Meggan van Harten RGD

She/Her

• Accessibility
• Creative Direction
• Design Management

Contact Website

RBC - An Indigenous Lacrosse VR Journey

Meggan van Harten RGD

Meggan Van Harten, RGD is Co-CEO for Design de Plume, an Indigenous and women-owned creative agency that designs inclusive and accessible solutions that resonate. She brings equity and accessibility to the heart of the business. Bringing a decade of experience in design to her leadership role, Meggan sets the vision for projects, establishes standards, and builds both business and client strategies that lead to greater impact. She recognizes the value that accessibility work creates for people, and projects, with proven results. She provides insight and implementation guidance for content writers, designers, and organizations looking to adopt accessibility into their core and ensures that compliance standards and real-world experience align in unique and innovative ways.

Sudbury, ON

Member since 09, 19

Co-CEO @ Design de Plume

Skills

• Accessibility
• Creative Direction
• Design Management
• Branding
• Illustration
• Print
• Strategy
• Web Design

• Work
• Contributions

RBC - An Indigenous Lacrosse VR Journey

RBC - An Indigenous Lacrosse VR Journey

The VR experience embarks on a journey of cultural exploration and athletic engagement, immersing participants in Indigenous lacrosse traditions. The experience begins with a narrative of Mi’kmaw creation story and unveils their origin of lacrosse. The story is deeply intertwined with the values of the sacred essence of the game of lacrosse.

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Library of Parliament

Library of Parliament

Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership

Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership

We created a platform where CRP could collect knowledge about these efforts and share it in a respectful way. We heard from Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and conservation leaders about their creative vision for the experience: a digital space that celebrates the diversity of the lands, peoples, animals, and cultures that IPCAs sustain.

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I know a lot about...

“Accessibility and how to apply it to make meaningful communication materials. I love speaking about and writing about accessibility and how it can influence the design industry. Designers with good accessibility knowledge and the ability to harness their empathy skills are positioned to make communications more equitable for everyone.”

Canadian Transport Alliance

Canadian Transport Alliance

Using bold and energetic colours, positive imagery, and Canadian landscapes to represent the data, the hope is to widen Canada’s knowledge of Net Zero, and demonstrate the significance that simple knowledge has on reducing emissions and achieving net zero.

Canadian Association of Midwives

Canadian Association of Midwives

Design de Plume created standalone branding for the “Midwives Recognize and Respond to Family Violence” program, which included the overall look and feel of the brand, custom illustrations, and a suite of printed assets such as tip sheets, training materials, and a resource toolkit.

Ontario Commissioner of Indigenous Languages

Ontario Commissioner of Indigenous Languages

OCIL collaborated with our Indigenous-led team to develop a brand and website that effectively conveys their dedication to safeguarding the invaluable linguistic roots of Indigenous Peoples.

I'm an RGD Member because...

“I believe that design has the power to create meaningful impact. With that power comes a deep responsibility of doing it in an ethical way. I love this community and the desire to continuously improve ourselves to contribute towards a more equitable world.”

University Health Network

University Health Network

UHN wanted to create a brand that resonated with Indigenous people while being committed to the Truth and Reconciliation call to action. The overall mission is to provide access to high quality health care. The Indigenous Health Program is a Community-led program, accountable to the community with community relationships being a priority.

Sherbourne Health

Sherbourne Health

The new Sherbourne Health website is as bright and bold as the hope it represents. Design de Plume worked with our trusted development partner, Sandbox Software Solutions, to design and rebuild the Sherbourne Health website. We wanted to highlight these crucial services and make the website easy to navigate for all users.

Aboriginal Peoples Alliance Northern Ontario (APANO)

Aboriginal Peoples Alliance Northern Ontario (APANO)

Design de Plume redesigned the existing APANO logo. The new logo features two hands holding a dreamcatcher to symbolize APANO’s work to care for and nurture their Indigenous clients. The dream catcher has white, red, yellow, and black sections to echo the teachings of the medicine wheel.

My favourite RGD memory is..

“Speaking at Design Thinkers in 2023 about accessibility. That felt very full circle for me in my career since I could remember all the way back to when I was volunteering for RGD at Design Thinkers. To contribute to Design Thinkers as a speaker felt like I was knowledge sharing with my community and helping the next generation of designers.”

Canadian Geographic & Swim Drink Fish

Canadian Geographic & Swim Drink Fish

Centring Indigenous perspectives, our branding revolves around the lakes’ life-giving waters. The logo features a raven and sturgeon circling a pool, emphasizing that all living things depend on the water, whether they live above it or below.

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DAWN Canada

DAWN Canada

We envisioned the hummingbird as a symbol of hope and renewal, embodying the warmth and energy of the sun. Its wings, like rays of sunlight, extend outward from its core, representing the dawn of a new day filled with strength and optimism.

Government of Ontario

Government of Ontario

The redesigned guide has become a go-to resource for busy professionals on the go. It’s been well received by government officials and First Nations communities alike, with many requests from officers as to where they can get their copy.

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