Chapter President

Lori Billey, MGDC
RED The Agency

Chapter Past President

Sylvia Rigakis, MGDC
Chaos Communications

Chapter Corp. Secretary

Heather Irvine, MGDC

 Heather was inspired to pursue a career in visual communication design by her high school art teacher. After a year of studies in Arts & Science at the University of Saskatchewan she moved to Edmonton to complete a Bachelor of Design at the University of Alberta. During her degree, she also studied at Kent Institute of Art & Design in England (which was brilliant!). Heather began her career working for a local publishing company and continued on to a design studio before joining the marketing team at Stantec Consulting. Heather is currently a Senior Graphic Designer at Stantec, which gives her the opportunity to work with a team of graphic designers across North America. She also operates her own freelance design company, Heather Irvine Design Studio. Heather has been on the GDC Alberta North board for two years, in the Communications VP and Secretary positions. In her spare time, Heather can be found daydreaming about her next travel destination or practicing her bellydance moves.

 

Chapter Treasurer

Ana Herrera, MGDC
Lanternfish Advertising Network

Ana was born and raised in Mexico and moved to Canada after being awarded a scholarship to pursue her Masters degree in Visual Communication Design from the University of Alberta. Shortly after arriving in Edmonton, she became a member of the local GDC chapter. Ana is currently doing her MBA part-time and is the Treasurer of the Alberta North chapter of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada. She has served on the board of other local and provincial associations over the past 10 years and was the organizer of the first digital arts competition in the province of Alberta.

Chapter Membership Chair

Paige Weir, LGDC

Born and raised in Alberta, Paige spent her formative years in Vancouver working odd jobs, making and learning about art, joining the activist movement and carefully seeking out her true calling.  A dean’s list graduate of  a multi-disciplinary design program at Langara College, she is a “Paige of all trades” having worked in careers ranging from event decorating, floral arranging, store and window display to graphic design.  Paige enjoys creating art in most mediums from graphite to acrylics and has spent many of her living years taking pictures of everything and anything that inspires her, eventually producing giclée prints of some of her abstract digital imagery.  After returning home to Edmonton and spending a number of years as a freelance graphic designer, Paige delved briefly in the print industry before settling into publishing where she has worked on Alberta Venture, Food For Thought and Unlimited magazines and is currently art director on Alberta Oil magazine.  In her personal time, Paige advocates for community radio and proportional representation but mostly enjoys good wine, good food, good art, good movies and long walks with her superb dog, Jack.

Chapter Education Chair

Andrée-Ann Thivierge, MGDC
Jellyfish Design

Andrée-Ann has over 20 years experience as a graphic designer, and in January of 2000 she founded jellyfish design, a small studio that focuses on print and web design. She loves the process of design and takes great pleasure in playing with form and colour. In the late 1990’s she discovered an unexpected love for the design and development of websites and has since formed a happy marriage of designing for both print and web. She stays connected to her peers and the creative community at large through her involvement with the Graphic Designers of Canada, Alberta North Chapter, where she holds the position of Education Chair. She thinks the world would be a better place if everyone could work in their pyjamas now and again.

Chapter Events Chair 1

Robyn Stuart, MGDC
niknac {a design company}

Robyn graduated from Grant MacEwan in 1993 with a diploma in Environmental Graphic Design. She worked her way up from designer to art director in local studios, and founded niknac {a design company} in 2005. Robyn's creative process embodies her experience and ethic by clearly identifying client goals, and designing with an eye towards simplicity and impact. Her abilities have been recognized through numerous regional and national design awards. Robyn's not so silent business partner, Red, brings a feline sensibility and eye for detail to even the most challenging projects, and keeps her lap warm while she is working.

Chapter Events Chair 2

Travis Park, Graduate

Chapter Communications Chair

Fernando Salvador, MGDC

Chapter I: Fernando is born in Lima, Peru in 1973. He spends his first 17 years in 4 different local schools and somehow he gets to graduate. Chapter II: After graduating from High School in Lima, he packs and takes a flight to Cleveland, Ohio where he stays for a year as an exchange student. Chapter III: He goes back to South America and decides he wants to become a Graphic Designer. His parents hardly support this decision but accept to send him to the best local Advertising Design School in Lima. He spends the next 3 years there and graduates with honors. Chapter IV: In 1994 – just out of school – he finds his first internship at Norvack, a local Advertising Agency in Lima, and also joins the IAA (International Advertising Association). Chapter V: In 1995, he’s offered the Art Director role at the same Advertising Agency, he accepts. Three years later he decides to take a break, he resigns and flies to Eastern Europe – the place he always wanted to see with his own eyes – and spends some time there. Chapter VI: By the end of 1998, he goes back to Lima, unemployed, he decides to start his own design shop with no clients at all. One year later he invites other designers to join his project due the increasing work flow. Nike, Unilever/Corporate, Dove, Lipton, Knorr, Becel, Hellmann’s and other local clients keeps him unbelievable busy. Chapter VII: In March 2005, he loses motivation and sells his business’ shares in Lima. In June he catches a flight to Toronto, Canada looking for new life experiences and some fresh new air, 3 months later he finds his first job in Canada as an Art Director at a retail design shop in Toronto. Chapter VIII: In 2007, he goes back to his beloved Advertising. He joins RED The Agency as an Art Director and moves to Edmonton, Alberta. In that very same year he has the chance to learn about the incredible work the GDC does for the Canadian design industry and becomes a proud member of it. Chapter IX: In 2008, he moves back to Toronto and accepts to join Segal Communications as an Art Director during its merging process with Draft FCB Toronto. Chapter X: This chapter hasn’t been conspired by the forces of the Universe yet.

Chapter E-communications Chair

Jack Born, MGDC
Design Quarry Print & Digital Solutions Ltd.

Edmontonian Jack Born setup his design studio in 1995 after working as a graphic designer in Amsterdam and New York City. By carefully listening to his clients and paying close attention to detail, he is able to create extraordinary results. Jack Born ensures that all work created at Design Quarry meets his high standards, which were developed through completion of a five year graphic design program in the Netherlands and through working at well-known studios in both Amsterdam and New York. He takes pride in doing a variety of projects, large and small, from concept design to complete project management. His ever-growing list of clients has resulted in a diverse range of design solutions. Samples of visual identity programs, and other digital and print materials are showcased at his website – see link above. Jack joined the GDC in 1995 and was elected as the Electronic Communications Chair in November of 2000 and has happily served in that position on the Executive Board for GDC AB North ever since.
 

Chapter Sponsorship Chair

Chris Bolivar, MGDC
Optamedia Inc.

National Rep

Susan Colberg, MVA MGDC
Department of Art & Design, University of Alberta

Sue is Associate Professor of Visual Communication Design, and Associate Chair (Undergraduate Studies), at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Her teaching, research and practice focus on book and publication design, information design and typography. Her clients have included a variety of institutional and scholarly publishing houses in Canada and the United States. Her work has been recognized by Graphis, Crown & Zanders International, Potlatch International, Icograda (the International Council of Graphic Design Associations), the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada, Graphex, the Alcuin Society and the University and College Designers Association. She has served on the juries of the Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada, the Association of American University Presses and the GDC National Scholarships. Sue is a Past-president of the Alberta Chapter of the GDC and has served as a member of the Executive since 1983. Sue is also the GDC National Council, Icograda Representative.

Chapter Student Rep 1

Mark Shuya, Student
(UofA) 

Chapter Student Rep 2

Matthew Stadnyk, Student
(MacEwan)

Chapter Student Rep 3

Lauren Libke, Student
(UofA)

Past Student Rep 1

Joshua Michie, Student
(2008 MacEwan Grad)

Past Student Rep 2

Denise Dahl, Student
(2008 UofA Grad)

Past Student Rep 3

Natalie Olsen, Student
(2008 UofA Grad)

Administrative Support

Vanlee Robblee, LGDC

 A 2001 graduate of the University of Alberta Bachelor of Design program, I have been employed with Venture Publishing Inc since March 2002, occupying various design roles within the organization. I am currently the production manager, but taking maternity leave as I play mom to my new baby girl. I have had the privilege of being involved with the GDC as the administrative assistant since my recruitment in 2004. In my spare time, I like to spend time with my husband and two adorable bichon/shih-tzu cross puppies and belly dance.