‘Strive for excellence over perfection’: Exceptional Women Out West podcast featuring Ginny Golden, group creative director, AKQA Portland
Sometimes, those blazing trails don’t necessarily seek the spotlight. The quest and passion of doing good work and the right things comes first. Ginny Golden, group creative director at AKQA in Portland, is in the midst of an undoubtedly stellar career — with scads of well-deserved recognition from the likes of Cannes, ANDY’s, The One Show and more — but the foundation laid at American University speaks volumes about treading paths anew.
At American, Golden created her own degree, Multimedia Design and Development, combining her love of all things artistic and digital and setting her up for her first internship at AKQA in Washington DC. The framework built created the degree program at American that still exists to this day and produces outstanding talent.
Golden places a great premium on humanity and community — in both her travels and work. Her leadership with New Avenues For Youth in Portland, in launching a fashion brand for homeless youth, underscores her commitment to the city, a place she has called home since 2011.
She also empathizes with the vulnerability creatives feel about their work — and shares her experiences and wisdom, showing how confidence and the ability to sell ones work and talent can be transformative. To Golden, she feels a responsibility to help lead and to also put meaningful work out in to the world — and it’s all about excellence instead of perfection.
Eclectically curious, Golden on the edge of what’s next in the industry, creativity and technology and her next discoveries could very well unearth new trails for everyone to explore together.
Exceptional Women Out West is a podcast that highlights and celebrates both the great achievement, lives and POV of amazing women in the Western US and Canada. Listen to previous episodes here. If you would like to nominate women out west to be part of the show, please contact North America Editor at Large, Doug Zanger.