Student Board officers, members, and mentors at the 10th Annual Student Pin-Up Show.
Want to join smart design students who are enhancing their design education with leadership skills and networking?
AIGA Atlanta has an active Student Board with members who share their passion for design and learning with the community. The student board and members from Atlanta-area design schools work together under the guidance and direction of the Education Chair.
The Student Board President also works alongside the AIGA ATL Professional Board. Together, we strive to create events around the city that inspire learning, help springboard design careers, and cultivate relationships in the design community.
Some past events organized by the Student Board include: the Annual Pin-Up Show, Portfolio Review, and Type Fight, as well as opportunities to hear from brilliant designers. More informal community mixers have included bocce ball and kickball, pairing students with professionals or students challenging professionals.
The AIGA ATL Student Board is a great way to make connections and, more importantly, relationships with your Atlanta design community. Monthly meetings are open to anyone interested in attending and typically held on the first Saturday of each month. Register for our next one on the Upcoming Events page! Interested in learning more? Email us at AIGA ATL.
Zalika Yavlinskiy is a design student at Miami Ad School in Atlanta. She is an artist at heart and wanted to pursue a career using her non-mathematical skills to visually communicate ideas. She is currently serving as President where she loves working with other students and professionals, and is curious in learning how to create avenues for students to connect and find creative inspiration. In her free time, she plays balalaika in a local Slavic orchestra, loves to jam on other instruments with friends, and enjoys doing puzzles. She is dedicated to supporting the arts and establishing a career that encourages good people to make cool art.
Anna LeBer, Vice President
Anna LeBer is currently studying design at Miami Ad School in Atlanta, Ga. She is originally from Atlanta, and spent the last decade in Athens, Ga after earning a BFA in painting from the University of Georgia. Anna has worked as a freelance illustrator and designer over the years, and decided to return to school to level up her graphic design game. When not diligently working on her homework she enjoys spending time at home with her partner and dog, watching scary movies, and going to K-pop concerts. Anna joined the AIGA student board in September 2022, and is excited to expand her horizons and creative network during her tenure.
Taylor Murdock, Secretary
Taylor is a Master’s graduate from Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta. She is a creative with a strategic mind and design eye working at Fitzco. Currently, she serves as the Secretary where she is excited to help students connect to the dynamic world of advertising and design in Atlanta. When her eyes aren’t glued to the computer screen working on concepts or designs, she is probably off in the park doing yoga, hiking or playing with her dog, Niko.
Emily Jeffrey, Historian
I’m a Designer with a background in Biology and Psychology. I love data driven design and my pet cat! I am currently the Student Board’s Historian and Student Spotlight Coordinator. I enjoy illustrating, researching social media analytics, olympic weightlifting and writing short stories in my free time : )
Nic de la Hoz, Programming
A design student at Miami Ad School, as a multifaceted designer, I’ve specialized in Graphic Design and Branding, both in print and digital realms, Visual Design, Event Creative Production, and even Special Effects Makeup and hair. I initially delved into cosmetology, a surprising choice that was driven by my passion for working on Indie movie sets. Currently, the retail designer at the Atlanta Hawks.
Samiksha Puri, Co-Communications
Samiksha Puri is a Masters in Advertising graduate from Savannah College of Art and Design, Atlanta. Her expertise lies in Art Direction and Strategy. Her previous experiences include as an Art Director for films, advertising commercials, photoshoots with works featured on Netflix, Amazon Prime and YouTube. When she is not thinking of advertising campaigns, you’d find her creative mind messing around with paints. She is passionate about fine art and is a professional contemporary artist. She loves all things art & design and is excited to connect with fellow creatives within Atlanta’s design community.
Sydney Toner, Co-Communications
Sydney Toner was born in Rochester, New York, but grew up in Woodstock, Georgia. Her goal as a student is to learn as much as possible from those around her, including fellow students and professors. As an artist, Sydney desires to push the boundaries and rules already in place by “breaking the rules successfully”. Her life experiences and world travels have shaped her creative direction, which involves rejection, life events, feelings, things she has seen in the world around her, and other cultures she has immersed herself in. Sydney finds immersive and interactive art to be the most inspirational. Some of her accomplishments involve completing the AIGA mentorship 2023 program as a mentee and completing her minor in Sociology.
Angelica Cummings, Diversity & Inclusion
Angelica is a 21-year-old junior studying graphic design at the University of North Georgia. She is from Buford, GA, and will graduate in 2024. Aside from graphic design, her passions include writing, painting in her sketchbook, and photography, and she also enjoys being around family and friends. She joined the AIGA Student Board in December of 2021 and was inducted to the DEI position in 2022. She hopes to carry on a legacy for her position while growing her career within AIGA and learning new and inspiring techniques that she can apply to her art.
Mikhail Chery, Membership Recruitment
Mikhail is currently a freshman at Kennesaw State University (KSU). He plans on majoring in digital animation and hopefully graduate in the spring of 2027. As the Membership Recruiter, he aspires to meet new people, invite fellow student designers to become involved in AIGA, and expand his knowledge of the design industry. Being around talented and influential people, he wants to sponge information to become a more well-rounded designer and better person. Some of his design inspirations are Chris Do, Patrick Foley, and Stuart Lippincott, not only for the quality of their work but also for their character and personality.
Nitya Bellani, Graphics
Nitya is a Graphic Designer and Illustrator. A child at heart, with a mind of a toddler, full of curiosity, Nitya loves design and art for how it captures all that there is to life and all that it can give life to. For Nitya Bellani, design is for the people, by the people, and of the people, making it a rare superpower that has the ability to reach and interact with a diverse population. It is a way for her to understand the world around herself. Nitya aims to design for change, for good, for optimism, and to always find the fun in fundamental and even dysfunction.
Camilla Richardson, President Emeritus
Camilla graduated from Auburn University in December 2022. She is a triplet from Montgomery, AL, and loves fine arts, such as painting and drawing. Camilla was a proactive member of the AIGA Student Board at Auburn University. She served as an intern with the campus dining marketing team and the local humane society. In her spare time, she enjoys hanging out with her friends, such as the previous President, Abby Schmidt. Camilla has a passion for design and communication and hopes to share her love with others.
