2026 Student Awards Judges
We're still looking for judges in the following categories: UX, Placemaking, Information Design, Strategic Design and Motion Design.
If you're an RGD Member and interested in supporting this year's Awards, we'd love to have you involved. Please complete the form below to sign up for one or more categories.
Here's the full list, categories in alphabetical order, judges sorted by last name within each category:
Artista Design Award for First-Year Students
- Eugene Artista RGD, Owner at Artista Design and Print Inc, Niagara Falls, ON
- Jack Henry Associate RGD, Head of Design at OmniWorx Design, Peterborough, ON
- Shannon Hewlko, Founder + Creative Director at Heyya Brands, Calgary, AB
Works Design Award for Accessible Design
- Annie Jong Associate RGD, Web and Graphic Designer at McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
- Don Laurie, Associate Creative Director at Work Design, Toronto, ON
- Milena Radzikowska RGD, Professor of Information Design at Mount Royal University, Calgary, AB
Zulu Alpha Kilo Award for Advertising Design
- Mark Buchner RGD, Design Director at Intent, Toronto, ON
- Crystal Carter RGD, Creative Director at TMD, London, ON
- Carolane Godbout RGD, Designer at Super Studio, Trois-Rivières, QC
- Brooke Langmaid, Associate Creative Director at ZGM Modern Marketing Partners, Edmonton, AB
Q30 Design Inc. Award for Brand Design
- Raj Grainger RGD, Creative Director at r/grainger studio, Toronto, ON
- Sophie Lacerte RGD, Art Director at ATB Financial, Calgary, AB
- Edmund Li RGD, Principal Creative Director at Entro, Markham, ON
- Amy LeClair RGD, Owner and Registered Graphic Designer at Amy LeClair Graphic Design, Peterborough, ON
- Cecilia Mok, Senior Designer at Sinai Health Foundation, Toronto, ON
- Amanda Phillips RGD, Creative Director / Partner at Generator, Thunder Bay
- Natalia Reis RGD, VP Brand at Q30 Design Inc., Toronto, ON
- Stephanie Strawbridge RGD, Communication Designer at Government of Nova Scotia, Halifax, NS
- Caitlin Wharton RGD, Creative Director at Studio Millie, Portland, OR
Issues Magazine Shop Award for Editorial Design
- Léo Breton-Allaire, Partner and Creative Director at Caserne, Montréal, QC
- Ania Czupajlo RGD, Manager of Design & Digital at CIFAR, Toronto, ON
- Nicola Hamilton RGD, Owner at Issues Magazine Shop, Toronto, ON
- Jean Leclair RGD, Manager, Creative Services at Indigenous Services Canada, Gatineau, QC
- Emma Tarswell RGD, Communications & Engagement Manager at MICYRN, Toronto, ON
- Tamiko Young, Senior Graphic Designer at Destination Canada, Vancouver, BC
Pivot Award for Information Design
- Michelle Hopgood RGD, Creative Director and Information Designer at Hopgood Creative, Toronto, ON
- Karen Ng-Hem RGD, Founder / Creative Director at KAREN NG-HEM INC., Calgary, AB
Jacknife Award for Logo Design
- Irina Khvalova RGD, Principal at Colourphill Design, Toronto, ON
- Ben O'Neil, Junior Graphic Designer at Jacknife, Toronto, ON
- Laura Prpich RGD, Graphic Designer at Caribou Creative, Courtenay, BC
- Javier Reyes RGD, Multimedia Technician at AUPE, Edmonton, AB
Tendril Studio Award for Motion Design
- Patrick Coffey, Founder and Executive Creative Director at Tendril Studio
SLD Award for Packaging Design (Single)
- Abbas Albadri RGD, CEO / Creative Director at Sketch Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq
- Jake Colosi, Intermediate Graphic Designer at SLD, Toronto, ON
- Ciara Donnelly Associate RGD, Graphic Designer & Digital Marketing Specialist at Hicks Morley, Toronto, ON
- Christy Forsythe, Senior Art Director at University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
Weaymouth Creative Award for Packaging Design (Series)
- Stefan Canuel RGD, Design Manager / Scenographer at National Gallery of Canada, Gatineau, QC
- Matthew Clark RGD, Founder & Creative Director at Subplot Design, Vancouver, BC
- Terri Dennis-Hobson RGD, Founder/Creative Director at Hobson Strategy Design, Fergus, ON
- Jennifer Weaymouth RGD, Creative Director at Weaymouth Creative, Toronto, ON
- Wei Wei RGD, Senior Designer at Prophet, New York, NY
Entro Award for Placemaking Design
- Jen Cook, Director, Communication Design at HCMA Architecture + Design, Vancouver, BC
- Jay Wall RGD, Associate, Engagement & Communication Design at O2 Planning and Design (confirm URL), Guelph, ON
SLD Award for Retail Design
- Taralyn Carver RGD, Chief Creative Officer & Partner at BOLD LIP, Ottawa, ON
- Julia Morgan, Senior Interior Designer at SLD, Toronto, ON
- Bella Sanchez Associate RGD, Graphic Designer at ZAK, Vancouver, BC
Gravity Award for Social Good Design
- Danielle Coates RGD, Senior Graphic Designer of Exhibitions at National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.
- Camille Clores Associate RGD, Founder and Lead Designer at Clores Design Studio, Vancouver, BC
- Christine Goucher RGD, Creative Director at University of Waterloo, Kitchener, ON
- Emerald Lee RGD, Partner, Creative Director at Gravity, Toronto, ON
- Kelly Small RGD, Founder, Principal Creative Director at Intents & Purposes Inc., Toronto, ON
Vocabulary ™ Award for Strategic Design
- Alex Boland RGD, Creative Director at Vocabulary, Toronto, ON
- Giovanni Ferretti RGD, Lead Designer at Onefluent Inc., Calgary, AB
MJMA Award for Storytelling
- Giulia Bonforte RGD, Creative Director at Narratori Collective, Surrey, BC
- Heidi Hoflin, Senior Graphic Designer at Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton, AB
- Judith Lacerte RGD, Art Director & Designer, Manotick, ON
- Raymundo Pavan, Associate / Senior Experiential Designer at MJMA Architecture and Design, Toronto, ON
Context Creative Award for UX Design
- Katrina Lovrick, Director of UX/UI at Context Creative, Toronto, ON
- Susan Yang RGD, Creative Director at Padometric Studio, Toronto, ON
Pixels and Pencils Award for Web Design
- Roman Lifshitz RGD, Founding Partner & Creative Director at Co-Effect Creative Inc., Port Alberni, BC
- Tomomi Lo RGD, Design Director at McOuat Partnership, Richmond Hill, ON
- Meg Lynch RGD, Design Director at Pixels and Pencils, Toronto, ON
