This month, our Member Spotlight shines on Stacey Toseland! She’s a Senior Graphic Designer and active member of our chapter. She’s played a significant helping hand in organizing our upcoming event with Isabel Urbina Peña as a dedicated volunteer on in our chapter’s Women’s Leadership Committee.
Learn more about her below.
Tell us a little about yourself. What is your current job?
I work in-house as Senior Graphic Designer at MSC Retail, a full-service retail real estate advisory services firm based in Center City. As the senior member of our small Marketing & Design team, I lead the charge in creating a variety of user-centered print and digital materials. I also get to indulge my (mild) obsession with urban design and Philadelphia’s changing landscape on a daily basis.
How long have you been in the field?
I studied design as an undergrad at Penn and I’ve been working full-time as a graphic designer for 4 years. I took a few years off in between to live abroad, but found that I missed creative work. Now I can’t imagine doing anything else.
What important milestones do you credit to getting to where you are now?
I’ve been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to grow a lot as a designer with my current company, where I’ve worked my way up from an intern to my current role. Outside of work, I’ve had several mentors over the years who’ve taught me important life lessons and seen me through both successes and failures – their support has been invaluable.
Why design? What inspires you to do the work you do?
I’ve always liked this quote from one of my industry heroes, Paola Antonelli: “I believe that design is one of the forces that can build a better place for humans to inhabit and to leave when the time comes…Design is a way to enter the world. It’s the interface between whatever idea you might have—scientific, technological, or even artistic—and real life.”
How long have you been an AIGA member?
I’ve been a member since 2013 and plan on being one for many years to come!
Why did you join AIGA?
I joined to stay in the know about lectures and events and I’ve remained a member because of the incredible (and incredibly welcoming) community of creative folks I found.
How have you benefited from your AIGA membership?
In addition to attending and being inspired by numerous events over the past few years, I’ve benefited most recently through my volunteer involvement with the Women’s Leadership/Diversity & Inclusion Committee. I’ve had the opportunity to work on projects that are entirely new to me and outside of my comfort zone – I’ve helped plan lectures and exhibitions, contributed to a podcast, and I’m currently working on putting together a workshop for this summer. I’m so grateful to have found this group.
What do you enjoy most about the Philadelphia Chapter of AIGA?
The sense of community.
Why should someone be a member?
I think it might be shorter to list the reasons why you shouldn’t become a member…If I had to choose one reason? For the constant inspiration.