Speakers

Bráulio Amado is a Portuguese graphic designer and illustrator living in New York City. His prolific output takes the form of vibrant and energetic posters, record covers, editorial illustrations, films and self published books. His broad creative approach has seen him work with an amazing array of clients and collaborators including The New York Times, Hermès, Frank Ocean, Roisin Murphy, Uniqlo, Opening Ceremony, Rapha and too many more to mention. He was nominated for a 2026 Grammy Award in Best Recording Package category for his design of Mac Miller’s posthumous album Balloonerism. He was the cover artist of Harry Styles’ 2026 album Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.

Robert Smith is a coach, creative director, studio owner, professor, speaker and author with over 30 years of experience in the creative industry. He’s worked across corporate, government and agency environments, leading branding initiatives for clients including Warner Brothers, DC Comics, the RCMP and the Royal Canadian Mint. He helped build the Farm Boy brand from the ground up, contributing to its $800 million sale. Rob has taught at multiple colleges, mentored hundreds of creatives and spoken at events like DesignThinkers and CreativeMornings. He is the author of three books on creative practice: The Frankenstein Condition, Stop Looking for Zebras and his latest, Stop Looking for Zebras and Do the Work!.

Diana Varma is an award-winning lecturer by day, and an avid podcaster by night. She teaches within the School of Graphic Communications Management (GCM), as well as the Master of Digital Media (MDM) program at Toronto Metropolitan University where she helps students connect their technical left brains, creative right brains and entrepreneurial hearts for fulfilling careers in creative industries. Diana is also an advocate for living your most confidently creative life, having recently produced a course for Domestika on the topic. Diana has 150+ published articles in Graphic Arts Magazine, as well as through the RGD. She firmly believes that more problems should be solved by “lip-syncing for your life.”

Dominic graduated from The Bournemouth & Poole College in the UK and has worked as a designer for more than 25 years. As the Creative Director at Hambly & Woolley, Dominic focuses on high-level strategic initiatives with clients such as York University, Caseware, University of Toronto, Horizon Trading Solutions, Canadian Chamber of Commerce and RTOERO. Hambly & Woolley recently published issue No. 2 of their Journal for the Curious: Find. Currently on faculty at George Brown College, Dom is an enthusiastic mentor to new designers and is well known within the design community for his expertise in branding, typography, web platforms, design trends and popular culture. Dominic is also the designer publisher of Do Not Xray, a zine dedicated to the joy of experimental typography and techno music.

Adam JK is a Toronto-born, Honolulu-based artist whose illustrative work is rooted in honesty, humour and a little bit of darkness. His books and journals, including Things Are What You Make of Them, have sold over a million copies in 20 languages worldwide. Obsessed with aphorisms and ephemera, Adam’s work seeks to craft new reminders from familiar sources, offering his brand of “back-handed optimism” as a token of encouragement and camaraderie for other creative, emotional and deeply human people.

Valentina D’Efilippo is a designer, creative director and author renowned for her ability to inspire, move and connect people through data-driven experiences. Her work includes the critically acclaimed The Infographic History of the World and the innovative Britannica’s Encyclopedia Infographica, a children’s encyclopedia filled with facts and infographics about the universe, wildlife and human anatomy. Valentina’s creativity and insight have led to collaborations with diverse organizations, from startups to global brands, in various fields and formats, including theatre performances, exhibitions and digital platforms. Beyond her projects, Valentina is passionate about education and knowledge sharing, offering coaching to corporate teams, lecturing at institutions like Columbia Business School and running popular Masterclasses. Her contributions to the field have been internationally exhibited and are part of the permanent collection at the Weltmuseum in Vienna. She was named one of Campaign’s 30 Future Creative Female Leaders in 2018.

Andrea Rodriguez is known for transforming spaces into vibrant storytelling canvases. With over 13 years of experience in graphic design and art direction, Andrea has built a thriving freelance practice collaborating with top-tier organizations, cultural institutions and community groups. Drawing inspiration from her Colombian-Canadian heritage, her murals and design projects are celebrated for their bold colours and meaningful narratives. Andrea actively mentors emerging designers through organizations such as the RGD, Workman Arts and OCAD University. Passionate about empowering the next generation of creative entrepreneurs, Andrea’s workshops blend practical strategies with genuine insights, equipping designers with the tools and inspiration to turn their passion into sustainable, profitable careers.

Jamie Chang is a seasoned type designer who champions bold and expressive letters and the spirits they can embody.  He designs letters that give brands and ideas a voice of their own. Jamie is a graduate of the York/Sheridan Joint Degree Program and Type@Cooper, and holds an MA in Type and Media from The Royal Academy of Art in the Hague. He has created work for Apple, Canada Type, DINAMO and The Northern Block. His work can be found on Adobe, Type Network and Future Fonts.

Serena Wong is a self-taught calligrapher and lettering artist. With a background in marketing and a full-time career in the toy industry, she offers custom calligraphy and lettering for brands and events, blending creativity with strategic impact. Since beginning her lettering journey in 2017, Serena has specialized in modern brush calligraphy and expanded her practice to include pointed pen, engraving, painting, foiling and embossing on a wide range of surfaces. Inspired by her father’s Chinese calligraphy, she finds joy in creating personalized experiences—whether it’s a custom gift, a live brand activation or edible calligraphy on her hand-decorated sugar cookies.

Prior to joining SCAD, the largest and most influential graphic design program in the US, Thomas Hull was Partner and Design Director of Rigsby Hull, a communications brand consultancy where he worked with a diverse range of Fortune 500 companies and organizations including Dell, Sappi Fine Papers, Thornton Tomasetti and the Union of Concerned Scientists. His work is part of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum’s permanent collection, the Denver Art Museum and Columbia University. The New York Times’ art critic Steven Heller profiles Rigsby Hull’s work in his A Century of Design Milestones. And in each of its 40th, 50th and 60th Anniversary issues Communication Arts has cited Thomas’ work as among the most influential in American Graphic Design.

Known for his bold, politically charged illustration, Edel Rodriguez uses a variety of materials in his work. He has created covers for TIME, The New Yorker, Communication Arts and Der Spiegel, and has collaborated with The New York Times and the US Postal Service. Other clients include Billboard Magazine, Conde Naste Traveler, Esquire, Fortune, Hyperion Books, Los Angeles Times, McGraw-Hill, MTV, New York Magazine, Nike, Pepsi, Rolling Stone, The New Republic, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, University of Chicago Press and Vibe. He is the recipient of both a Gold and a Silver Medal for editorial illustration from the Society of Illustrators. He has illustrated three children’s books, Mama does the Mambo, Oye Celia, a biopic about Celia Cruz, and Float Like a Butterfly, a story about Cassius Clay. His 2023 memoir, Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey tells his story of migration and identity. Sponsored by Porter

Lauren Wong and Gabby Lord founded SUPERKEEN in 2021 to create the kind of studio they always wanted to work for. As Creative Director, Gabby creates story-led brand systems that are based on a strategic foundation. Prior to SUPERKEEN, Gabby worked at leading design studios across Sydney, Berlin and NYC. She has worked on brands like Apple Music Awards, Ableton, Netflix, and RBMA. Gabby curates a directory called OMGLORD that shares thoughts on design, creativity, and handy resources. As Strategy Director, Lauren helps founders translate their vision into clear strategy and compelling creative work. She has worked with big global brands like Samsung, Google and Airbnb as well as dozens of founder-led startups like Propel, Oura and Tempo. Lauren taught at Parsons School of Design and mentors at New Inc, an arts and technology incubator from New Museum.