Background
Railyard Lab, an initiative by Dossier Creative, is an innovation lab that bridges design thinking and social innovation. The lab offers business and design students a collaborative and immersive internship experience, working with charities, non-profits, and social impact organizations to deliver real-world solutions.
My role at Railyard was to deliver meaningful, hands-on work experience for interns and ensure impactful outcomes for clients. I led projects for clients like Buy Social Canada, Table of Impact Investment Practitioners (TIIP), Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship, and SolShare Energy while mentoring the next generation of changemakers.
Challenges and Solutions
Railyard’s dual mission required balancing intern development with delivering high-quality solutions to clients:
TIIP: We developed a captivating brand identity and strategic foundation to amplify their influence in social finance.
Buy Social Canada: We created a refreshed brand strategy, visual identity, website, and verbal guidelines to capture their revolutionary spirit as they expanded their services.
Charles Chang Institute: We delivered a refreshed website to inspire collaboration among entrepreneurial thinkers and doers.
SolShare Energy: We produced ready-to-use marketing materials to inspire retail investors to support BC’s first community-owned solar investment program.
My Role
As Railyard’s leader, I was responsible for both nurturing intern growth and delivering impactful client outcomes:
Intern Mentorship: I recruited and onboarded a talented cohort of five designers and one business strategy intern. Through coaching, guidance, and hands-on collaboration, I created an environment where interns could grow their skills, take ownership of key project components, and build confidence as changemakers.
Client Delivery: I guided the team to develop tailored solutions for each client, ensuring high-quality outcomes that addressed their unique needs.
Securing Sustainability: I secured partnerships with four leading social impact organizations and successfully obtained over $100,000 in grants to support Railyard’s operations.
Embedding DE&I: I led the creation of a mindful and inclusive design framework, ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion became foundational principles of the lab’s future work.
Impact
Railyard Lab’s work had a meaningful impact on both interns and clients:
Empowered Interns: The cohort gained hands-on experience in design and social innovation, leaving Railyard equipped with skills, confidence, and professional networks to drive systemic change in their careers.
Client Success: Organizations like TIIP, Buy Social Canada, Charles Chang Institute, and SolShare Energy emerged with stronger brand identities, refreshed strategies, and actionable tools to amplify their impact.
Sustainable Legacy: The funding and inclusive design framework positioned Railyard as a thriving hub for social innovation and purpose-driven design.
Reflection
Leading Railyard Lab was one of the most transformative experiences of my career. I came into the role excited about the opportunity to blend mentorship with social impact work, but I hadn’t anticipated how deeply both would shape me.
Working alongside clients who tirelessly drive change at the grassroots level was humbling. These teams poured their hearts into creating a more equitable and sustainable world. Being part of their journey and helping to amplify their impact through design felt meaningful and wonderfully aligned with my values.
Equally rewarding was the privilege of mentoring the interns. I watched them come in as talented but tentative individuals and leave as confident, capable changemakers. Seeing their growth—those moments when something clicked or they pushed past a limit they didn’t know they could overcome—was super fulfilling. It taught me the power of trust, patience, and collaboration, not just as a manager but as someone invested in their futures.
Railyard is more than a lab—it is a place where ideas turn into action, creativity meets purpose, and futures are built for clients and interns. I’m incredibly proud of this legacy, and the lessons I learned there continue to guide me in everything I do.