Dumbar's main projects, including the Instagram motion identity, D&AD Creativity Festival branding, Openai motion branding and DEMO - Design in Motion Festival. Liza co-founded and co-hosts Typeradio.org, a podcast on type and design. In 2018, she was elected a Member of AGI, Alliance Graphique Internationale. And, since 2021, has been part of the D&AD Board of Trustees.
Verònica Fuerte
Founder & Creative Director of Heystudio
Verònica Fuerte, Founder and Creative Directress of Hey, is a graphic designer based in Barcelona. Before founding Hey in 2007, she worked on various design projects, specializing in branding, illustration and art direction, which laid the foundation for her studio. Hey quickly gained recognition for its unique and highly recognizable style, characterized by the use of vibrant colours and bold combinations. Under Verònica’s leadership, the studio has collaborated with both major brands and local businesses, delivering visually striking solutions across multiple media. Her innovative approach and strong vision have earned Hey international acclaim, with the studio’s work frequently featured in prestigious design publications and exhibitions. Verònica continues to push the boundaries of graphic design at Hey, merging playful elements with sophisticated aesthetics to create compelling visual narratives able to transcend the passage of time. She is also a member of AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale) and a Board Member of Canva, further solidifying her influence and contributions to the global design community. Her dedication and creativity have established her as a significant figure in the contemporary design landscape.
Carolane Godbout RGD
Designer & Owner at Super Studio, Trois-Rivières
For 2 decades, Carolane has been perfecting her design and branding practice throughout the agency world by creating immersive brand platforms and experiences for exceptional businesses in the realms of food, beverage, retail and hospitality. With the launch of Super Studio, she is now focused on the success of the clients who choose to become her collaborators. In addition to her work at Super Studio, Carolane is an investor in emerging businesses and creative ventures, leveraging her expertise to support innovative projects and help shape their growth and success.
Tejashri (TJ) Kapure RGD
Vice President & Executive Creative Director at Q30, Toronto
TJ is an interdisciplinary designer specializing in building cohesive brand systems and digital experiences that foster meaningful connections between businesses and the people they serve in both B2B and B2C environments. A continuous learner, change-maker and mentor, she is dedicated to developing forward-thinking solutions that scale and drive organizational growth.
Hilary McHale RGD
Senior Creative Lead, Communications + Creative, at Norquest College, Edmonton
Hilary is an award-winning creative leader with nine years of experience specializing in brand development and design. She has shaped strategic visual identities for a range of organizations, bringing brands to life across digital, print and video platforms. With a strong background in both agency and in-house environments, Hilary is passionate about building authentic, engaging brand experiences.
Freddie Öst
Founder & Brand Director of Snask
Freddie is the founder and Brand Director of Swedish agency Snask, where he has led bold, creative work for global brands across finance (Klarna, Fortnox, Nordea), tech (Spotify, Microsoft, Meta), crypto (Bitrefill, Chromapolis), consumer goods (Bang & Olufsen, Samsung, Electrolux), music (The Hives, Viagra Boys), retail (H&M, Target, Monki) and more. He has also worked with public sector clients like the cities of Stockholm and Malmö, as well as international organisations such as the WHO and The Washington Post. In addition to serving on boards for companies like Stutterheim and Whalebone Interactive, Freddie is a sought-after speaker, lecturing on branding and creativity at Stanford, Google HQ, SXSW, Cannes Lions and other leading platforms worldwide.
Pali Palavathanan
Co-Founder C Creative Director of TEMPLO, London (UK)
Inspired by his experiences growing up as a child refugee, Pali founded TEMPLO as a a cause-led branding and communications agency committed to using the positive power of design for social change. Pali has partnered with the likes of the United Nations, Amnesty International, V&A, International Truth and Justice Project and Venice Biennale to tackle issues across climate change, human rights and community empowerment.
Laura Prpich
Founder & Creative Director of Caribou Creative
Laura Prpich is the founder and creative director of Caribou Creative, a graphic design studio based in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. With 25 years of experience, she specializes in branding, packaging, illustration and web design, collaborating with independent businesses that prioritize sustainability and a more circular economy. Since launching Caribou Creative in 2010, Laura has created award-winning designs featured in publications like How Magazine, Hello Canada, Apartment Therapy and The Dieline and has served as a judge for the Juno Awards. Her approach blends strategic thinking with a deep commitment to eco-conscious design.
Jennifer Taback RGD
Co-Chief Executive Officer at Design de Plume Inc., Sudbury
Jennifer sees herself as a visual translator, helping to bridge connections and use emerging technology to facilitate dialogue, increase understanding and make some cool stuff along the way. Jennifer currently serves the role of listener, advisor and strategist on projects that venture into new and unknown territories, while acknowledging the experiences and stories of the past. She is a proud Member of Shawanaga First Nation.
Jeffery Rae RGD
Executive Design Director at OneMethod, Toronto
Always curious and caught up in the details, Jeff has spent the last 20+ years bringing stories to life through art and design. Mainly focused on brand design, he also works as a magazine editor, muralist and 3D experimenter. At OneMethod, Jeff has developed and refined the agency’s distinct design process, garnered dozens of international design awards and led groundbreaking design projects for a diverse range of clients.
Zia Somjee RGD
Co-Founder at ZAK Design Studio, Vancouver
Zia is a designer and creative strategist who works at the intersection of design and strategy, seamlessly connecting high-level marketing communications goals to creative projects. As the co-founder of ZAK, a Vancouver-based creative agency, Zia leads projects from kick-off to final rollout. From crafting robust brand positioning and compelling brand stories to developing visual identity systems and dynamic motion graphics, Zia brings strategy and creativity together to deliver cohesive and memorable visual solutions that elevate brands across industries.
Yah-Leng Yu
Founding Creative Director & Principal at Foreign Policy Design Group, Singapore
Yah-Leng Yu is the second person—and the first female designer—from Singapore to be inducted into AGI, Alliance Graphique Internationale. At Foreign Policy, she has led award-winning work for clients across culture and commerce and co-created the National Gallery Singapore’s official museum store, Gallery & Co. Her contributions to have earned her recognition from D&AD, TDC and Tatler, which named her one of Asia’s Most Influential and Most Stylish.
